If you wait, before your know it Dec 24th will be here and you’ll have missed your chance to get Aunt Rita this customized photo pet bowl for her Shih-Tzus.

So…who’s up for being proactive this holiday season? Hmmm. Okay, I don’t see very many hands… What’s the matter? Oh, I understand: being proactive can be a hassle, which is probably why so many people don’t bother with it. Being proactive requires thinking ahead, and who has time for that? Speaking of time, that’s another big reason people aren’t more proactive with their holiday shopping: we’re too busy being proactive with other things to be proactive shopping for a holiday that’s still so many months/weeks/hours away.

Fortunately, as a lover of all things photography-related, you’re in luck; the Photolab has great gift solutions for pretty much everyone. Keep in mind, these are personalized gifts you create especially for the recipient, from your own computer or mobile device. Again, to recap: personalized gifts that are convenient, require very little of your time and involve photography—your photography, in particular—which is something you enjoy. See that? The Photolab has just removed all of your barriers to proactivity.

On top of all that, the Photolab has made it easy to customize the type of gift based on the recipient’s known preferences/lifestyle/etc. In fact, the selection of items you can put an image on via the Photolab just keeps on growing. Here are just a few of the many gift ideas you’ll find:

Mugs—Sure, we’ve covered these before and you already knew photo mugs have been around forever. My personal favourite is the latte mug. Not only can it display a larger image, but it also holds more coffee. I like lots of coffee.

Coin bank—Help the recipient save by printing a picture of their savings goal right on the coin bank itself. That’s motivation, right there! Or, buy one for yourself and put a picture of someone for whom you’re saving up to buy a more expensive gift. Either way, everybody wins. Available for square or panoramic images

Water bottle—Say you know someone who wants to get back in shape, and they’re doing it ‘for the kids’, or ‘the kids deserve a fitter, healthier parent’ or something to that effect. So give them a water bottle with a picture of their kids on it, so their motivation is always right there, in a cupholder on the Stairmaster. Available with 4×4 or 8×4 image.

Heart-shaped puzzle—This isn’t just for couples who aren’t too cool for heart-shaped things. I bet the grandparents would love a heart-shaped puzzle of the grandkids. I bet the kids would love a heart-shaped puzzle of the family pet. Think outside the box, dear readers. Start thinking more heart-shaped.

Photo pet bowl—It’s a good thing dogs can’t see two-dimensional images. Otherwise, they might think a food bowl with their picture on it is kinda vain. Fortunately they care more about what’s inside the bowl. Your cat can see photos, however, and cats feel entitled to such glorification. Available in small and large sizes.

So there you have it. The Photoblog has just provided you with the inspiration for probably half your shopping list. And this is only a partial list of the Photolab’s gift ideas. Do yourself a favour and check them all out; you never know what may jump out at you. While you’re at it, give yourself a gift, too—give yourself the time to be proactive.

Choose a photo, take a photo, print a photo.

Mobile phones seem to have replaced the computer as people’s go-to technology. It used to be that you had to first upload your images from your camera to your computer, and then order prints (side note: I can hear myself beginning to sound like my Dad, my Uncle, and every other old guy in my family who seems to start every sentence with “it used to be…”). However, thanks mostly to flash memory and ‘the cloud’, people don’t need to bother storing their photos on a computer hard drive. So shouldn’t you also be able to order prints directly from your mobile device?

Well, now you can. In fact, the Photolab offers two ways to print your favourite photos directly from your mobile device:

Order Online

Featuring the same-day service, shipping and pickup options available through your computer. Because it’s the exact same Photolab site, only optimized for your mobile dealie.

1. Open your favourite browser on your mobile device and go to londondrugs.com.com/photolab
2. Browse the Photolab’s great selection of products.
3. Click GET STARTED
4. Choose the photos from your mobile device by selecting your device
5. Order your products and pick-up in-store or have them delivered.

Order in-store at Photolab kiosks with a cable

The Photolab’s mobile site makes it just that simple.

1. Plug in your mobile device directly into our in-store Photolab kiosks.
2. View and edit your photos on the monitor. Use the enlarge and crop tool to edit the photos just the way you like them!

These two options make ordering prints as simple as any of the thousands of other types of mobile shopping. Now, anywhere there’s internet connectivity, there’s a Photolab to serve you.

We’ve mentioned metallic silver prints here on the Photoblog, but unlike the other kinds of photo prints, we’ve never given them their very own feature post. I’m not sure why this oversight has continued to occur, but it’s an injustice that must end today! After all, they are certainly no less impressive than the Photolab’s other fine art prints.

Metallic silver paper has a fine surface, with a scratch-resistant high-gloss metallic finish that allows for exceptional image clarity and brilliant colour reproduction. The paper has tiny metallic grains in it that reflect the light in each colour differently. This means that no two colours will pop in the same way, and the contrast between colours really stands out. The Photolab technician I spoke to also mentioned that the metallic silver prints would work incredibly well on a black-and-white photo.

My iPhone photo of the metallic silver print sample from the Photolab sample book. On your screen, it looks like any other photo. You can’t see the incredible vibrancy, colour reproduction or unique look of the paper – which is why you need to see it for yourself at your local Photolab.

Metallic silver paper also really accentuates the depth of field, because it gives the image a very three-dimensional quality. You can especially notice this when you compare it to a standard glossy print. The Photolab’s sample print (shown below) does an excellent job demonstrating the paper’s particular advantages:

The row of trees that disappear into the horizon line really showcases the 3D effect, while the red leaves on the ground are quite striking set against the green of the lawn.

There are many different gradients of red in the leaves on the trees, and they all burst in different ways.

The paper even makes the grey pathway more vibrant, and the bride’s white dress absolutely shimmers.

The clarity, definition and visual effects these prints provide make them incredibly engaging to look at on a wall. However, you won’t notice these things on your screen, which is why I highly recommend checking out the sample with your own eyes at your local Photolab.

While bamboo does work for portraits, its texture and rich colour reproduction make it an ideal medium for scenic nature prints. Your Photolab technician can help you explore all the possibilities.

According to the ever-reliable internet, bamboo paper was in invented in China around 105 AD. I believe that makes it the oldest form of paper after papyrus. Despite this history, few people seem to be aware that bamboo makes an excellent photo paper. While previous Photoblog posts have proclaimed the wonders of bamboo paper (most notably here, but these as well) I will briefly summarize why it deserves your consideration.

To begin with, there’s the texture. Bamboo as you probably know is a fibrous material, and the texture alone gives photo prints a rich, deep and ultimately unique look. Yet there’s an even greater benefit to this fibrous texture: it results in crisp, brilliant colour reproduction. The macro print described in this post offers an accurate account of the detail bamboo printing is capable of providing. You can also be assured that a bamboo print’s magnificent colour will last. Bamboo is one of those all-natural ‘super-materials’—long-lasting and ultra durable. If you’ve ever owned bamboo flooring, furniture or clothing you’re no doubt familiar with its toughness, and photo paper is no different. Images printed on bamboo paper experience little or no colour fading with time, which is why they’re often referred to as ‘archival’ prints. Being a long-lasting natural material, bamboo photo paper is also environmentally friendly.

Somehow, despite all of these benefits, bamboo prints are a surprisingly uncommon choice. This, however, ends up being yet another advantage because when people see a bamboo print on your wall chances are they have never seen anything like it before, which in turn makes you seem very original and knowledgeable about photography. Which, if you are already a fan of bamboo prints, you probably are.

Metal prints work with scenery, portraits, action shots. Or, choose a close-up or macro, and allow the vivid colour and detail to blow your mind.

I’ve written extensively about metal prints in past Photoblog posts. Still, it wouldn’t be a proper celebration of Photo Month without at a brief recap of this amazing yet little-known printing method. Here, then, in the proud tradition of BuzzFeed, I present a ‘listicle’ of the top four reasons to choose a metal print:

1. Metal lives forever. These prints are made up of dyes that are infused onto specially coated aluminum sheets. Unlike standard photo papers, metal prints are very durable and won’t fade.
2. Its unique look. Printed on aluminum, the print shimmers like glass and reproduces the image’s depth of field with an almost three-dimensional effect. Metal prints catch the eye from virtually any distance and from any angle.
3. Image clarity. Metal prints offer image clarity and colour reproduction that simply need to be seen to be believed. You’ll notice that even the smallest, farther details appear incredibly crisp and defined. Perfect for showing off your handiwork with your hi-res DSLR camera.
4. Image rarity. Although they are catching on, it’s safe to say that most people still have never seen an actual metal print. So when people see one (or more) hanging on your wall, it’s a guaranteed conversation starter. And if your interior design has a modern aesthetic, metal prints are the ideal choice.

No description, however, can properly do a metal print justice—which is why I recommend dropping by your nearest London Drugs Photolab to see a sample for yourself.