Professionally printed photo books have become incredibly popular in the last few years. They make wonderful gifts, and I know a professional photographer who uses books he orders from Shutterfly.com as his actual portfolios. We owe it all to the marked improvement in the quality of on-demand digital printing in recent years.

Photoshop Elements’ books can range from 20 to 80 pages and can use any of 45 different predesigned templates. To start creating a book in Photoshop Elements, first start up the Organizer and choose the photos you want to feature in the book. Then click the Photo Book button on the Create tab in either the Editor or the Organizer. (If you’re starting out in the Editor, make sure you’re looking at the Projects side of the Create tab.) After you choose a cover photo and a template (see Figure 24.1), you can check Auto-Fill with Project Bin Photos and click Done; Photoshop Elements creates the book for you (see Figure 24.2). Or, if you prefer, you can choose a layout for each page and place the photos yourself.

Figure 24.1. The template I’m using is called Hand Made Paper.

Figure 24.2. Photoshop Elements drops all the photos into place, so all I have to do is click Order.

When you click the Order button, Photoshop Elements turns the book’s pages into a PDF and connects you to the Kodak EasyShare Gallery website. At this point, you choose a cover material (leather, linen, or the like) and fill in your ordering information. The books start at about $30 and go up as you add more pages or use more expensive cover materials.

As with photo books, calendars featuring your own photos are a fabulous gift. You know the recipient can always use a calendar, right? And if you buy one for your home office, it can be a tax-deductible business expense! How can you go wrong?

You can use as many photos as you like. Select your photos in the Organizer and click Photo Calendar in the Create tab. From here, this procedure is a bit different from the one for creating a book. Instead of choosing your design in Photoshop Elements, you’re started right off at the Kodak site, with your selected photos uploaded right after you log in so that you can create the design there on the website (see Figure 24.3). Again, you need to choose a template, and you have the option of choosing a layout for each month and specifying the photos that go in it, or letting Photoshop Elements fill in the pages automatically. When all the pages are complete, you can preview the calendar (see Figure 24.4) and then order it; the books cost $20 apiece.

Figure 24.3. You start your calendar order by choosing a template.

Figure 24.4. When the calendar is complete, you can preview all the pages before ordering; if you want, you can go back and make changes.

I have no idea why Adobe didn’t just call this project Scrapbook Pages, because that’s clearly what it was designed to produce. Regardless, you start by choosing your photos in the Organizer and clicking the Photo Collage button on the Create tab. You’re presented with three choices of paper size (8.5″ × 11″, 12″ × 12″, or 10.25″ × 9″) and the same selection of templates that you can use for photo books (see Figure 24.5). Here, however, you have to choose a layout; Photoshop Elements won’t choose one for you. When that’s done, you can have the photos dropped into place automatically or you can place them yourself, and you can choose whether to include captions. When you click Done, your page is created (see Figure 24.6).

Figure 24.5. The layouts vary from single-photo pages to those with photos piled all over the place.

Figure 24.6. The page is complete and ready to print.

Most of us spend a lot of time emailing photos and viewing pictures on the Web. But the traditional photo print is by no means dead. And did you know you can order custom stamps with your own photos on them? And use them on real letters as real postage?

Ordering prints works just the way it would on any website. You select your photos in the Organizer and choose More Options, Order Prints in the Create tab. You’re taken to a login page for Kodak EasyShare Gallery, then a page where you can choose sizes and quantities (see Figure 24.7). After that, all you have to do is specify names and addresses for the prints’ delivery and give your credit card info.

Figure 24.7. The order form indicates the sizes at which you’ll be able to print each photo.

Ordering stamps is almost as simple. First you select your pictures in the Organizer; then you choose More Options, PhotoStamps. Photoshop Elements uploads your photos to the Stamps.com website, and you choose which one you want to turn into a stamp (see Figure 24.8). Then you have the opportunity to rotate the picture, if needed, add a custom border, and choose the denomination (see Figure 24.9). After that, the only thing left to do is give your shipping and payment information.

Figure 24.8. You can upload more than one photo at a time, but you can use only one image per stamp.

Figure 24.9. Custom borders come in several categories.

The mix tape has gone the way of the dinosaur, but not so the mix CD. And if you’re going to the trouble of creating a mix CD, why not jazz it up with a custom label and jacket? These are both print-your-own projects; for the labels, you also need the right media: pre-scored sticky CD labels. You can get these at any office supply store from companies such as Avery.

You have two choices when it comes to cards; you can design and print your own, or you can use your photos to design a professionally printed card and order as many as you need.

The first option requires you to select a photo in the Organizer and choose More Options, Greeting Card in the Create tab. Again, you get to choose a theme and a layout. After you do so, Photoshop Elements drops your photo or photos into a 5″ × 7″ document that you’re free to embellish as you’d like before printing. You’ll probably want to add text, and you can edit the picture in any other way you like (see Figure 24.11).

Figure 24.11. The flamingos on my banner photo go perfectly with the card’s beach theme.

Then you’ll need to print the card, and here’s where things get a bit tricky. The image is only the front of the card, so if you want to make a folding card, you need to position the image correctly on the printed page (off to one end), and then fold it and trim it, with no markings on the page to guide you. I’m sure you’ll be able to manage, but it’s a bit surprising that Adobe doesn’t offer more assistance.

If you need a pile of cards for the holidays, you probably won’t want to print, trim, and fold them all yourself. Not to worry—the Kodak EasyShare Gallery site can also turn your photo into as many cards as you need. Select the perfect photo in the Organizer, and then choose More Options, Order Kodak Photo Greeting Cards in the Create tab. You’re whisked away to the Kodak site, where you log in, click to start uploading your photos, and begin designing your cards (see Figure 24.12).

Figure 24.12. My card uses the Blue Paper template.

After choosing a template, you can add text to accompany the photo. You don’t get to choose the color or font, however. When you’re done, all you have to do is enter your shipping and payment info to order your cards. They run about $17 for 20 cards—not a bad deal at all.

This last hour showed you some of the ways you can make use of all the great photos you’ve been taking, especially now that you know how to make them even greater. If you need to go back and review anything in previous hours (such as the printing information in Hour 9), go right ahead. You’ve got all the time in the world.

Just a couple more questions to keep you on your toes....