:: Photography Tips + Tricks | ordering photo holiday cards ::

With the availability of online services such as TinyPrints and Minted, it is now easier than ever to order beautiful photo holiday cards whenever you want, and wherever you want. With thousands of expertly designed cards to choose from, you could preview each design by uploading and inserting your own digital photo(s) or professional photos from your favorite photographer.

PHOTO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

courtesy of Minted.com

While the process seems easy enough, here are some tips + tricks to help you get the best results (as suggested by TinyPrints & Minted):

• Originals -- always upload original photos from your digital camera or from your photographer (not cropped or resized).
• Resolution -- always shoot at the highest resolution possible, and upload the highest resolution possible (but less than 25MB each).
• File format -- .jpg.gif, .png, .bmp and .tiff.
• Sharpness -- choose images that are in focus. Blurred images from poor focus and motion do not print well.
• Exposure and light -- choose images that have proper exposure and are well-lit. Dark images do not print well. Natural light is best, but preferably not in direct sunlight. If you need to use a flash, stand at least 3 feet away from intended subject. If you need some guidance, please check out my Tips + Tricks about how to find outdoor light.
• Shop early -- goes without saying, as these services become more busy closer to the holidays, and often will take longer to print and ship.
• Take advantage of free-shipping offers by shopping early.

courtesy of tiny prints.com

PREPARATION

To ensure a timely send-off of the cards once they arrive, you could do these things in advance:

• Gather all the addresses you plan to use
• Input address into the computer as an electronic list using Excel, Word, Notes etc.
• Buy address labels from Staples, Office Depot or the Paper Source etc.
• Paper Source has some beautifully shaped labels if you want something more unique.
• Download the appropriate template(s) for the address labels.
• Copy and paste names and addresses into the label templates. Print.
• Alternatively, for a more polished look, you could stock up on printer cartridges and print directly onto the envelopes. This is more time intensive, but this is my preferred method.
• For the return address (your address),  I like using a custom designed stamp from the Paper Source. There are 160+ designs to choose from. Stamp your address onto the backslap of the envelope for a clean, modern look.

• You could also order matching, pre-printed return address labels from the printing services.

I hope these tips + tricks will help you streamline the holiday card sending process and leave you more time to enjoy your holidays!