How to Send Your Photo or Image

You can either post an image to us (it can be in colour or black & white), or if you have it on your PC already you can email it as a .jpg attachment to sales2@announceit.co.uk. If you're sending it in any other format please check with us that we will be able to read the format. If you're unsure of the format but can preview it in Windows Explorer or My Documents (or equivalent on a Mac), then there should be no problems.

Please quote your name, daytime phone number and order number along with the photo.

Image Formats

Prints
If you are using a printed image, we prefer that you send us the actual print and let us scan it professionally. This insures the highest quality image for your cards.

Digital Images
If you are using a digital camera, you can email us the image or send it to us on disk. Please send us the original full-size image as it comes out of the camera.

We recommend digital images be 2 megapixels (1600x1200) or higher. Bear in mind that if your subject does not fill the frame we may have to crop the picture and in extreme cases we may run out of pixels. We will let you know if we think the photo is not suitable.

Images should be sent to us in jpg format. This is the standard format used by just about all digital cameras. Note that a jpg is already compressed so zipping the photo will make no difference to its file size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set up a proof without an image?
Yes, no problem. We'll set up a proof with a sample photo so you can check the text and see how it will look then when you have the image to hand we can finalise the card. As it may be better to change the layout (eg a baby looking to the right instead of to the left) at that stage we or you may request another proof to make sure you're happy.

What if I change my mind about using a photo?
If at any stage you change your mind about using a photo on your card, eg if you decide you don't want to wait for the photo before sending out a birth announcement, then we'll refund your complete £17.00.

How much does it cost to add a photo?
There is a one-off cost of £17.00 for processing an image or photo. For cards that are available with or without a photo, this is an add-on cost which is added when you customise the card. For cards that require a photo, the price is already embedded in the cost of the cards.

As we fully personalise each order you can also have some cards done with a photo and some without if you prefer, all for the same one-off cost.

Photography Tips

The following tips should help to make your picture stand out from the crowd.

Fill the frame
Fill the frame - not just the central 10%. Bear in mind that if you get really close, the flash may bleach the picture, so use your zoom control to fill the viewfinder if you find yourself getting too close.

Capture feelings
Pretty smiles are great, but other facial expressions can be fun too, such as smirks and frowns, and looks of surpise.

Get down to their level
Instead of standing in the usual "tourist mode" get down to your baby's level and try a few shots from different angles at that height instead.

Watch your background
Try to keep your background uncluttered and non-distracting. Either do this by keeping it out of focus or "manage" your environment. Don't be afraid of moving stuff out of shot.

Control the light
The best kind of lighting comes from a bright but overcast day. Try to avoid taking pictures in direct sunlight because of the harsh shadows this produces. If you have no choice, then use the flash to fill in the shadows.

If indoors, use the natural light coming in through a window instead of blasting the scene with flash to give a lovely soft glow to the subject.

If you're using flash and your subject is in a relatively dark place, be careful to avoid red-eye. Either bounce the flash or use the red-eye mode on your camera if it has one. One way to alleviate this problem is to use a table lamp or similar to make sure the scene is quite brightly lit, so that the subject's pupils are not too wide to start with.

Keeping their attention
Use favourite toys or other members of the family to keep a baby's or child's attention while you snap away. Perhaps the toy would make an interesting focal point for the photo.