[Greenneck]

So I want to print up some calendars for friends and family. Off the top of my head I am thinking at least 10. Ive only printed anything once, that was using costco and I found it so aggravating because none of my pictures looked right cropped to 8x10 so I had to go back into light room crop them all so the vignette looked okay, normally I add shading to make it look just right but I dont want to have to retouch every picture last minute Im looking for any advice here to make this task easier on me maybe recommend a better printing option or easier way to get it done? I have my pictures on flickr if there happens to be a way that makes life easier.

[jatrax]

When using online labs (costco or whoever) I always run a test through first. Then I make a virtual copy in Lightroom and develop just for that lab. Which includes using their ICC profiles if available as well as cropping and so on. I don't think there is an easy way around this.

Cropping to 8 x 10 to print on standard sizes is a pain but it is also the reality of where we are at. Some places will print in 'digital' sizes but then those prints do not fit 'standard' frames. I make two versions of anything that will be offered for sale, the full size 4x6 ratio image and a cropped image that works 8x10.

For what it is worth I did not find Costco to be any worse than any of the other labs I have used. I am mostly using Mpix now, with Costco for some things that are price sensitive.

[PDL]

I have used Costco for the last 10 years or so to create calendars for friends and family. I have learned over the years to pre-crop/size the images to fit the actual size of Costco's templates. I have found (by taking a tape measure to previous years calendars) that sizing the images to 5x7 will fit the bill. There are a few images with a little "wiggle room", but the variations are negligible. Costco calendars use the sRGB color space, so don't go looking for specific printer profiles, it even says so on their site if you look hard enough.

For plan old prints, when done on site, you can get the printer icc profiles. They vary by Costco location and they are available from the Costco web site.

You will have to resize/crop your images to fit the output aspect ratios. That is the way it has been since photography started, unless you do contact printing. I shot, 4"x5", 2.5"x2.5" and 35mm images. None of these formats line up exactly with 8"x10" or 4"x6" print paper formats, you either crop or use a boarder. The best size for printing the full frame (the proper use of the term) is 12"x18" from my Pentax cameras, you get edge to edge coverage without cropping/boarders.

In Lightroom print to a file using the appropriate icc profile embedded in the image. In Capture One it is so much easier since you can use the crop tool with output constraints to set up your process recipe using the appropriate icc profile.

The Elitist - formerly known as PDL

[frogoutofwater]

I have made desk calendars for several years through Vistaprint and I get rave reviews for them. They're small, sturdy and inexpensive, and easy to read. About this time of year, I start getting queries from colleagues, friends and family who are all asking "Please tell me that I'm still on your desk calendar list for next year."

As a calendar maker, I find the Vistaprint interface very easy to use. I use a simple white template (see link below), upload one image for each month, plus one for the cover and I'm done. The space beside the monthly calendar accommodates images of various aspect ratios - by constrast, I've found that some calendar vendors require an image with a particular aspect ratio - and my best photos don't always fit that framework. Print quality is quite good (not awesome) but good, on thick, glossy stock. You can customize the holidays that appear on the calendar (I delete all of them).

A few times I've had quality control issues but I've always been able to speak to a live human being quickly and resolve the problem quickly, and Vistaprint expedites shipment of the reprinted calendars.

I only have a couple of quibbles: 1) The back side of the December page (never visible, but I know it's there) has info about the order (e.g., print date, a bar code etc) - unsightly but I don't know how to get rid of it; 2) there's no space (e.g., on a back page or extra page) to include additional information (e.g., my website, info about the animal rescue group whose images are featured in the calendar, etc). I can add a little information to the title (e.g., Catskill Animal Sanctuary 2016") but that's it. They also charge quite high fees for expedited shipping (but in my case, regular shipping gets the calendars to me in NYC pretty quickly).

I usually do a small test run of a few different designs (e.g., ordering 5 copies of 3-4 designs) to see how the calendars turn out, and if they turn out well, then I do a larger order. It's easy to edit a prior file (e.g., to replace images if I think I need to tweak the processing). There is good pricing for multiples once you order 5 or more and, currently, they've got good sales happening. Right now, I can order 10 desk calendars for $2.20 each plus "fairly flat-rate" shipping. (The multiples pricing jumps from 10 to 50, but I think you can order something in-between by dealing with them by phone.)

I have a Pro Advantage account (which I think I got for free) and that means the products don't have a Vistaprint logo on them, and I get free 7-day shipping on $150+ orders.

This is the design I use:
http://www.vistaprint.com/studio/calendar-design.aspx?template=55233_315&ag=...=image_41&rd=1

[amoringello]

You should always send photos to the printer cropped and sized to the format you intend to be printed.
Don't send a 2x3 aspect ratio photo to be printed 8x10. You don't know how it will be printed/cropped.

You always want to crop to the aspect ratio being printed and then have post-crop vignetting added to that.
If the vignette is on the pre-crops photo, use lightroom to compensate as much as possible, crop, then add post-crop vignette back in.

In lightroom it is easy to create a virtual copy so that you can make adjustments like vignetting and cropping on a light-weight copy and not affect the original.
Everything in Lightroom is non-destructive, but it makes things a lot easier when you can work on multiple "copies" rather than modify settings on the same file over and over again.

You can then tag sets for specific sizes and export them all at once.

[Greenneck]

You should always send photos to the printer cropped and sized to the format you intend to be printed.
Don't send a 2x3 aspect ratio photo to be printed 8x10. You don't know how it will be printed/cropped.

You always want to crop to the aspect ratio being printed and then have post-crop vignetting added to that.
If the vignette is on the pre-crops photo, use lightroom to compensate as much as possible, crop, then add post-crop vignette back in.

In lightroom it is easy to create a virtual copy so that you can make adjustments like vignetting and cropping on a light-weight copy and not affect the original.
Everything in Lightroom is non-destructive, but it makes things a lot easier when you can work on multiple "copies" rather than modify settings on the same file over and over again.

You can then tag sets for specific sizes and export them all at once.

I think this is what Ill do, i keep forgetting you can make virtual copies.

On another note I would like to have these in time for christmas so Im afraid I may not have time to order a test print and then get a full order and Ive seen a couple half off sales I wouldnt wanna miss my full order on.

---------- Post added 12-04-15 at 09:59 PM ----------

Should I be able to expect any of my images to come out with decent quality with out learning their printer profiles and going through that effort?
I really know nothing about print and rather just size then upload my images but still expect them to look like a quality image

---------- Post added 12-04-15 at 10:19 PM ----------

I have made desk calendars for several years through Vistaprint and I get rave reviews for them. They're small, sturdy and inexpensive, and easy to read. About this time of year, I start getting queries from colleagues, friends and family who are all asking "Please tell me that I'm still on your desk calendar list for next year."

As a calendar maker, I find the Vistaprint interface very easy to use. I use a simple white template (see link below), upload one image for each month, plus one for the cover and I'm done. The space beside the monthly calendar accommodates images of various aspect ratios - by constrast, I've found that some calendar vendors require an image with a particular aspect ratio - and my best photos don't always fit that framework. Print quality is quite good (not awesome) but good, on thick, glossy stock. You can customize the holidays that appear on the calendar (I delete all of them).

A few times I've had quality control issues but I've always been able to speak to a live human being quickly and resolve the problem quickly, and Vistaprint expedites shipment of the reprinted calendars.

I only have a couple of quibbles: 1) The back side of the December page (never visible, but I know it's there) has info about the order (e.g., print date, a bar code etc) - unsightly but I don't know how to get rid of it; 2) there's no space (e.g., on a back page or extra page) to include additional information (e.g., my website, info about the animal rescue group whose images are featured in the calendar, etc). I can add a little information to the title (e.g., Catskill Animal Sanctuary 2016") but that's it. They also charge quite high fees for expedited shipping (but in my case, regular shipping gets the calendars to me in NYC pretty quickly).

I usually do a small test run of a few different designs (e.g., ordering 5 copies of 3-4 designs) to see how the calendars turn out, and if they turn out well, then I do a larger order. It's easy to edit a prior file (e.g., to replace images if I think I need to tweak the processing). There is good pricing for multiples once you order 5 or more and, currently, they've got good sales happening. Right now, I can order 10 desk calendars for $2.20 each plus "fairly flat-rate" shipping. (The multiples pricing jumps from 10 to 50, but I think you can order something in-between by dealing with them by phone.)

I have a Pro Advantage account (which I think I got for free) and that means the products don't have a Vistaprint logo on them, and I get free 7-day shipping on $150+ orders.

This is the design I use:
http://www.vistaprint.com/studio/calendar-design.aspx?template=55233_315&ag=...=image_41&rd=1

Based of price and how simple their site is Ill probably go with this one, I noticed a refer a friend link at the bottom for a $10 discount if you wanna fill it out Ill use it when I probably order from here

[pepperberry farm]

I just received the wall calendars I ordered from Mpix and have to say that I am impressed with their production and speed. I had them less than a week after completing the order online.

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