FAQ
Q. How do I register for this service?
A. Simply fill out the online registration form and select your customized password, which will give you exclusive access to your private images and albums.
Q. How much does this service cost and what do I get?
A. Our service is free. You can upload an unlimited number of photos for editing, sharing and printing. Your photos are stored on the site, as long as you log into your account every 6 months.
Q. What can I do with the online imaging site?
A. This innovative service allows you to organize, share, print, edit, and archive your photos on our web site. You can create custom albums and invite all your friends and family from anywhere in the world to view them online. Order all the reprints and enlargements that you would like to have, then simply choose to have them picked-up at the store, or have them mailed to you or anyone of your choosing. You can also order specialty, personalized photo books and gifts, create cards and announcements, and stay updated on our latest products.
Q. Can I access my account from any computer?
A. You can view your account and images from any computer that is connected to the internet. Simply use our secure sign in as you would from home. We have kiosks available at our store that you can use to access your account as well.
Q. What size JPG should I shoot on my digital camera?
A. The higher the resolution of the picture, the greater the file size. JPEG compression can reduce the size of the file, but it also affects the quality of the image. Digital cameras and photo editing programs like Photoshop will allow the user to control the amount of JPEG compression. Increasing the amount of compression reduces the file size but also reduces image quality.
Q. How will I know if my digital image is high enough resolution for enlargement prints?
A. If you are using our online photo ordering system, we will tell you if a picture does not meet our suggested resolution standards. When you add an image to our shopping cart, we tell you if the image is OK to print at that size or not. If the quality is going to be questionable, you can get more details about why the resolution is less than what we suggest.
Q. I am not a professional photographer and don't have any knowledge of color space or toning images. Will CT PRINTS color correct my images?
A. Yes, at CT Prints we inspect each image for contrast, color and density and give you what professionals demand.
Q. What color profile should I shoot to achieve the best quality from my camera.
A. CT PRINTS uses SRGB color space. This is the color “language” that all photo lab printers share. By setting your camera this way it ensures that the printer will understand the color information in your file. Other settings will force a translation of the information but occasionally data is lost and the color cannot be represented as well.
Q. I have set my camera space to SRGB but when I adjust my images on my computer screen I see something different in my final prints?
A. Calibrate your monitor to be SRGB or use monitor profiles for soft proofing your images. We can provide you with a list of available monitor calibrators under $100.
Q. How should I save my file if I’m using Adobe Photoshop?
A. The image needs to be in SRGB mode (not CMYK). The file can be saved as TIFF or JPEG. (We recommend JPEG) Make sure that your image doesn't contain any additional layers, channels or paths (make sure it is "flattened") and is saved in standard 8-bit/Channel mode. It is now ready to be uploaded to CTPrints.
Q. My camera has a RAW format. What is this and does this make a better image?
A. The RAW format delivers the best quality from a digital camera. A RAW image is an un-compressed image, unlike a JPG which is compressed. Most professional photographers use RAW because they want better control over an image. They can adjust exposure better, darken or lighten shadows, midtones, and highlights in an image. Raw image files are sometimes called digital negatives, as they fulfill the same role as negatives in film photography: that is, the negative is not directly usable as an image, but has all of the information needed to create an image. Likewise, the process of converting a raw image file into a viewable format is sometimes called developing a raw image, by analogy with the film development process used to convert photographic film into viewable prints.
Q. What are the PROs & CONs of using the RAW format?
A.
Pros:
- If you need to manipulate the image, it’s ultimately best to do so in RAW format as there is more of the original data present in the RAW file.
- If the photographer accidently miscalculates exposure and highlights are blown out from the digital image, the photographer has control on recovering the image.
- White balance, Temperature and Tint, are the main tools for adjusting color in the image. You can fine tune the RAW image and get a more accurate rendition of the scene.
Cons:
- RAW files take up a large amount of space, so not many will fit on a memory card, especially when compared to a JPEG. Be prepared to invest in many compact / secure data cards for photography sessions.
- You will also need to take an extra step when processing your image to convert the image from RAW. Each camera manufacturer Nikon, Canon, Pentax has their own software to do this, based on the proprietary format in which the original image was saved. Ross Imaging is capable of processing your RAW files upon request.
- This extra tweaking is not always necessary; many people, who use the raw format "just in case", limit themselves during the off-camera development to using just the parameters as set during the shooting (as these settings are remembered, if not applied, in the raw files).
Q. How do I share my albums with my family and friends?
A. Click on the “Share & Organize” tab and then “Share Now”. You will then select which album you want to share. You then enter the email addresses of the people whom you want to share the photos with and you have the option of adding a personalized message. The system will then send emails inviting those guests to view your photos.
Q. Some of my pictures appear sideways. Is it possible to flip, edit, or crop?
A. To rotate images click on the “Share & Organize” tab and then “Organize/Edit”. You will then select the album which the photos are in. Above your images is a “Show Advanced Options” link, if you select this you will be able to rotate left & right, and flip the image. You also have the option of rotating images, as well as performing additional edits such as cropping, red eye reduction and a variety of other alterations, within the editing tools. To access the editing tools double click on the image in your album, select the “Edit Image” link above your images .
Q. How do I edit my images with the editing tools?
A. Extensive help on how to crop, adjust brightness, reduce red-eye, etc. can be found by clicking on the "Need Help?" button on the lower right side of the editing tools user interface. To access the edit tools select the “Edit Image” link when viewing any album.
Q. Where do I get coupons to use on the site?
A. We offer coupons periodically, attached to our e-newsletter and posted in our social networking sites. To sign up for our newsletter, click the top right corner of the home page where it says “Newsletter Sign Up” and fill out the contact form. We generally send newsletters 2-4 times per month and you can unsubscribe at any time. We are also on Facebook and Twitter, click the links below newsletter sign up on home page and add us to your friends/pages.
Q.I have a credit and a coupon code. Can I use both existing credit and a coupon on the same order?
A. Yes, place your coupon code during checkout and your total will reflect in shopping cart.
Q. How long does it take to upload my photos?
A. The time it takes to upload an image depends on many factors. Some of the factors are - the speed of your computer, the size of your file, and the speed of your Internet connection.
Q. I have a slow (Dial-up) internet connection at my home. Will Ross Imaging Center upload my digital cards or disk to my account. If so how much does this cost?
A. We upload any digital images to your account for FREE. Simply bring us the images and we will add them to your account.
Q. How do I know when my print or gift order has been shipped or is ready for pick up?
A. If you place an order online, you will receive an email informing you when your order has been printed. If you have any specific questions about your order, please call us at (203)281-6996.
Q. Can I see the photo gifts before ordering?
A. We have samples of select photo gifts available at our Hamden location; you are always welcome to stop in during business hours with any questions.
Q. What are my shipping options?
A. We offer Standard Mail, USPS First Class Mail, UPS Ground, UPS Overnight Delivery, or FedEx Overnight Delivery so you can be sure there’s a shipping option to fit your budget and your timeline!
