Creating a gift from a personal photo

Follow the step for using an online photo print service to turn one of your photos into a fun jigsaw gift.

There are many websites that offer photo print services, but for this course we are using an example website named SquirrelPrint. When you choose a website to order a jigsaw or other gift from a photo, you will follow similar steps.

The example photo we’re using in this course is the one that was edited and prepared in the Using a photo editor course.

Jigsaw puzzle

You can make gifts from your photos

There is a wide range and choice of websites that will take one of your photos that you provide and turn it into a gift by printing it on everything from a canvas to a novelty mug.

The SquirrelPrint example website offers the following gift choices:

  • An expensive framed print
  • A jigsaw puzzle (you can choose how many pieces)
  • Novelty mug prints
  • T-shirts and tea towels
  • Face masks and more!

Each of these, or multiples of each, can be created from a single uploaded photo.

It’s important to do your own research when choosing a photo print service, to make sure it’s right for you. Be aware that some websites don’t show postage costs up front, and some may incur overseas postage fees. Check for user reviews, which will give you an idea of how good the final product is.

Step 1. Upload your photo

For this example, we’ll use the photo of Amy and Scruffy from the Using a photo editor course. This photo has already been fixed, and the edited copy has been saved and is ready to upload. When ordering a photo for any kind of printing, the photo needs to be the correct file type and a suitable size.

The SquirrelPrint website explains that photos need to be of the JPG, BMP, or PNG file type, and needs to be no larger than 20MB (megabytes).

NOTE: Photos can sometimes be too small for professional printing. Because it’s hard to work out if a photo is too small, SquirrelPrint asks you to upload the photo, and then the site will show how large a print or jigsaw you can order.

Because this photo is saved as a JPG, it is compatible with SquirrelPrint’s service.

  • Click on the photo using the right mouse button and choose Properties from the menu that appears.
  • This shows that the photo is about 4.5MB in size.
  • This is less than the 20MB limit for SquirrelPrint, so it can be uploaded.
  • On the SquirrelPrint website, click the Upload Photo button.
  • You can drag and drop the photo from the computer, or click Upload to see the File Explorer panel on a Windows computer.
  • When choosing this option, select the photo from a list of files that appears.

Because the SquirrelPrint website needs to check the size of the photo, it’s normal to upload it before choosing what you want to order. You will choose the jigsaw in the final step of the process, just before confirming the order.

Step 2. The photo appears on the website

After clicking Upload, the SquirrelPrint website analyses the photo and shows a thumbnail (or small version) of the photo on the screen. Because the photo is 4.5MB, SquirrelPrint says we have a wide range of options when it comes to choosing something to order! As a general rule, a photo file size of 3-10MB using the JPG file type will produce a good result.

Step 3. Choosing the jigsaw option

Now the photo is uploaded, and the website is satisfied that the photo is the right size and type, it’s time to choose a product. From options offering a framed print, a mug, a T-shirt, and a jigsaw puzzle, we’ll choose the jigsaw.

It’s safe to upload a photo to a website like SquirrelPrint, because the photo doesn’t get saved to the website’s servers until you pay for your order. These kinds of sites also don’t own the rights to your photo either, and can’t use it to advertise their services, or sell it to other advertisers.

When you choose a real website to order a photo product, you can find out the details of all this by clicking the Privacy Policy link, which is usually at the bottom of the page.

Step 4. Crop and align the photo

SquirrelPrint has a certain format for the jigsaw puzzle option, which is a perfectly square image that gets cut up into jigsaw pieces by a machine. You can choose how many pieces make up the puzzle in the next step, but first you need to align the photo with the square shape of the puzzle. SquirrelPrint provides tools to help you do this. Simple tools let you crop, rotate, and even zoom in on the photo.

Step 5. Choose jigsaw options

When the photo is positioned to your satisfaction, click Next and SquirrelPrint shows some jigsaw options. The basic puzzle is just 50 pieces and is really meant for kids. In this example, we’ll choose the 200-piece option and click it to select it. Then you click Next to continue.

Step 6. Chooses where to ship the jigsaw

Next, you’ll need to provide some personal details for shipping and billing, including:

  • Name
  • Email address, for getting updates and a receipt from SquirrelPrint
  • Home address, for billing
  • Delivery address, for shipping.

You could have the jigsaw shipped directly to someone you to want to give it to as a gift, but if it’s the first time you’re using a photo service like this, you might want to check the quality of the print first. So, for Delivery address, select the same as Billing address option to get the jigsaw delivered to you.

Step 7. Checking the costs

Now SquirrelPrint knows your delivery address, the site can automatically calculate the shipping cost of the order. The website will show a page with an itemised bill on it. In our example, the jigsaw itself costs $29.95, plus $9.95 to upgrade to the 200-piece option.

For relatively small items like this, postage is often free for standard shipping, but you can get it faster if you pay $11.95 for Express shipping. Since this is just an example, let’s splurge on express shipping!

Step 8. Enter credit card details

Now it’s time to enter your credit card details and click Pay Now.

You can be confident when sharing credit card details with an online store like SquirrelPrint, if you know it’s a legitimate e-store. Always check the website address in the browser is correct, and shows a padlock icon or https://, meaning that the site encrypts any information that you share with it. Your credit card number is given additional protection by the CV2 number, the three-digit number on the back of the card.

Step 9. Check your email!

After a couple of minutes, SquirrelPrint will send you an email saying the order has been received. Most online shops then send a second email a few moments later, which includes a tax receipt for the payment you made.

Online stores often send the order confirmation (with order details) and your payment receipt in two separate emails. The order confirmation email says you can expect the jigsaw to arrive in 5 working days.

Receiving your order might just get you inspired

In our example order of a jigsaw from SquirrelPrint, your order arrives via courier. It comes packed in a nice carboard box with a copy of the photo on the front as a reference. Each piece is pleasingly thick and sturdy and has a shiny photo surface on the picture side. It’s the same quality as a commercial jigsaw puzzle. The photo is crisp and high quality.

Photo printing sites such as SquirrelPrint want your repeat business so they are always offering creative new ideas to try. In our example, we could also use this photo for:

  • A framed high-quality version of the photo
  • A mug that reveals the photo when hot liquid is poured in
  • A Perspex block with the photo in it, as a paperweight
  • A tea-towel.

Why not try a photobook?

When you are confident using a site like SquirrelPrint, you could try creating and ordering a Photobook. This is a collection of photos arranged on pages. The website will help you upload and arrange lots of photos and also include some text. You can save your progress as you go, if you trust the website with your photos.

Online editor web applications do not save your photo on the internet. The people who run these websites can’t see your photos, don’t keep copies of them, and won’t sell them to advertisers.

Photobooks let you get super creative with your photos. Some online editors also have a graphic design mode where you can create more elaborate layouts for a photobook. The sky’s the limit!