Options for Printing Digital Pictures

Digital photography has become a part of daily life allowing people to shoot and share pictures like never before. But what if you want to print out your favorite digital photo and frame it? So, here are some tips for how to make good quality hard copy digital prints.

If you'd like to frame your digital image or give it as a gift, there are couple of different ways to print out your photos. Here are a few ways to get it done:

Local Stores

Naturally, there are several different local stores (like photo stores, grocery stores and pharmacies) that have some method for printing your digital photographs. This is definitely a well-priced and convenient service, but make sure that you go to a shop that focuses on photography. Local photo stores will be able to provide you with tons of flexible options and there is immeasurable value in being able to have a personal relationship with the people behind the counter. The people that run your local photo stores have a reputation in the community and take pride in doing quality work so you'll always know your pictures are taken care of properly.

Print from Home

Printing from home is by far the most convenient of the ways in which you can translate your digital photos from data to paper. For about $200 you can get a good photo inkjet printer and then all you'll need is some quality photo paper. Although this method is very convenient, if you do a lot of photo printing you will have to pay a premium for convenience with the high cost of ink and the expense of high quality photo paper. If you only find yourself printing photographs now and then, this may be a good option for you, but if you're a shutterbug with hundreds of photos to print you're best off deferring that cost to a printing service.

Online Photo Printing Services

If you're looking for a website service that specializes in printing digital prints there are several good ones. Kodak Gallery, SmugMug and Snapfish are all good websites that will let you upload your pictures and order prints. Every one of these sites is a leader in the field of printing digital images. One handy feature of Snapfish is that they let you forward your uploaded photo album to mega stores like Staples if you want to print them out there. If you want to pick up your pictures in person, simply upload them from Snapfish's desktop software and the images we'll be waiting for you to pick up. The only downside to a service like this is the wait time - in most cases your local photo store will be able to help you get your photos more quickly.

All things considered, digital photography's strength has always been its convenience and flexibility. With so many great printing options available to you, all you have to do is pick one that works best for you.