Choose one service, join and upload a few photos as a trial. Many offer free prints just for joining. Pick photos that have a range of scenes and exposures. Choose a scenic, an indoor flash photo, a photo taken in bright sunlight, one taken in low light and a close up with lots of intricate detail.
Note the time it takes to upload your photos. Some services are significantly faster than others. This is critical if you are using dial up to access the Internet.
Start with the lowest price per print service. Order one set of prints and have them mailed to your house and order a second set and choose to pick up the photos at one of their locations if offered. It will help you determine how you want your prints delivered and which method is quicker and most convenient for you.
Examine the quality of each set of prints. Kodak prints the photos in its own labs and then delivers them to a store for pick up. Other services email your prints to the store and the store processes your prints.
Look for clear details in your prints, edges out of focus and proper exposure and color balance.
Repeat steps 2 through 5 for as many services as you choose and determine which one is best for you.
Look at the photo editing tools and features of each service. Some offer elaborate editing tools with special effects, while others have basic exposure, color control and cropping tools only. This is important if you don’t have a photo editing program on your computer or the desire to buy and learn how to use one.
Browse the site to see how to organize and share your photos to determine your preferences for these features.
