Online Photo Printing

Like Blockbuster and Netflix, many assume the digital camera is the sworn enemy of traditional photo printing. Actual photographs that one can hold and feel, why would anyone want or even need them, right? The same with a VHS cassette, if you have Netflix, then you’re good to go. While the Blockbuster/Netflix comparison is apt, and it has obviously played out that way in real life, contrary to popular belief traditionally printed photos are not less desirable today. If anything, they are still in hot demand and online photo printing is a big reason why.

As a society we produce more photographs today than any time in history. We are taking some 1.2 trillion plus pictures with smartphones and while many are shared via social media, most remain in our phones and are sadly, forgotten. The reasons behind this are clear, but don’t be fooled, print is far from dead. Granted, certain prints are, the types of prints we would have printed in the past because that was the only way to see them. Those are photographs still in our phone and won’t be printed, but people still love prints which is why online photo printing is here to stay.

Before we get into the nuts of bolts of online printing, ever consider that printed photos might be safer to store than digital files? Technology changes and there is no guarantee that the computer or software of tomorrow can adapt to the current format a digital photo is in today. A printed photo however is printed, and the only thing you need to worry about is the photo being properly stored so it doesn’t blur or fade away. Currently this is a snap as we’ve had plenty of time to test this out over the past 50 years. We know what works and what doesn’t so printing and storing is no longer a big to do.

In terms of the top players in the online photo printing world, Shutterfly is a monster. This company offers a range of gift and print options (at very reasonable prices), the quality is excellent and is consistently lauded for its exceptional, quality prints. When testing out a provider, it is recommended to test out a variety of sizes – 4x6s, 8x10s, 20x30 posters as well as a photo book if you can. Many online services do one or a handful of these well. Finding one that can check all the boxes is rare, but out there.

Amazon Prints also provides really good value, some claim even more so than Shutterfly. Their prices are hard to beat and the app will automatically back the photos up from your phone or your tablet’s camera roll. Moreover, with a Prime membership you can also receive unlimited photo storage space for free. Now, Amazon Prints cannot offer wallet-size images but does have standard sizes and decent prints at again, a great price.

And finally, Walmart Photo. Like Amazon, a leader when it comes to pricing. These two are such large retailers that their margins are bigger than Shutterfly for example, and as such can achieve much lower prices as a result. Walmart offers some cool options such as wall tapestries, plates, Christmas cars, metallic easels, phone cases and more. Through their Services menu on the app you can select Photo Prints and align them with Instagram, Facebook or your camera roll.

Can’t say we didn’t provide some solid choices here, right? Of course not, so go nuts with your next printing order, physical things are back in!