6 Easy Ways to FINALLY Print Your Photos
Do you remember that? Going to the drugstore and picking up actual printed photos and then slipping them under the clear cover of your three-ring binder? Okay, maybe we’re going too far back, but no matter how many hearts you get on Instagram, it still feels like something’s missing. Scrolling through your albums upon albums of photos on your phone is nothing compared to holding them in your hand.
1. For Photo Books: The next time you go on an epic road trip, attend a wedding or even just accomplish a life milestone, rather than just ‘gramming your way through your memories, you can print them all into a gorgeous, high-quality book. It seriously couldn’t be any easier than it is with Chatbooks. Prices start at only $6 for a 60-page volume, and you can go up to 300 pages. The six-inch square books make perfect gifts for friends, family and, of course, yourself. We really like the idea of printing a volume at the end of each year as your own printed recap of your annual highlights. You can even print Chatbooks chosen by your own personal hashtags.
2. For Spontaneous Shooting: Feel like going on a photo adventure that’s a little less filtered? White Album lets you snap pics in the app and go straight to print. No edits. No filters. The next time you see your photos is when White Albums sends them to your door in the form of Polaroid-like, gorgeous prints. We love the element of surprise you get with this app, but it also keeps you from missing your photo-memorable moment by sifting through editing app after editing app. With White Album, you’re able to get back to what you were doing instead of missing the moment altogether. It’s $20 for a 24-photo album.
3. For Instant Gratification:At the beginning of March, a photo-printing phone case raised $1.5 million on Kickstarter, so it’s no secret that people are really excited for an opportunity to print their photos instantaneously. The Prynt case slips onto your iPhone or Android device and prints your photo right from the case. The case holds 10 photo sheets at a time for 50 cents/sheet. Your photo pops out in 30 seconds and then the real tech magic happens.
When you shoot your photos in the app, it’s also recording video of the moments leading up to the photos. When anyone scans your Prynt photo with their phone, they’re able to see that video show up right on the picture. It’s bringing virtual reality to instant photography letting you embrace old and new tech all in one device. You can pre-order your own Prynt case for $130.
4. For Photo Deco: Your photos can get way bigger than that Instagram square on your screen. They can be stretched onto a canvas. Straight from Instagram, you can pick your favorite photos with CanvasPop and get them printed onto canvases up 20×20 inches. If you’re worried about blowing up low-res images, don’t — CanvasPop guarantees PicturePicture technology to make sure your pics look their best, with no messy pixels or digital noise. Prices for your hand-stretched canvas start at $40.
5. For Your Inner Child:Remember View Masters? You use them like binoculars and click through those circular reels showing photos with a kind of 3D effect that’s low-tech magic. The geniuses at Reelagram discovered that Instagram photos (which are already squares) are totally perfect for View Master reels, so now you can order your own as a more interactive way to relive your printed photos. For $30, they’ll send you a reel of your seven selected photos and a View Master or just a reel for $20. We think it would be super fun to show off your engagement photos with a View Finder by the guestbook at your wedding or send your friend 3D memories of your last hangout. (Wanna get more high tech with your reels? Try Projecto.)
6. For Calendars, Cards and More: If you don’t quite know the best use for your printed photos, Artifact Uprising is a great one-stop shop for getting your photos immortalized onto paper. Their designs make any photos look absolutely stunning, and their paper is top notch in its feel and weight, making all of your projects feel super expensive when they’re actually not. You can order calendars, postcard packs, holiday cards or even just print sets that are beautiful enough to make every VSCO lover to want to print their entire photo library. Prices start around $20.
Are you ready to get your print on? We’d love to know if you’ve used any of the services and find out what you thought of them in the comments!
(feature image via Artifact Uprising Blog)
