Sending a picture to Walgreens to get printed

[JeremyLangford]

I am sending a scanned digital image to Walgreens to get printed for an Art Contest tommorrow.

Should I send as a JPG, or use a 16-bit TIFF.

Im just trying to making sure that places like this don't only take JPGs or anything like that.

 

[rogue_designer]

JPG - highest quality level - sRGB embedded profile - would be my recommendation.

 

[JeremyLangford]

that was harder than I thought.

Walgreens made me crop the picture so that it would completely fill an 8x10 print. Why isn't there a way to leave white space on the print so that you get the full picture? Is that normal?

 

[RayPA]

I used Target (Shutterfly) the other day and I was pleasantly surprised. I had to send a JPEG, and I had to really dig around the web site to get resolution information. I had added sharpening to my file, which I probably shouldn't have done, because the results were a little too "digitally" sharp.

I can't image that these places print anything but full bleed, but then my experience is limited. I usually print my own b&w and post on the web.

🙂

 

[rogue_designer]

You couldn't create an 8x10 file with the image just in the area you want, and submit the whole thing?

Odd. I have to admit, aside from doing some profile tests, I've never really used those systems much.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I created jpgs and set them to print at 4X6. Then, took them in a disk drive to my closest Walgreens and two days later they had them ready. Good job all in all, so I may use them again if I don't want to print my stuff.

 

[jamesj]

i use wlagreens to print my stuff sometimes...my wife has a snapfish account and you can upload the image then send it digitally to the walgreens go and pick it up in a hour...


i usually send 5x7 300 dpi images... and they come out really good....

 

[jlw]

that was harder than I thought.

Walgreens made me crop the picture so that it would completely fill an 8x10 print. Why isn't there a way to leave white space on the print so that you get the full picture? Is that normal?

I've had that happen with Walgreens even if I set my canvas size in Photoshop to 8x10 and then centered my image within the white area. Apparently their printer gear is set up to crop out white borders automatically.

One trick I remember doing that worked (although I don't remember if it was with Walgreens) was to set up the picture the way I wanted it within the white borders, then added a thin gray hairline around the outer edge of the white border area. This was enough to trick the printer into not cropping out the white. The hairline got trimmed off during the normal cutting process, so it wasn't on the final print.

 

[JeremyLangford]

I've had that happen with Walgreens even if I set my canvas size in Photoshop to 8x10 and then centered my image within the white area. Apparently their printer gear is set up to crop out white borders automatically.

One trick I remember doing that worked (although I don't remember if it was with Walgreens) was to set up the picture the way I wanted it within the white borders, then added a thin gray hairline around the outer edge of the white border area. This was enough to trick the printer into not cropping out the white. The hairline got trimmed off during the normal cutting process, so it wasn't on the final print.

thats a very good idea. Ill try that next time.

 

[rbiemer]

A suggestion for next time, Jeremy:
If you have enough time try these folks:
http://www.mpix.com/
It will take a little longer than your local Walgreens but they do good work and are pretty fast for a mail order place. Not too expensive either.
Rob

 

[RayPA]

i use wlagreens to print my stuff sometimes...my wife has a snapfish account and you can upload the image then send it digitally to the walgreens go and pick it up in a hour...
....

That's what I did with Shutterfly (Target), uploaded the files and they were ready in an hour.

.

 

[Al Patterson]

I had some prints done at Wlagreens, and I fould that the crop looked better when I did it than when they did it. At the price they charged for 8 by 10 ($2.50 or $2.99, it was a while ago) the fact that I had to re-do one wasn't a problem.

I have heard better feedback on Mpix, but haven't tried them yet.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I had some prints done at Wlagreens, and I fould that the crop looked better when I did it than when they did it. At the price they charged for 8 by 10 ($2.50 or $2.99, it was a while ago) the fact that I had to re-do one wasn't a problem.

Could someone please explain me why the 8x10" print (aspect ratio 5/4) is so popular in the US? In Europe most labs normally offer primarily 15x23 cm (6x9") and 20x30 cm (10x12") color prints for 35 mm film and 3/2 aspect ratio (APS-C and FF sensor) digital. No cropping is needed. Some offer 18x24 cm (7x9.5"), which is a traditional B&W darkroom print size, also in color. It requires some cropping or bordering from 35 mm film frame, but not as much as 8x10" cm.

20x25 cm (8x10") is normally used only for 4/3 aspect ratio digital, 645 and 6x7 prints. Some cropping with those is still needed, but much less than with 3/2 aspect ratio film or sensor. Of course you can get your 35 mm film or 3/2 digital printed in 20x25 cm, but hardly anyone does it. Before digital it was not even offered by labs that didn't do prints from medium format film.

 

[jairy hunter]

I thought 8 x10 was so popular because so many frames are 8 x10 size....which came first? I personally don't like having to crop for size alone.

I've used Mpix with good results, even their canvases are good in my opinion; I've also used Sam's as an upload-1-hour-pick-up service. But I think you have to have the software.

 

[RayPA]

I thought 8 x10 was so popular because so many frames are 8 x10 size....which came first? ...

and it's windy because all the tree branches are moving... 😉

Could someone please explain me why the 8x10" print (aspect ratio 5/4) is so popular in the US?

i don't know, but could it have to do with the manufacturing of photo paper---way back when---and the convenience of how it is cut? (kind of like the story of how/why axle width on automobiles came to be [don't ask. I forget the details, except that is has to do with horse manure, or something like that]).


.

 

[rogue_designer]

8x10 works great for my 6x7cm, 4x5 and 8x10 film. It's only 35mm and digital that are the odd men out. 😀

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

8x10 works great for my 6x7cm, 4x5 and 8x10 film. It's only 35mm and digital that are the odd men out. 😀

And of course it works reasonably well for 645 film and 4/3 aspect ratio digital, which includes practically all digital compacts and the Olympus/Panasonic/Leica FourThirds system. But then again there is 6x9 cm film, which used to be pretty popular in Europe and Japan 😛

(I am still dreaming about a Fuji GW690 or GSW690 rangefinder, but haven't find a good deal, so I have to content with my Moskva 2.)

 

[ampguy]

Got my first batch of 5 3/8" x 4" borderless photos back from Walgreens in a mixed order with 4x6's, and even though the 4x6's weren't pre-cropped, I prefer the 4x6s. Plus not sure where I'd ever get frames for the new format??

The price with the regualr Walgreens promos (~ 0.10 cents) is often less than printing at home, so we try to print our best photos in at least 4x6 once a week or so.

 

[ijohnnyz]

If you print at Costco, you can download the ICC printer profile specific to your local warehouse machine at drycreekphoto.com. Their online service is manged by Snapfish and they will quote you a pick up time anywhere from 1 to 24 hours. I always save my files to be printed as 300ppi TIFF. If you exceed 300ppi, the Costco machines won't be able to print it. I'm not trying to endorse Costco, but having printer profiles is definitely worth getting the membership for me. Color accuracy is important for my design class because we need to match the colors on the product.

 

[lZr]

Printing papers are not 3:2 or 4:3 for every size. Paper Industry have a method of sqr (2) for paper sizes. Before posting digital images, I do:

1. Presize my file according to the requested print size available
2. Set 300 dpi and embed my profile
3. I ask for clearly what I want and reject anything else
4. Pay as told before the job