Printing Your Digital Photos

You have a few options when it comes to getting your photos from your digital camera or computer onto paper. In this section we will go through the various options available to you.

Printing Onto Photo Paper From Your Computer
Printing your pictures on to photo paper using your computer and printer at home is a good option if you want the odd enlargement done. The quality of the finished print depends on the quality of the printer, quality of the ink and the quality of the paper it's printed on. It's not the cheapest option as the cost of ink and a pack of paper can be expensive. Photo specific ink-jet printers often have more than the usual 3 ink colours (cyan, magenta and yellow), plus black. For example, the Epson Stylus Photo R800 has 8 inks for maximum efficiency - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Red, Blue, Matte Black, Photo Black and a Gloss Optimizer! The extra colours enable the printer to print a wider spectrum of colours. But this is a serious printer and you would need to make the most of it to justify the price. There are cheaper alternatives that will do a great job.
My recommendations for this option: Epson Stylus R220, with Epson Photo Paper. Good enought for most peoples uses and not too expensive.

Dedicated Digital Photo Printers
These, sometimes portable, digital photo printers gives you quality 10cm x 15cm (4" x 6")prints. Some of them use ink to print the picture, such as the Epson Picturemate 100, whilst others, such as the Kodak Photo Printer 500, use dye sublimation (thermal dye transfer) to print pictures. These type of printers are good if you are having a party for example, and would like to see the prints right away or you want to give a print to a friend. Again, it's not the cheapest option, but it could be a fun option. I have no recommendations for this option.

Take Your Camera/Memory Card/CD To A Store
This is probably the cheapest option. Many supermarkets and of course high street shops now have photo processing centers. You can take your camera, memory card or even a CD with your pictures on it along to get prints done, and usually within an hour. Cheap quality prints, a fast service, and print size options are the benefits of getting your photographs done at the supermarket. Order them when you go in, do your shopping and collect them on the way out. Recommendations for this option: Look around to see what stores are near you that offer this service and compare prices. You may find you can save money if you have over a set number of pictures to be printed. Save up your pictures that you want printed, then go and get them done when you hit that certain number that will offer you the best discount on the printing costs.

Order Your Photos Online
This is another cheap way of getting your photos printed. If you have broadband and in no great hurry to see your prints, this could be a good option for you. Some companies such as SnapFish offer so much more. You can upload or email your digital photos, order high quality prints and have them delivered, store and share limitless amounts of photos online for free, edit and organise your photos and showcase them in custom albums - including wedding and holiday albums and create superb gifts such as mugs and calendars.