Digital Photography: The Missing Manual

Posters, Calendars, and Photo Books

Of the hundreds of photos that come out of your digital camera every year, a few stand out. You know the thrill when you see a really good photo—right away you know it deserves better than the typical 4 x 6 print. The same online services that print photos—EasyShare, Shutterfly, and Snapfish—let you showcase your special shots on wall posters and calendars. After all, why stare at somebody else’s nature photos or pets every month when yours are so much better looking? And the handsome photo books you can order from these sites make unforgettable gifts (and ones that’ll never end up on eBay).

When you sign into your favorite photo Web site (as described in Chapter 6), you’re just a click away from starting these projects. Look for an “online store” link—the folks in the marketing department make sure you won’t miss it. Once you choose a project—poster, calendar, or book—the site walks you through choosing the details. Shutterfly is the most helpful, letting you watch a video demo of the process. All of the sites let you either use photos already in your account or upload new ones from your PC as you create your project. If you’re making a photo book, set aside some extra time for all the decisions you have to make, like choosing a cover, book size, page count, design theme, and laying out the individual pages.

You’re spending more money when you create a calendar or a photo book, so it’s important to choose your photos carefully and double-check ...