event site photo printing suggestions
April 27, 2010 3:40 PM   Subscribe

I need suggestions for software and a printer to take event photos and print them on-site with a frame and event-related text.

At community events I would like to take photographs of kids and visitors with the organization's mascot or with the featured speaker. Assuming that this is not tethered but that we would be swapping flash cards in and out, I would like to take the picture and then print it with a border, the organization's logo, and the date and location of the event.

First, is there a good lightweight software package that would allow the photo to be dropped into a template for printing? I suppose it could be done as a power point slide and the photo could just be put onto the background layer. Do any programs like Picasa allow for custom framing and text to print photos like this en masse?

Second, someone suggested that we print the border and text before the event and then feed the pre-printed sheets into the printer to add the picture. I don't think the words and image would mesh very well, but I had to ask.

Finally, any good suggestions for a printer that could be lugged into the field to do this kind of thing. We are not looking for something commercial like those companies that sell pictures at events. This is a non-profit that wants to give away event remembrances.

Thanks.
posted by cgk to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)
 
What kind of computer are you using? I'd just use iPhoto on the Mac and print with one of those small, portable photo printers. But I don't have any PC suggestions, unfortunately. Another way to tackle it, if you want to save time (arguably) and some money, you might look at uploading the photos to a site and giving the customers/people a slip of paper with a login to retrieve the photo (they did this on this season's Celebrity Apprentice for a Kodak marketing project, I believe).
posted by 1000monkeys at 3:46 PM on April 27, 2010


Eye for wireless uploading and Imagemagick for adding text, borders.
posted by wongcorgi at 3:52 PM on April 27, 2010


*EyeFi
posted by wongcorgi at 3:52 PM on April 27, 2010


Your answer will depend on how many pictures you expect to print, and in what timeframe.

If you need the prints within 10 seconds of the picture being taken (like the souvenirs taken at tourist places), you'll need something different than if you need the prints within a few hours.
posted by meowzilla at 3:54 PM on April 27, 2010


Seconding the Eyefi wireless card. Be sure to get the EyeFi Pro if you're using a fancy dSLR with RAW images as the other ones aren't compatible.
posted by 1000monkeys at 6:10 PM on April 27, 2010


Don't know how you could print things twice w/o problems. I haven't used EyeFi, but I have used Canon dSLR with a WFT wifi module with Express Digital + Sony dye-sub printers such as the UPDR200.

Sounds like you're wanting to stay lo-fi, though. How about Corel PaintShop Pro with pre-made borders + a hardworking high-school kid + a fast Epson; that should do it.

Or, skip the layered photos and just buy pre-printed photo folio folders and print straight out of Irfanview.
posted by Lukenlogs at 6:55 PM on April 27, 2010


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