Technique ONLINE PRINTING LABS
The market is awash with online printing labs, but each one has something that will elevate your Christmas gift-giving, says Tracy Calder. Here she looks at 15 labs that deliver the goods
Deck the walls
If you’ve ever wanted to make wallpaper out of your work, then Photowall has everything you need (apart from a travelling DIY expert). To create wallpaper, simply upload a photo, enter your specific measurements and choose between Standard and Premium paper. Help is on hand if you want the Photowall team to edit your image: removing objects, converting to black & white, restoring vintage prints etc (you pay a small start-up fee, which is deducted from the cost of the order if you decide to go ahead). The company also makes custom canvas prints and posters.
Photowall, www.photowall.co.uk, custom wallpaper from £29 per sq m
Hip to be square
Jim and Paul, founders of Inkifi, met in the 1990s in a surf town in North Wales and bonded over a love of the outdoors. After travelling the world together, they returned home and combined their photography, design and business skills to create a digital printing company with sustainability at its heart. Inkifi produces prints, cards, calendars and photo books of various sizes, but is perhaps best known for its Instagram-friendly square-format prints. Top Christmas ideas include a stylish clipboard-style Wooden Calendar or Grid Poster (which can feature up to 140 images).
Inkifi, www.inkifi.com, Wooden Calendar £33.60, Grid Poster from £21
Do things differently
Created in 2015, Parabo Press is run by a team of ‘moms, musicians, dog lovers, travelers and photo fans’, based in the US. Inspired by small-batch printing methods, the company makes photo books, calendars and prints using forest-friendly materials. For lovers of the lo-fi look, Engineer Prints (made on paper typically used for architectural plans) are hard to beat, and Newsprints (which are so light they can be hung to the wall via clips, drawing pins or tape) offer a unique, modern look. If you desire something more traditional, then take a look at the Fine Art Print range. (International shipping is available.)
Parabo Press, www.parabo.press, Engineer Prints £24 ($30), Newsprints from £20 ($25)
Premium products
Saal Digital enables photographers to create high-end photo products ranging from books and wall décor to posters and calendars. If you’re looking for something unusual to give to a loved one, hop over to the Photo Gifts section where you’ll find mugs, keyrings, puzzles and even a glass cutting board to customise. I can personally recommend the Photo Book line-up – these come in a range of sizes and formats, each featuring layflat binding so you position images across a double-page spread without losing anything do
