| There are lots of options available for | | | | Shutterfly, you can even try out and order |
| getting your digital photos printed, but | | | | frames for your photos.The downside: you do |
| which method is the best and most economical | | | | pay a shipping charge, so you may want to |
| choice for you? Let's look at some of the | | | | wait and order a number of photos or photo |
| options and the pros and cons of | | | | products at one time to make it more |
| each.PRINTING YOUR DIGITAL PHOTOS AT | | | | economical. Print costs for 4x6 inch photos |
| HOMEConvenience and instant gratification are | | | | range from about 19 cents to 29 cents, |
| two popular reasons for printing your digital | | | | depending on the company.Wal-Mart.com's |
| photos at home. Depending on your printer, | | | | prints are inexpensive and the bonus is you |
| you can print directly from your camera or | | | | can upload your photos to their website and |
| from your memory card in most cases. Or if | | | | then pick them up at your local store and |
| you want to touch up your photos first you | | | | avoid shipping charges. Photo stores like or |
| can copy them to your computer, use your | | | | are also good options because you can either |
| photo editing software (I like Photoshop | | | | upload your photos to their website and pick |
| Elements 3.0) to enhance your images, and | | | | them up at a local store in as little as an |
| then print right from your graphics program. | | | | hour, or you can drop off your memory card at |
| You don't have to make an extra stop to drop | | | | the store and pick up your prints later.PRINT |
| off your photo memory card at the | | | | YOUR PHOTOS AT THE DRUGSTOREDigital printing |
| photofinisher or drugstore and then return to | | | | is now available at drugstore chains such as |
| pick up your prints, and you save the | | | | Walgreens and Longs. You can bring in your |
| shipping fees the online photo services | | | | memory stick and use their photo kiosk to |
| charge.However, printing your photos on your | | | | crop and edit your images and then print |
| home printer may be more expensive than you | | | | them. The cost is about the same as an online |
| realized. The per-print price can approach $1 | | | | printing service, but you have to stand there |
| per picture when you factor in the cost of | | | | at the kiosk and edit/upload your photos. Not |
| buying a photo printer, high quality photo | | | | something I really want to do, nor do I want |
| paper and lots of color ink cartridges. If | | | | to wait in line while someone else finishes |
| you print a lot of photos you'll go through | | | | their photo order. The good news is these |
| ink cartridges and paper rather quickly, | | | | drugstores also offer online photo services |
| which gets expensive, especially if you make | | | | so you can upload your photos to their |
| mistakes and have to reprint. If you use | | | | website and you can pick up your prints at |
| inexpensive or off-brand paper, you will | | | | their store usually the next day.The other |
| likely find that your photos may start to | | | | option is you can drop off your memory card |
| fade or discolor within a few months. | | | | or CD at the drugstore's photo department and |
| According to industry experts, if you print | | | | pick up your prints anywhere from an hour |
| at home, use the same brand name paper as | | | | later to a day later, depending on the |
| your printer manufacturer (i.e. if you have a | | | | service selected, just like the "old days" of |
| Canon printer, use Canon photo paper). Your | | | | 35mm film. The print cost is about the same |
| prints will be better quality and last | | | | as full service online photo finishers (less |
| longer.USING AN ONLINE DIGITAL | | | | the shipping fee). There are frequent sales, |
| PHOTOFINISHEROnline digital photofinishers | | | | so the per-print cost can be relatively low |
| like Ofoto and the new PhotoWorks make the | | | | if you hit a sale, but you don't have the |
| process of printing your photos very easy. | | | | option of cropping or enhancing your images |
| You can edit your photos either using your | | | | unless you edit your photos then burn them to |
| own photo editing software or download free | | | | a CD first.My suggestion is to experiment |
| software from the online line printing | | | | with several methods and find the best one |
| service to crop, fix red-eye, and add special | | | | that works for you. Whatever you do, don't |
| effects or borders to your images. Then | | | | just let all those digital photos pile up in |
| simply select the images you want to print, | | | | your memory card or on your computer, get |
| click to upload to the photo site, and you | | | | them printed so you can show them off. Of |
| will receive your order, printed on high | | | | course you can also share them online with |
| quality photo paper, in your mailbox in | | | | family and friends, but that's another |
| approx. 2-5 days. In addition to prints you | | | | article.Valerie Goettsch publishes the |
| can order customized photo calendars, photo | | | | digital photography website featuring |
| cards, photo books, mugs, and other photo | | | | reviews of photo editing and album software |
| items. With some online services, like | | | | and digital photo printing services. |