One by-product of the digital photography revolution is that photographers no longer need to rely on traditional film processing or darkrooms to enjoy their prints. Understanding the relationship between camera resolution and final print size can help you make decisions on what pictures are the best to print, and how to go about printing them. Normal snapshot prints can be made of images that are 2 to 3 megapixels, but you will normally require a higher resolution to print larger photographs.
| Fortunately, most traditional film photo printing services also provide printing services for digital camera users. To take advantage of these services, you have flexible options: drop off just your memory card or stick, bring in your whole camera, bring in a copy of your pictures on a CD – or submit them electronically over the Internet, bypassing the lines, the wait and most of the hassle. These services allow you to either pick up the resulting prints at the store or have them delivered through postal mail. Submitting photos electronically can be a convenient option if you plan on doing a lot of editing of the images (to crop, or correct for colours, etc) before getting them printed. You can choose between various services, such as Kodak/Ofoto, Black’s, Yahoo! Photos and Shutterfly, with more options to choose from and better pricing as long as you’re willing to work strictly online. |
| Another convenient option, which can yield professional looking results, is to simply print photos at home. Fortunately, many standard printers have entered the market combining both everyday use with specialized photo printing capabilities, for example the Canon Pixma or the HP Photosmart. If you choose to print photos at home on a colour inkjet, be sure to use the specialized photo printing paper, as that can have a big impact on the final result – with the right equipment, there can be little difference between printing at home and printing using professional traditional photo printing services. |
| To really get the most out of printing your Maui vacation photos at home, there are specialized photo printers such as Sony Digital Printer that can either connect directly to the camera or to your PC, and use a specialized printing process that is similar to what the professionals use in photo labs. The cost per print is higher than what you would see with a multi-purpose colour printer, however, the end result is of far higher quality and will last longer, with the convenience of printing whatever photos you want, on the spot, at any time. |