CVS photo purgatory

Parent Cafe
1

Our daughter got a photo album from her wedding photographer, but with a limited number of pics. We had hundreds of good ones so I decided to put a bunch of the rest into a photo album at CVS. I made myself one this summer in a CVS in Ohio…with ease. Easy access on my phone to the pics…just plugged in and selected the pics. Took all of 20 minutes.

Well…today, I was in photo hell at CVS. The first CVS I went to…their photo kiosks were not working at all, and they were just sending people away. Luckily, there is a CVS every two blocks or so…so I went to the next one. Kiosk was working…well…sort of. I could not get all of the pics on my phone to load…but I had enough to get what I wanted. The lady next to me was having the same issue. I finally got sort of what I wanted (noticed a couple of duplicate pics used but oh well). Hit the print button and figured I was all set…and actually the printing went well.

However, no one in the whole store knew how to assemble the album…cover with pics. They had to call the photo person who very nicely came back and did this (she had left for the day).

The poor soul next to me was trying to print greeting cards which I was going to do next…but wait…the printer was NOT printing that size at all…so she made her cards but they were sent to another CVS about 4 miles away.

I’m going to do Minted or Costco, or Shutterfly or something else next time I need pics.

I should add…the album is fine. Not perfect…but fine. And the $30 price sure beat the $500 that the photographer charges!

2

I’ve never liked the CVS machines. I always do mine at Walgreens.

3

Ill try Walgreens another time. They alternate street corners here!

I checked Target, but the didn’t have albums at my store.

4

I have done online albums using Snapfish.

5

Same here, and they always seem to have knowledgeable photo help. At least the one by my house. The only thing I find strong with all the machines is that the photos are too dark unless you lighten them all. On the machine or online they look fine, but the finished product is always do dark.

6

I do a scrapbook every year and find that CVS, Wallgreens, etc never seem to print the photo I see on my monitor, I sometimes find an importnat part of the picture cut off.

7

I usually do Walgreens if local. I like doing that because I can get pictures put onto a CD.

@mamom something the local photo person at WG told me is to make sure the picture is within the crop - sometimes the machines automatically crop it and it’s not always the best. There is a way during the edit to adjust your crop. After I started doing that I didn’t have a problem with weird crops.

I’ve also done Mpix online. I think their quality is slightly better, but I don’t know if they can do albums.

8

I do all my cards, books, calendars, etc… on Snapfish. I have not had any problems and they deliver very fast.

9

I’ve used snapfish, too, but not for a few years. I don’t do “real” pictures anymore at all.

10

I use Shutterfly to make calendars every year. Didn’t even know I could walk into a Walgreens or CVS

11

I do send photos to my mom who is 97 and in assisted living and not “connected” and I use snapfish. So easy and pretty inexpensive all in all. Let’s say…worth it.

12

Love Walgreens, I have effortlessly made our holiday cards for the past few years, they have a great selection, great prices, and quick service (did use CVS one year before trying Walgreens, prefer the later). I scrolled through my phone last night for photos and in no time had our card done. I picked them up today, will write personal notes on the back and will try to get them out by Friday. Post office is crazy popular, lines out the door, very glad I don’t need stamps, can just go in the side door and put them all in the slot.