Hero Of The Lab - Steve Butler
15.08.2019
Every professional print lab has its own hero, this hero ensures the highest possible quality to be delivered to the customer. They are photo enthusiasts and experts in their field. In our opinion these heroes deserve a spotlight, therefore each month we will ask one of these heroes to tell their story.
This time we have interviewed Steve Butler, Print Director at Genesis Imaging. Discussing future products or imaging development with Steve and the Genesis team is always inspirational, but most important, retrieving valuable and honest feedback. Steve is highly respected within the imaging print world, having years of experience, a passion for photography, staying innovative and a keen eye for good quality prints.
Who is Genesis Imaging? Having been first established as Genesis Laboratory Ltd in 1997 by Ken Sethi and Howard Lee, Genesis has grown from its roots as a conventional laboratory to offer comprehensive in-house printing, mounting and framing services, alongside a range of new premium display graphics services. Driven by innovation, Genesis Imaging has remained at the forefront of photographic printing through its commitment to innovation and adaptation to change.
Who is Steve Butler? Hello! I am the Print Director of Genesis Imaging and I am the person responsible for maintaining consistency and quality across our print services, on a range of media.
Could you please tell us about your professional background? Sure! I've been printing for over thirty years. My first job was as a black and white printing technician in a small lab in Swindon. From there, I moved to the local newspaper which gave me the experience of working to tight deadlines and equipped me with the skills to do so.
I really loved large format printing, and a move to London threw me back into the darkroom, and later into digital. I was the Print Manager of a quite prominent lab on North End Road over 20 years ago, but my lab's lack of interest in digital - and Genesis Imaging's forward-thinking attitude - made me move on to a new position in Genesis, and I haven't looked back. I was happy to work my way up again as a C-type printing technician, knowing this company had a bright future.
What has inspired you to enter into the photographic printing business? I've loved photography for as long as I can remember. When I was just 9 years old I found an old Ilford Sportsman Auto RF in a jumble sale and I soon began printing with an old Durst M301 enlarger in a converted cupboard in my bedroom. I really liked the challenge of fumbling around with a darkroom bag, trying to get my film on the processing spiral and then later, during processing, seeing images appear before my eyes in the trays.
What is it that you are most passionate about? Quite simply, my passion is centred on creating the best quality imagery possible - for myself, but more importantly for the client. I've just finished a project for a client who is based in Tel Aviv and as they were unable to approve the prints in person, I sent physical tests and also some video footage to show them the quality that we had achieved. It was great to document each stage and to share this with the client and, even better, they loved the finished results!
How do you think digitalisation has influenced the photographic printing business? Working in darkrooms can be an isolating experience. The digitalisation of photographic printing has changed the working environment of printers from the darkroom - to an office, where we can work more collectively. Digitalisation has also allowed for much faster turnarounds then conventional methods would ever allow and for Genesis, has meant that services such as Direct to Media printing can be introduced - utilising the benefits of UV ink (we can produce prints that are weather-proof!) and new flexibility in printing using a wide range of substrates. Gicl e Fine Art printing, ChromaLuxe Fine Art printing and our Creative Retouching services also allow our clients greater flexibility than ever before.
What do you like most about Fujifilm original photo papers? I've always loved the clarity, colour saturation and stability of Fuji Crystal Archive photographic media.
Do you have any favourite types of Fujifilm photo papers? I absolutely love the Fuji Crystal Archive DPII Matt because it has more of a satin-feel, which places it perfectly between a typical matt and a gloss paper.
How do you see the future of the professional printing business? I believe there will always be a call for professionally produced images. The quality, flexibility of processes, and the size that can be reproduced simply cannot be matched by small home inkjet printers, or high street labs.
What advice would you give to upcoming photographers?
Network, connect, and get involved in the photography community.
Find your Niche. Your personality is portrayed through your photos, and your niche is your special area of interest and the way you see the world.
If you act confident, you will be seen as confident. This perceived confidence will boost your actual confidence, which in turn, will allow your skill to shine through. Bottom line: if you act confident, then you will become confident. Don't be arrogant though!
Speak to your photographic lab about the benefits of different printing and finishing processes, and together find the perfect solution. Working collaboratively often gets the best results!
Files:
Hero_of_the_Lab_Steve_Butler.png (1.44 Mbyte)
original_News_Interview_SteveButler_en.pdf (779 Kbyte)
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
05/06/2026
RT Radio 1 Folk Awards to take place on Tuesday 10th November 2026, Vicar Street, Dublin
Moya Brennan, D nal Lunny, Mary Black and Christy Moore among previou...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
BackStory follows four Irish young people as they travel back to their parents' homelands
Modern Irish identity is enriched by cultures and influences from...
03/06/2026
Step sequencer-style panning tool revealed
Alongside their flagship self-titled sound-design platform, Sound Particles offer an array of creative effects an...
03/06/2026
Now features full H90 algorithm library
Eventide have announced the upcoming launch of the H9 Harmonizer Gen 2, a new and improved version of their hugely p...
03/06/2026
Significant discount available until 1 October 2026
Aim Audio have just announced a promotion that sees a significant discount applied to their Essence micr...
03/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to supply CERTIUM advanced communications system to Memmingen Ai...
03/06/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
03/06/2026
RT confirms multi-channel and free to air coverage of the expanded tournament with enhanced digital features and the return of Total Football for young fans
S...
03/06/2026
03 Jun 2026
VEON to Release 2Q26 Earnings on July 31, 2026 Dubai and New York, June 3, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON or t...
03/06/2026
RT has today announced Heineken 0.0 as the broadcast sponsor of their FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage.
The sponsorship, brokered by Dentsu, will see Heineken 0....
02/06/2026
Musically intelligent soft synth gets upgraded
Scaler Music will be probably be best known to many for their music theory tools, but their product range al...
02/06/2026
Powerful new vocal-production tool announced
Described as a vocal performance station , Klevgrand's latest plug-in combines pitch-correction with harmo...
02/06/2026
Launched alongside Go Green sale extension
McDSP have just released the latest addition to their APB line-up, DC-2 Dual Compressor, and have also announced ...
02/06/2026
Create custom tools for Ableton Live 12 Suite
Ableton have just introduced a new open JavaScript toolkit that allows anyone to create their own custom tools...
02/06/2026
Now features full H90 algorithm library
Eventide have announced the upcoming launch of the H9 Harmonizer Gen 2, a new and improved version of their hugely p...
02/06/2026
Plus UAD Half Yearly Sale now live
The latest arrival to the Universal Audio range delivers a new native pitch-correction plug-in that's capable of deli...
02/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to present comprehensive performance, conformance and spectrum-m...
02/06/2026
BTL Laboratory becomes Taiwan's first test house with a CTIA Certification c...
02/06/2026
If you've kept up with this article series, you know by now where to start w...
02/06/2026
With new DSP configurations and flexible licensing options, Calrec is removing the barriers to virtualised audio, giving broadcasters the freedom to scale produ...
02/06/2026
02 Jun 2026
VEON Closes USD 1.4 Billion Bond Offering, Refinancing 2027 Notes A...
02/06/2026
Praise for series three:
The Times - sun-dappled pleasure
The Daily Mail - The Homes Counties' Charlie's Angels
The Sun - 4* this [is an] enjoya...
02/06/2026
Wuppertal June 2, 2026
Gudrun Scharler Appointed CEO of Riedel Networks The Riedel Group today announced the appointment of Gudrun Scharler as CEO of Riedel N...
02/06/2026
Trust has become a commercial issue With global advertising spend forecast to exceed US$1 trillion this year*, the commercial consequences of weak governance co...
02/06/2026
June sees Ireland's cultural calendar in full bloom, as RT Supporting the Arts showcases a vibrant and wide-ranging programme spanning music, theatre, visu...
02/06/2026
After The Traitors Ireland launched in 2025, Irish audiences proved to have a taste for the global hit reality show. This Bank Holiday Monday fans can indulge e...
01/06/2026
Category line-up & sponsors announced
Photo: Paul Clarke
The Production Music Awards (PMA) have announced that submissions are now officially open ahead of...
01/06/2026
New hybrid sample/synthesis instrument revealed
Excite Audio have just released the latest instalment in their Evolve series, which has been developed in co...
01/06/2026
Latest TONEX expansion captures three rare vintage amps
The newest addition to IK Multimedia's ever-growing TONEX line-up introduces a set of three incr...
01/06/2026
Musically intelligent soft synth gets upgraded
Scaler Music will be probably be best known to many for their music theory tools, but their product range al...
01/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz Satellite Industry Days 2026 guided by the motto From Earth to ...
01/06/2026
Luxembourg, June 1, 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, and Viva, Mexico's ultra low-cost airline, launched fast and reliable multi-orbit satelli...
01/06/2026
Mardi 2 juin 14h00
FilmLight (ARRI), 10 rue Ren Boulanger, 75010 Paris
Rejoignez-nous pour d couvrir comment FLAPI (l'API FilmLight) peut transformer e...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
cetecom advanced certifies Rohde & Schwarz test solution for hybrid and Next Gen...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Genelec announces V2.1 for Aural ID binaural headphone monitoring application posted: 29/05/2026
Aural ID 2.1 enhances binaural monitoring for stereo and ...
Hero Of The Lab - Steve Butler 
