At Presents of Mind, our talented artists get amazing results from your pictures. However, the better the photograph, the better the final product. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of your photos so we can make the most of your memories. But don't worry, no matter what photo you send us, we'll work hard to make it work.

What kind of photo should I send?
We prefer to start from a glossy color print or high quality digital photo. We cannot work from negatives or Polaroids. If you wish to send a digital photo or scan, please read those sections below. We will, however, do our best with any printed photograph regardless of whether or not it meets this criteria. Do not send prints larger than 8 x 10.

Photo Tips

FILM AND CAMERA
Please send sharp focus, glossy prints. 100 or 200 speed film makes a nice sharp print. Avoid 400 or 800 speed which make a grainy photo. Use a camera with a zoom lens. Disposable cameras are not recommended, but we'll do our best!!

LIGHTING
Use bright even lighting. Make sure that the whole head is lit well (not just one side). To get even lighting, use a flash and make sure there is also room light coming from all sides. Try moving lamps to dark sides. Avoid bright lights or windows behind subject. They will cause subject to be too dark. For the best lighting source, use sunlight. Most cameras (both 35mm and digital) take superior pictures outdoors. But, avoid photos taken in bright sunlight. The dramatic effect does not translate well. Sunset is a great time to get a warm, healthy glow on your subject. Avoid taking photos indoors at night with the flash.

POSITION AND COMPOSITION
Use your zoom - fill the viewfinder with the subject. Try duplicating the position from the sample you like. Avoid other objects in the photo, especially objects in front of the face.
For products containing several photos, be sure to send several different styles. A combination of close-ups and full body shots make for good variety.
For baby announcements, don't cover baby up to neck in a blanket. Leave at least chest and arms outside blanket for interest. Photos showing happy, calm or sleeping expressions work best for single photo designs.

CLOTHING AND COLORS
Light clothing and background are preferred. Avoid bold patterns and dark colors. Please no red, navy or black! Avoid dark backgrounds behind dark hair.

WHAT TO SEND
For best results, we recommend you send several photos for us to choose from. Glossy finish prints are better than Matte. Please indicate your photo preferences on the photo backs using "sticky notes" or number your photos 1, 2, 3. (Please do not write on the back of your photos with a marker that might smear.) If you do not indicate a preference, we will choose the most suitable photo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you fix my photo?
We will resize and crop your photo to suit our format. As a normal part of our production process our talented digital artists will lighten, resize, crop and remove blemishes. If there is a blemish you want to remain, such as a birth mark, please let us know. Unless notified, we automatically remove blemishes. Where we can sometimes "invent" more background to fill the page, we often cannot fix missing parts of hands, ears, heads, etc. Please make sure they are fully in the photo.

Can I send a professional photo?
Due to copyright laws, photos taken by commercial photographers can only be used if we have written permission from the photographer to reproduce from their photo. Most photographers are willing to provide this release. They can fax it to 413/677-3700. Be sure the customer's name is on the release. Or, you can have the photographer sign and return our Photographer's Release Form. Simply print this form and fax it in with your photographer's signature.

Can I send you a photo from a digital camera?
Yes, if the pixel dimensions are high enough quality, these photos can sometimes be better than printed photos. See the pixel dimensions we need below. If there is a lot of space around the subject of the photo, we may need higher resolution than noted here. Normally it takes a "megapixel" camera to take a photo we can use, set at high or highest quality. (When in doubt, send the highest resolution possible.) Please send photos in JPG format. Images taken at a resolution of 1152 x 864 or larger give the best results. The bigger the digital image you can send, the better the results will be. If this is all mumbo jumbo to you, no worries. Just give us a call and we'll work it out.

Please keep in mind, that no matter what the quality of your photo, we'll do our best to create a unique personalized product to help celebrate that special occasion.

You may e-mail your photo and send your order via fax or give us a call 860/916-1649. When emailing, please send the original, unedited file. Do not send a link to an online photo album - attach the actual high resolution files to your email. E-mail your photos to orders@presentsofmind.com.

Or, mail your digital photo with your order form on a CD, or floppy. We cannot work from digital photo printouts off your computer. We must have the file. If you have your photos on CD from your photo developer, we need the highest resolution version available.

Can I send you a scan?
We can accept customer scans, but often receive unusable ones. If you are experienced at getting good scans from your scanner, we would be happy to accept them. If you are unsure how to work your scanner, or do not know how to change the settings as listed below, it will be better to send us a print.

If you are mailing your order, please do not send a scan. We will get better results if we scan your photo.

SCAN DIRECTIONS
In your scan preview, crop the image loosely to the way we will use it. (Select the portion of the photo that will print, getting rid of extra background and scanner bed but leaving us a comfortable margin. Do not scan the entire scanner bed. Be sure to leave some space around the subject.) Scan the usable portion of your image at 300 dpi, enlarging until the scanned usable portion is at least 6" wide. (You should be able to control what percentage you scan. Increase the percentage until your image will be at least 6" wide.) If you scan at 72 dpi, enlarge the image to 15" wide or larger. Be sure not to crop too tightly. We will be happy to crop and edit the image for you. Just let us know what you want eliminated. Save your scan as a .JPG (set at highest quality). You may e-mail your photo to orders@presentsofmind.com. Then submit your order information via phone 860/916-1649, or fax your order to 413/677-3700.