Photo Question

I typically get my photos printed at Walgreens. I seem to be the most pleased with their printing and prices. So when I scrap, I'm very close to 4x6 size photos. It could also be that my main scrap mission right now is my trip to Italy, so I don't want to crop out anything from the photos. But most people user smaller size photos which leads me to ask.....

How do you all print your photos?

I prefer Ritz. Yes, it's more expensive, but I've had the best experience with them. I haven't done this in a while, so I can only assume the deal is ongoing, but it used to be that if you ordered on Tue or Wed (or maybe it was Wed or Thu), you could get 3.5x5 prints for 9 cents each.

I also use Walgreen's, and print exclusively in their 4"x5.3" Digital Print size (so I can get the matte finish while still picking up from the local store, and also because I just prefer the different size). I also crop my photos a lot.

I also love printing my photos at Walgreens!

If I want to scrap a smaller photo, I will crop it in Adobe Photoshop to whatever size (2x3, 4x3, etc) and add that onto a 4x6 background. I can fit 4 pictures in 2x3 size, or 3 in 2x4, or 6 in 2x2. That's how I do it, and submit them as a 4x6. Same price as a regular print.

I do that too, tanyaham. It's also useful for printing older, low-resolution photos (or screen-captures from videos) at a smaller size so that the low-resolution is less obvious.

I also used that method to print pictures of some scrapbook pages, putting four of them on a single 4"x5.3" (with some white space between).

• tanyaham Said:

I do this too. But I go to CostCo because my Walgreens sucks, they print way too dark.

I use the collage feature in Picasa to create my image, before submitting it to print



or

I use the collage print feature at Walgreens (which is a little more expensive).




My experience with Walgreens photo printing is that it DOES depend on the location. I can have one location do a nice job, and the store across town will be awful!
I also like to have the matte finish with the "true digital," but I find I often lose parts of the photo I don't want to (because you have no control over how it's cropped).

I don't have that problem because my pictures are already of the right dimensions for 4"x5.3", but I do know that if you are wanting to print photos of those dimensions as 4"x6" instead, you can go into each photo in your cart individually and tell it how you want it cropped.

• aquabunny Said:

You're right. I said that backwards.

If I choose 4x6 and don't crop it myself, I may lose parts of the image.

I went out and bought a cannon printer for around $40 and it comes with a program where you can print all different sizes..8x10, 2x3 (which i use ALOT), 4x6 and 5x7 and even smaller. I love it

I don't know how you ladies plan so well in advance! If I want to scrap a photo, I want to do it RIGHT NOW! so-

I have an Epson Artisan 725 & I totally love it! I can't print a huge number of sizes like my older canon, which will print any size paper you throw into it, but the quality is fantastic, and if I need smaller I just photo collage and do several at a time.

I love that the printer has individual ink cartridges, so I don't feel like I'm wasting ink changing out the cartridge when only one color is low.

I print at home. I tend to chose the photos and then a sketch and then print.

I do all my printing on an Epson Artisan 810. Almost all my prints are on letter size premium luster paper.

In order to make it print exactly the size I want, I edit my photos in Photoshop Elements. I crop them with the pixels set to 300 per inch and then paste them onto the letter sized paper which will be sent to the printer. I will play with the prints on the letter sized paper for a while to get the most prints per page possible.

I understand it is a little more expensive to print at home, but I don't spend gas to go get prints, I don't pay for postage, I'm not compelled to print 50 prints at a time and end up scrapping only a portion of them, I'm never stuck because the prints aren't ready. If some scrappy craziness damages a photo or after looking for paper I decide the photo will work better in black and white, etc... I am free to reprint.

I print mine at home. We have a great photo printer, and it allows me to print anything from a contact size (smaller then wallet), wallet, on up to 8x10. I found when I was doing a lot of scenery photos in my scrapbook, it was nice to do them wallet size so that I could include more of them without it becoming tedious.

Hey, for those of you who are printing at home.....do you feel the printer inks now are to the point of not worrying about fading?
A few years ago I had printed a picture out and it was so faded after a couple of months, I gave up on any thought of doing it for the scrapbooks.

What's the current feeling out there?

To answer the original questions I send mine to a professional lab that has tons of size options as well as finishing options. Its definitely pricey in comparison to snapfish, Walgreens etc but, I am consistently thrilled with the results.

http://www.inkjetart.com/tips/epson_ink_solutions.html

I have not noticed any fading at all. If someone were to say they had a fading problem I would first be suspicious of the paper quality.

Rated for over 25 years when exposed to the sun I think will mean for generations when kept in books.

• tanyaham Said:

I'm jealous... I have PS and can't figure out anything with it..

• Sunnydi Said:

Try this tutorial

I like Walgreens and choose the digital size. Sometimes I make collages using the Walgreens site (usually when collage is on sale!) I too have noticed the color is not always true with Walgreens but for the most part I am satisfied and like the convenience of sending online.

I print at home also, but take a slightly different approach. I download my photos and make adjustments on my photo program, but then I copy the photo and past it into a Word document. By clicking on it, I can use the four little corner squares to adjust the photo to absolutely any size I want. Then print it off on my HP premium photo paper.

• Msceejay2000 Said:

I agree with the paper theory. I've noticed that pictures my cousin gives to my MIL, printed on cannon paper, fade really fast in indirect light!

• kuzatab Said:

I love Walgreens, too! I took advantage of some sales in November, so I printed a year and a half worth of pics. They are all in 4x6, which I had cropped the way I wanted them. The problem is now I have all 4x6 pictures! It will be a challenge to scrap without any size variations. I got a little smarter with the next year and only edited the pics. I tried not to crop them unless the main subject was very small (not the way I take pics anymore, though). That will give me some variation.

I love the idea of picking a sketch and getting the photos to fit it ahead of time using the above idea. Genius! Maybe when I get caught up (Bwwwwahhhhh hahaha hahahahaaaa!) I'll have more time to spend on each layout and do this.

I used to be a Walgreen's girl all the way ... cheap, easy (just upload and pic them up at my local store, only 1 mile away), fast, BUT ...

I had a HUGE customer service issue with them 2 months ago and now absolutely refuse to step into the store or give the company ANY of my money

so I've been using Costco or printing them myself since then

I first started printing my own about 5 years back. I only use HP premium photo paper and print on an HP photosmart machine. I went back and checked those photos and they are still just fine - no fading. I'd not only be leary of paper and ink quality, but making certain they were stored with non-acidic page protectors, etc. as well.

When I'm just printing to get my photos out of my computer and out into the world, I use Shutterfly. Good quality prints and they deliver to my door. However, when I'm scrapping a particular photo I edit/crop it myself and print it on my photo printer at home. I get to chose size, quality, etc.

I print at home and my printer has a choice of how I want to print. I can do 4 diff pictures wallet size on one 4x6 print. I used to send to Wal Greens or Costco and just slowly started to print more and more at home.