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Digital Photo Developing: Where Should You Get Your Photos Processed?

You have a variety of options for digital photo developing. (Actually, developing or processing are terms from the days of film. They are not really accurate in the days of digital, but we are creatures of habit!)

Many people like to print their digital photos as home. However, printing photos at home can be a hassle and gets expensive-—color ink cartridges are costly and don't last long and photo paper is not cheap! It can cost up to $1.00 per print when you take into account the cost of the printer, ink and paper.

And did you know that the average photo paper you buy in the store can degrade in as little as six years? Some start to fade in as little as a few months!

Another popular option is to drop your photo card off at the drug store for developing. However, this doesn't allow you to edit and enhance your images.

My favorite option is to use an online digital photo service like SNAPFISH.COM or SHUTTERFLY. You can sign up for free, upload your photos to a free online album, and use their free editing software to correct red eye, color and contrast, and crop to better frame your shot.

Using an online photo printing service, you can order affordable, long-lasting, film-quality prints quickly and painlessly in a variety of sizes and have them delivered to your home. Although you pay for shipping, the frequent sales and promotions offered by online digital photo processors makes the cost comparable or cheaper than getting them processed at the drugstore, and most certainly cheaper that printing them at home. Check out our handy chart to compare online photo services.