Digital Photography: The Missing Manual

Ordering Prints Online

There’s no shortage of companies vying for the privilege of printing out your photos. If you’ve ever ordered anything from Amazon or any other online merchant, then ordering photo prints on the Web will feel pretty familiar. The process usually goes something like this: Select your items (in this case, photos), choose a shipping method (faster costs more), provide your credit card number over a secure connection, and receive your order confirmation.

Ordering prints from online services offers some advantages:

• You get good-quality prints that last longer than most inkjet prints.

• Ordering online usually costs less than using a kiosk or buying paper and ink for home printing.

• You can edit your digital photos at home, send the files over the Internet, and get finished prints delivered right to your mailbox (your real mailbox, that is).

• Using online albums, you can share photos with folks on the other side of the country or down the block. Then, if they so desire, they can order their own prints, as described in the box in Section 16.7.

Whether you’re using EasyShare (below), Shutterfly (Section 16.8), or Snapfish (Section 16.10), the steps and the order you follow for getting prints are basically the same. All three of these services let you order from any Internet browser. (EasyShare and Shutterfly both offer standalone programs that reside on your computer, which provide a slightly easier alternative to the browser method.)

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