Photolab Archives - Page 2 of 17

8 Ways to Make Your Dorm Room Feel Like Home

Going off to college or university can be an exciting transition, especially if you’re planning to live on-campus in a dorm room! Being away from home and moving into a tiny dorm space can be a bit of adjustment, though. It’s easy to feel homesick in a new place without your friends and family. That’s why our Photo Experts have put together 8 décor ideas that will make your dorm room feel more like home.

1. Make a Collage Print of Friendly Faces

Seeing the smiling faces of your family and high school friends can help you feel more at home – and our collage posters can showcase all of them in one giant print you can hang on your wall! Just drag and drop your photos into the poster templates (your choice of colour) for an easy piece of wall art to brighten up your dorm.

2. Add Depth With Reflective Surfaces

If the small size of your dorm room has you feeling a little claustrophobic, there are a couple of tricks to help make your space seem larger. Mirrors are a classic way to help make a room appear more open and bigger. Another way to create the same kind of effect is with our Photolab’s aluminum metal panels! These have a high-gloss finish that will catch and reflect light, helping to make your small space feel bigger. As an added bonus, our aluminum panels come ready-to-hang, making them a quick and easy way to decorate the walls of your dorm. You can have them printed with any choice of photo, or order an aluminum panel montage wall or aluminum panel collage if you want to showcase a selection of multiple images.

3. Use Easily-Removable Wall Clings

Just because your dorm room is only a temporary home for the semester doesn’t mean you can’t make it your own! Our removable wall clings make it easy to decorate your walls without having to use any nails or screws…and they peel off easily without leaving a residue. They’re made of a water resistant 100% polyester fabric with a repositionable self-adhesive backing, making it easy to apply them to a wide variety of surfaces.

4. Give Your Mousepad Some Personality

You’re at college to study, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with your study space! Add some personality to your desk with a mousepad customized with a fun photo of your choice.

5. Make Something You Can Hug & Squeeze

Have a photo of your family, friends or pet printed on a pillowcase, so you can give them a hug anytime you miss them! They also make a nice accent piece for your bed – you can customize a pillowcase with a scenic photo that works with the colour scheme of your dorm room to really pull the space together.

6. Customize Your Calendar

A new school schedule and new routine would benefit from a bit of organization to ensure you’re staying on top of class times, assignment deadlines, exams, and study breaks with friends. Instead of hanging a generic calendar, why not personalize your own magnetic memo board or calendar with some of your favourite photos? That way, it can double as a piece of décor in your space!

7. Personalize Your Smartphone

A smartphone is a must-have for keeping in touch with family and friends while at school – whether it’s video-chatting, texting or calling. It will hopefully help you from feeling too homesick. And adding little reminders of home, like a photo of your closest friends, to a smartphone pop-up grip is also a fun way to keep them close (because, let’s be honest, your smartphone never leaves your side)!

8. String a Photo Garland

A non-permanent way to add some life to your dorm walls is with a photo garland. Just use some colourful Washi tape, Command Small Spring Clips and some twine/string to hang your photos from. With vintage-looking prints trending right now, we suggest printing your pictures in one of our 7 vintage print styles: classic old tape, classic scalloped edge, classic colourful stack, classic showcase, classic four square, classic white and classic retro (the last 3 would be similar to the nostalgic Polaroid!). They can be printed as glossy, pearl or on one of our specialty papers, including bamboo, metallic, Kauai and Baryta. Square prints are also a great option, perfect for your showcasing your Instagram snapshots. You might also find our NEW half sized prints to be a perfect fit too.

Capturing College Memories

College and university are not only a place to learn, but a place to make new friends and new memories. And a great way to preserve and display those new memories is, of course, with photos. Single-use film cameras and instant cameras have become incredibly popular right now, and these also result in fun physical photos you can use to decorate your space!

In addition to being able to print all your digital photos (order via our London Drugs Photolab App on Google Play or the App Store!), our Photolab also still offers film processing, so you can always bring in those single-use film cameras to us to be developed. Or if you want truly instant prints, then pick yourself up a Fujifilm Instax or Polaroid Originals and some instant camera film so you can snap and add to your photo garland in seconds. We also have a selection of pocket-sized photo printers so you can print out your favourite memories from your smartphone in an instant. Print a copy for yourself and a few for your new college buddies!

The Ultimate Guide to Personalizing Your Wedding Invites & Save-the-Dates

Calling all brides and grooms-to-be! For those who have been waiting patiently this past year to host a wedding in the presence of family and friends, it looks as though the time has finally come to start planning, as COVID restrictions begin to lift!

With so many weddings pushed until later in 2021 or until 2022, as well as many newly engaged couples looking to tie the knot in the next year, it’s best to get those save-the-dates out as soon as you can! That way, you can ensure your friends and family will have your wedding marked down before their calendars fill up.

Save-the-dates and wedding invitations are your way to not only announce the details of your big day, but are a chance for you to create a beautiful keepsake that both you and your guests can cherish. To make those keepsakes extra special, adding some personalization is important. With the help of our Photolab, you can create one-of-a-kind wedding cards, like save-the-dates and invitations, that truly capture the love you and your partner share.

Feature Your Photos

Before we dive into all the ways to design your save-the-dates and wedding invites, let’s talk about photos. Many photographers offer wedding photo packages that include engagement photos. This is not only a great way to get comfortable with your photographer and being in front of the camera before your big day, but is also a way to get some photos ahead of the wedding that you can then use to personalize your save-the-dates and invitations.

If you haven’t shot your engagement photos yet, let your photographer know that you’d like to use some photos for your save-the-date and invitations, and they can help plan out a shoot to fit the look and feel that will match your cards.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind, from some local wedding and engagement photographers:

1. Do your shoot during golden hour

Photo Credit: @bdfk_photography

“The most important thing is to ask the photographer to take the photos at sunset or sunrise. It is golden hour for the photographer when the lighting conditions are the best. We took this photo during sunrise. We prefer to shoot during sunrises because there are not a lot of people around. Most of the time we are shooting alone with the couple, so the couple will be more relaxed, when there is nobody around looking at them.” – @bdfk_photography

2. Strive for real vs. ‘perfect’ moments

Photo Credit: @justinerussophotographer

“Don’t worry about getting ‘perfect’ photos, let yourselves be seen as you are together. Whisper inside jokes, think about how excited you are to marry this person, and have fun with it! Bring drinks, choose your favourite spot for photos, wear your favourite outfit and have fun with it!” – @justinerussophotographer

3. Splash around and let loose

Photo Credit: @cojophoto

“Plan your engagement session at the beach, for sunset! Bring a bottle of champagne and pop that bottle for all the fun! Be prepared to get in the water and splash around and just let loose! You won’t regret it and it will be something you’ll remember forever” – @cojophoto

If you aren’t doing engagement photos, then why not dig through your old photos together? You’re bound to find some gems. Maybe it’s a photo from when you first met – or that as well as a photo of you two now, to show how you’ve grown together. Another great place to look is photos from other weddings you’ve been to together. Wedding photographers often capture great candid shots of guests, so if you can get your hands on a photo of you two together, that could be the one!

Save-the-Dates

The function of your save-the-dates is to give your guests a sneak peek at what to expect for your wedding (and to literally save the date in their calendar, of course). For instance, if you plan to have a formal wedding, it makes sense to give your save-the-dates a more formal tone too. Our Photolab has a selection of save-the-date templates so you can find the right one to set your tone.

Save-the-dates are often printed on a flat card, as it’s a smaller amount of info being shared than the full wedding invitation. We have both single-sided photo cards and postcards that fit the bill. For the postcards, you can choose from 9 specialty papers (see below), which can also help you set the tone of your save-the-dates. If you’re planning to send your save-the-dates by mail, our postcards are a great choice; you’ll be able to just stick on a stamp and an address and pop them in the mail!

Specialty papers Techweave, Woodgrain and Stipple not pictured here. Visit your local London Drugs Photolab to see samples.

The next step is to upload photos to the template to fully personalize your save-the-dates. As we mentioned above, engagement photos are a great choice. Or, just pick a favourite photo you have of the two of you.

Of course, your save-the-date is also meant to share key wedding details with your guests. Below are a few things to consider including on your cards. In addition to personalizing your save-the-dates with photos, our templates give you the ability to add text as well.

Details to include on your save-the-dates:

You and your fiancé(e)’s names
Wedding date
Wedding location (doesn’t need to be the venue name – can just be the city)
Wedding website URL (which may have additional info available for guests, including your gift registry)
‘Invitation to follow’ or another phrase that lets your guests know if you will also be sending out a wedding invitation at a later date

Generally, it’s recommended to send out your save-the-dates 4 to 6 months before the wedding, to allow your guests enough time to book off the date and/or make travel arrangements.

Wedding Invitations

While save-the-dates are often single-sided cards, wedding invitations can also be double-sided or folded. After all, there is more information to share! Based on your preference, you can choose from our single-sided photo cards, double-sided cards, postcards and folded cards. Like the save-the-dates, our postcards can be printed on specialty paper, as can our double-sided and folded cards. All of our cards (excluding postcards) also come with envelopes included, so you’ll be all set to add addresses and send them off.

In addition to choosing your card style and template, just like the save-the-dates, you’ll be able to completely personalize your wedding invitations digitally with photos and text. Invitations don’t always have images included, but if you’d like to personalize with a photo or two, you could use some additional photos from your engagement shoot if you did one, or select photo(s) you already have of the two of you.

Your invitations will give your guests a full picture of your wedding day, beyond the limited info on your save-the-date. Here are some details we recommend including on your wedding invitations:

You and your fiancé(e)’s names
Wedding date and time
Wedding location (venue details)
Dress code
Wedding website URL (which may have additional info available for guests, including your gift registry)
Info on how to RSVP and RSVP deadline (either a separate RSVP card, or a wedding website URL)

Pro tip: Create a Photolab account so that you can save a copy of your personalized wedding invitations. That way, if you need to re-send an invitation or send more invitations, you’ll still have a copy ready to order again! This is also helpful if you need to send out a second round of invitations, as you’ll be able to update the RSVP deadline date if necessary.

Depending on if you’re sending your wedding invitations internationally or within the country, the rule of thumb is to send them out 12 weeks or 6-8 weeks ahead of your wedding date, respectively.

Thank You Cards

Once you’ve said your I Do’s, it’s customary to send out a final card to your guests. A wedding thank you card allows you to personally thank your guests for joining you on your special day, as well as let them know your appreciation for any wedding gifts they may have given you (don’t forget to keep track of which gifts are from which guest).

Thank you cards are also a great way to share some of your favourite photos from your wedding day! Ensure you receive a digital copy of your photos from your wedding photographer, so that you can incorporate some of them into your thank you card template. Some people also like to tuck a couple individual print photos into the card for guests; easy enough – just choose a print that will fit inside your selected card style (you’ll want to go with folded cards for this one).

You could also use our thank you card templates for other wedding-related events like your bridal shower. Thank your guests for attending and for any gifts you received, and let them know you’re thrilled they will be there with you on your wedding day.

Pro tip: Rather than adding a handwritten note to each of your cards, save yourself the hand cramp by personalizing each of your thank you cards digitally! Once you’ve created a Photolab account and have saved your personalized card, you’ll be able to update it for each guest. Then simply add each card to your order.

Thank you cards are usually sent out within 3 months of the wedding.

Need some help creating the perfect wedding invites, save-the-dates or thank you cards? Visit our LDExperts at any London Drugs Photolab! You’ll be able to personalize your cards using our in-store kiosks, and our LDExperts will be there to answer any questions you might have. If you’re ready to get started right away, just hop over to our London Drugs Photolab website to start customizing!

MotherPixels’ Tips for Capturing, Sharing & Reliving Your Summer Adventures

Calgary-based photographer Robin Laurenson, known for the breathtaking landscape shots she posts on her Instagram @MotherPixels, shares her pro tips for capturing and preserving all of your staycation memories this summer.

Bears Hump Hike, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Summer is finally here and with warmer weather comes outdoor adventures. While travel restrictions are slowly easing allowing us to plan for our next globetrotting escapades, in the meantime, we can continue to make the best out of our own backyard. One of the most positive aspects of the past year has been that many of us discovered beautiful new places close to home and had time to take up new hobbies- photography, hiking, camping, biking, and many more. We also discovered that one of the best and safest things we could do was hit the great outdoors.

This summer is no exception- and with great adventures comes great memories that we all want to capture, share and relive when we look back at those photos and videos. From e-biking in Waterton, the unofficial wildflower capital of Canada, or visiting Moraine Lake, arguably the most Instagrammable lake in Canada, we recommend 3 photography must-haves you need to capture these memories and cherish them for years to come.

Nikon Coolpix P950

Whether you are hiking, travelling or vlogging, this camera is truly a maverick. The Nikon Coolpix P950 has practically everything you need to capture your staycation- with 83 times the optical zoom giving you a range of 24 – 2000mm, this allows you to not only capture landscape scenery, but also take photos of wildlife from a safe distance.

The F/2.8 aperture creates bokeh (soft blurry backgrounds) when shooting subjects and it helps you take photos in low light conditions without introducing a lot of grain into the image. It also boasts vibration reduction meaning it has internal stabilization which reduces the chances of taking blurry photos. The camera gives you the option to take photos in JPEG or RAW format for greater post-processing or editing control. You can shoot up to 360 photos per charge and with its built-in Wi-Fi and Near Field Communication technology (NFC), you can connect it wirelessly to your smartphone to instantly share photos or control the camera remotely.

If you are a vlogger, you will love the rotating display screen to ensure that you are sharp and in focus, the 4K recording video capabilities, and the built-in ability to take time-lapses.

Moraine Lake, Alberta. Located in Banff National Park, this lake is one of Canada’s most photographed lakes. The view from the Rockpile is also referred to as the “Twenty Dollar View.” This is because this location was pictured on the Twenty Dollar Bill of Canada between 1969 and 1979. (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Manfrotto Element Traveller Small Tripod with Ball Head

One of the challenges when photographing adventures is asking strangers to take photos of you and your friends. It can not only be uncomfortable asking but sometimes the photo will be out of focus or not what you wanted. If there is nobody around, then usually one of you cannot be in a group photo. This is where bringing your own tripod can be greatly beneficial. You can take exactly the photos you want with yourself and all your loved ones included. The Manfrotto Element Traveller is made out of carbon fiber for lightness weighing in at only 1.05 kg (2.3 lbs) with a ball head for 360 pan. This gives you the flexibility to not only find the perfect composition but also take panoramic photos. It is 32 cm (12.5 inches) closed and can reach a max height of 143 cm (4.8 ft).

Viewpoint from the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Lower Bertha Falls hike at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Self-portrait taken at Moraine Lake, Alberta, Canada. Set up a tripod with a timer and stood still while the camera took photos. (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

GoPro HERO9 Black

For the ultimate adventurer- if you are mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking or white water rafting then the GoPro Hero9 Black is all you need to capture every heart-thumping, action-packed moment of your outdoor adventures. What makes this your perfect companion is that it is built tough to withstand extreme conditions, it is waterproof for up 33 ft, it has 45 compatible mounts, and you can switch between narrow, linear, wide and super wide by simply tapping the digital lens of choice. It has an outstanding 5k resolution for video and shoots 20mp photos for added sharpness and clarity in your images.

However, one of the most revolutionary features of GoPro Hero9 Black is HindSight. This feature makes sure that you never miss a moment again by capturing events that happened 30 seconds before you hit record. If you are bicycling and suddenly a bear crosses the road in front of you, press record and GoPro will record 30 seconds of video prior to pressing the shutter button. The GoPro Hero9 Black also allows you to record epic slow motion videos at an incredible 240 frames per second. This is a must-have if you love the outdoors and want to capture your adventures without being weighed down by a camera.

Grizzly with 3 grown cubs in Kananaskis Country in Alberta, Canada (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Paddle boarding at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada. (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Relive Those Moments!

18×24 photo printed with a glossy finish. (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

These great adventures remind us of how big and beautiful the world is around us. Those are the moments in life that make us happy. They deserve more than to just be buried inside your phone along with thousands of other images. Choose your favourite photos and fill your home with these memories and wonderful stories. Even those memories that you think you will never forget will inevitably fade over time. Displaying photographs in your home can take you back to that moment in time and relive those feelings.

Secondly, it gives your home a personal touch. Fill your home with photos that are unique to you and are a representation of your life and the things you love. Filling your walls with stories and memories not only gives you daily reminders of happy moments, but your home will also be unlike anybody else’s.

The London Drugs Photolab has a wide variety of high-quality options to display your favourite photos- from standard prints and enlargements (all the way up to 44×96 in size!), to photo buttons, face masks and mugs. I exclusively have my own photos throughout my home all of which I printed at the London Drugs Photolab. Being surrounded by the defining moments in life with people I love the most brings me joy and happiness. It also makes me realize how quickly time flies and to be present and enjoy every moment with them.

My dining room with all photos printed at the London Drugs Photolab. On my wall I have photos of my wedding, pregnancies, my children and loved ones who have passed. (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Have a lot of memories and can’t choose from just one? Create a personalized coffee table book that you can flip through and take a trip down memory lane. You can even add text so you can remind yourself of the stories or events that happened that day.

12 x 12 Coffeetable Photo Book printed on Sterling Premium paper with a customized glossy cover. (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Not only are these great to display in your home, but they are also sentimental gifts for those who shared those memories with you. You can visit the London Drugs Photolab to browse through their full selection and quickly and easily order prints and gifts. You can also select in-store pick-up or curbside pick-up when ordering so you can collect your order at a time and London Drugs location that’s convenient for you.

As wearing masks became part of our daily lives, I used my images to create my own custom face masks at the London Drugs Photolab. You can either print your own images or choose one of their fun designs. They come in small, medium, and large sizes and are machine washable. The masks have two layers for optional filters.

Photo from Moraine Lake: the $20 view. Printed on a face mask. (Photo credit: @MotherPixels)

Whether you are staying close to home or planning your next vacation, these items will be the perfect companions to make sure you are capturing every moment with the clarity, sharpness and vividness they deserve.

-Robin Laurenson, @MotherPixels

3 Ways Photos Can Boost Your Happiness

After a year of isolation and reliance on digital technology to stay connected, many of us are feeling digital burnout. According to a recent study commissioned by Fujifilm Instax, this has made physical items like photos all the more desirable, especially as so many of us are feeling sentimental, missing our loved ones and our regular routines and activities.

Photos are a great way to remind us of the ‘good times,’ but did you know they can actually boost your mood? The Fujifilm study found that 60% of adults reported looking back on old photos when they were feeling unhappy, stressed or looking for a way to cheer themselves up. In fact, 43% felt by simply looking at a physical photo, their mood was boosted, compared to just 12% who said the same about digital images!

Check out these 3 ways that photos can help boost your happiness, and keep scrolling to the bottom for some photos shared by local photographers that represent happiness the most to them (they might just make you smile, too!).

1. Photos can remind you of those you care about

Fujifilm’s study found that 2020 has meant people want more reminders of their loved ones around them (48%). Filling your space with photos of those you love – a significant other, kids, extended family, friends, pets – can help you feel more connected to them.

Take note of places in your home that you frequent the most (your main hallway or home office?) and display your photos in those areas, so those special faces are always in sight. Our Photolab offers a wide variety of prints and enlargements to fit all kinds of standard frames, so you can easily print and display photos of all your loved ones. For high traffic areas like your main hallway, we also recommend aluminum metal panels, which have a lightweight and highly durable surface that is resistant to fading. We also have aluminum panel collages that can display photos of all your loved ones together in one place.

2. Photos freeze your happiest moments in time

Looking back at photos helps us relive happy moments over and over again. According to Psychologist Dr. Emma Hepburn, “Research suggests that recalling positive personal memories can help elicit positive emotion and engage reward-related neural circuitry, which can be beneficial for wellbeing. Having these memories in physical form, for example, photographs around the house, can help create positive feelings on a daily basis when we see them.”

If you find yourself in need of a mood boost, try surrounding yourself with images of your happiest memories – photos of a trip you took abroad or a special day like your wedding day or a birthday. You don’t have to limit yourself to frames on your walls or shelves either. Our Photolab offers magnetic prints, as an example, so you can easily stick those happy moments to the fridge, a file cabinet in your office, or a locker! Other creative ways to display those photos include pillow cases, blankets, door mats, mousepads and more.

“Because of their physical nature, each photograph also has its own history,” says Dr. Hepburn. “So, we remember not only the event itself, but create memories and meaning around the physical object. We can feel attached to a photograph so the physical act of holding and looking at a photo creates emotions.”

3. Taking photos gives us greater enjoyment

Research shows that taking photos of experiences generally translates to greater engagement in the experience itself, and in turn predicts greater enjoyment of that experience. In fact, those who take photos of their experiences seem to hold their enjoyment longer than those who don’t take photos. So the next time you’re headed out for a fun activity or experience, don’t forget to bring your camera!

Film photography is also a great way to slow down and appreciate the moments you are capturing. Due to the nature of film photography, it requires the photographer to be more intentional with their photo-taking: you are limited by the number of exposures on your roll of film. This can be beneficial when it comes to capturing your experiences, as it becomes part of the experience itself! Not to mention, when you’re done shooting, the act of picking up your developed photos from the Photolab is an exciting and special part of the film photography experience too. The anticipation and excitement of seeing your images developed for the first time is just part of the reason why so many love shooting on film.

What images bring you the most happiness?

Below, some local photographers are sharing their favourite photos that bring them (or someone they know) happiness! We hope they inspire you to find the photos that bring you the most happiness too.

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A post shared by Sunny Szpak-Holly (@sunnyshphoto)

“I have been a newborn photographer for over 10 years now and I also love to mix in my love of dogs. Last year a wonderful couple booked me for their newborn shoot and I knew their senior dog was terminal at the time. I insisted that he come to the session and I would include him when I felt he was ready. We did the new born portion and at the end I asked to try something. Baby was totally settled and Drake the dog was calm. With the help of the parents we set up this pose and it evolved into this image that will forever be one of my happy moments. We were all in tears. All they wanted was for their fur baby to meet their human baby. I doubt I would ever be able to recreate this, nor do I want to. This image is just for them. (Mom and Dad were hands on this whole pose for safety). – @sunnyshphoto

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A post shared by VANCOUVER WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER (@esthermoermanphoto)

“The heart in between my couple as they share a Wedding Day kiss had me squealing while editing this photo afterwards and it brought a tear to my couples eyes when they saw it!!” – @esthermoermanphoto

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A post shared by Casey Marshall (@c_marsh15)

“There are many ways a photograph brings me joy, this image in particular, I can remember how it was cooler out than I thought it would be and how happy I was to get back in my vehicle and warm up! I love the textures and patterns of growth criss-crossing the abandoned bridge. I remember the stories my friend and I shared and the laughs we had. I remember my drone stopped working but not letting that deter me from the views and sitting on the bridge watching the sunset. There’s a lot of ways a photograph can bring you happiness, for me, it’s the adventure, big or small and the views that I’ll remember for a lifetime!” – @c_marsh15

Photo credit: @prairierosephoto

“Happy baby calves running around on fresh pastures in April bring me happiness” – @prairierosephoto

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A post shared by Cally Petersen | Langley BC (@callypetersenphotography)

“That sweet smelling warmth of spring & summer, it can only be described as pure happiness. We wait for this all year, don’t we? This image brings me joy because it embodies how I feel about this long-awaited time of year… golden hour, those beautiful moments before the sun turns in for the night.

I am reminded to pause, to breathe deep… embracing fresh oxygen from the top of my head and letting it run down to the tips of my toes… barefoot, grounded, part of something bigger than myself. Happiness is surrendering to ebbs & flows of the ocean tide —which could be heard in the distance while capturing this particular moment in time. Perfection.” – @callypetersenphotography

Now it’s your turn! What images bring you the most happiness? Surround yourself with those images by choosing physical prints to fill your space. To print your photos, just download our London Drugs Photolab App (available for iOS & Android) to order directly from your smartphone or order online or in-store at our kiosks. And if you’re not sure what the best way to display your images is, our LD Experts are always happy to help!

Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas That Will Warm Her Heart

If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect Mother’s Day gift, not to worry! With Mother’s Day being a bit earlier this year, even the most seasoned gifter might be a little off their game. Luckily, there are still plenty of Mother’s Day gift ideas that are not only quick and easy to order but are still thoughtful and made with love. From one-of-a-kind cards to personalized mugs and photo books, below are some of our Photolab’s top last-minute gift ideas that will warm her heart.

A Thoughtful Mug for Mom

Showing mom you think she’s the best mom ever is easy: just put it on a mug! You can add personalized text to any of our Photolab’s mugs, so you can tell her exactly how much you care for her. Add a photo of your choice as well – one she will be able to cherish for years to come.

If you have young kids, you can encourage them to design their own special mugs for mom with the help of our Take and Create Books. These books are full of templates for items including our mugs, which they can draw their own artwork in, and then have those drawings digitized and printed on a mug (or other gift items). You can learn more about our Take and Create Books here.

Our mugs can be ready for pick-up in just 24 hours, making them an excellent choice if you’re in a pinch for a last-minute gift. Plus, they only take a few minutes to customize!

A Special Locket Full of Love

With a personalized locket, mom can keep her loved ones close to her heart at all times. Choose from locket-sized photos in various shapes, including circle, heart, oval, and square, to match your chosen locket. Each print also comes with a variety of sizes from 1”x1” to 0.2”x0.2” so you can pick the one that fits perfectly.

If you’re gifting to a senior/grandmother, it could also be a thoughtful surprise to include old photos of her and her children. Rather than cutting up the originals though, make sure they’re digitized first! Our Photo Scanning Box service can help you digitize large amounts of old print photos quickly and easily.

These locket prints are ready for pick up in just 24 to 72 hours at most of our locations.

A Photoshoot Just for Her

Treat mom to a photoshoot that’s all about her! This gift requires no prep time at all but is a thoughtful way to show your appreciation for your mom and how beautiful she is inside and out. Hire a local photographer, or pick up a camera and stage your own photoshoot at home for her. You can include the kids as well, but take some photos just of her too. Make sure to mention in your ‘Mother’s Day Photo Shoot’ gift that she’ll receive a selection of prints/enlargements or a canvas gallery wrap to commemorate the experience and preserve those special images. This can also be a thoughtful gift for a mom-to-be!

If you’re looking for pointers for doing your at-home photoshoot, make sure to check out our DIY Studio modules; it’s free to sign up, and you’ll get all kinds of helpful tips from pro photographer Erin Manning in each module. For your Mother’s Day photoshoot, we recommend checking out the modules on ‘Composition Tips’ and ‘Lighting Techniques.’

A Photo Book of ‘Moments with Mom’

So many of our most memorable moments in life are often with mom. Help her cherish them by preserving all of your favourite moments with mom in a fully personalized photo book. Hand-pick the photos displayed on each page, and even add thoughtful notes to tell her why those moments mean the world to you. Don’t worry about the design element – we have a Mother’s Day template all set to go for you, so you can simply drag and drop your images!

If you’re tight on time, not to worry. Our Express Book, an 8×8 photographic book with a leatherette cover, is easy to customize and ready for pick-up in just 24 to 72 hours.

A One-of-a-Kind Mother’s Day Card

Sometimes there just isn’t a Mother’s Day card in the card aisle that says exactly what you want to say. That’s where our personalized greeting cards come in. They can be customized with any theme and photo(s) of your choosing, plus you can add a truly personal and heartfelt message for mom that is one-of-a-kind. Just knowing you took the time to make a card for her is sure to warm her heart!

Left it a little late? Just because you’re looking for a Mother’s Day card last minute doesn’t mean it can’t still be thoughtful. Our single-sided photo cards and premium folded greeting cards on photographic paper can be customized and ready for pick-up in just 24 to 72 hours!

A Photo Button for the #1 Mom

Tell the world your mom is #1 by designing a photo button that she can proudly wear all Mother’s Day like a badge of honour! Want it to say something else besides ‘#1 Mom’? While ordering, add any text (and photo) you like! Our buttons are fully customizable. We also have both 3” and 1.25” round buttons, as well as heart-shaped buttons to choose from.

If you’re thinking of ordering one for your mom, just make sure not to leave it too last minute: our photo buttons are ready for pick-up in just 5 to 7 days.

To customize your Mother’s Day gifts on-the-go, just download our London Drugs Photolab App for iOS and Android to order straight from your smartphone! Otherwise, you can also always order through our Photolab online or in-store using our kiosks. For exact turnaround times, please check with your local London Drugs Photolab.

Give Your Home A Spring Refresh With These 5 Photo Ideas

A lot more time has been spent at home this past year. If you’re feeling like your space is getting a bit ‘stale’ and could use a design refresh right now, you’re not alone. Especially as we head into spring, now is a great time to brighten up your home with some fresh and colourful images! Try these 5 photo ideas from our LD Experts in the Photolab that will help breathe new life into your space.

1. Swap Out Your Framed Photos

Freshening up your space is as simple as swapping out the photos in your existing frames! Pick some favourites from past spring seasons that will add some brightness and colour to your home. These could include landscape photos you’ve captured during spring or family photos of springtime events like Mother’s Day and Easter. Vacation photos are also a great way to brighten up your space.

We have a wide variety of print and enlargement sizes to fit all kinds of standard frames, from 4”x6” all the way up to 44”x96”. Pick between glossy or pearl finish, depending on your preference. For framed prints, we recommend pearl, as there isn’t as much glare with this mattified satin surface, making it a good option for displaying behind glass.

The easiest way to refresh your frames with new prints and enlargements is by downloading our London Drugs Photolab App on your smartphone (available for iOS and Android), uploading some of your photos directly from your phone, and ordering some prints. If your photos live on your computer, not to worry, you can always order from our Photolab website as well.

2. Create a DIY Gallery Wall

If you’re looking for a DIY project to take on at home, creating your own gallery wall is an easy and rewarding project that will give your space an entirely fresh look. This is also something you can add to as you find new frames and take new photos that you want to add to the gallery wall. Just like the other frames in your home, these can also be updated seasonally.

Here’s how to create your own gallery wall:

Choose a colour palette. This can go for your frames (all one colour, or a mix of colours in a palette) and for your images (black and white or colour photos). A colour palette can help you keep a cohesive look and feel amongst all the prints on your gallery wall. Of course, if you prefer a more eclectic look with a variety of colours, go for it! Your space should reflect your style.
Pick a theme. The theme could be your pets, family, friends, vacations, wedding photos, etc. They don’t have to all be from the same day, but choosing an overall theme will help you narrow down and select which images to feature. For instance, you could display photos of your pet throughout their life, or photos of various vacation destinations you’ve visited over the years. If you want to change your images seasonally, pick a spring theme for this time of year, selecting photos taken during previous spring seasons (or get outside and shoot some new ones!).
Pick a display medium, and print your photos. Before you start printing, it’s important to decide how you want to display the photos in your gallery wall. As an example, do you want to go with framed prints or canvas gallery wraps? If you’re framing behind glass, you may want to opt for pearl versus glossy enlargements. Fine art prints are also an excellent choice to give your photos that gallery-quality look. Our Photolab also offers framed and matted prints if you want that matte look for your images. We recommend choosing one print style to stick to for all of your gallery prints.
Choose a layout. Organize and assemble your images on the floor to see how they will look on display. This gives you the opportunity to make changes to your vision…before hammering any nails into the wall! It can help to put a vertical line of painter’s tape down on the floor to ensure your prints are being distributed equally on both sides of the tape and the overall ‘wall’ looks balanced. If you like clean lines, you may choose to have all of your prints fit nicely within a defined rectangle or square. Or, go with a more ‘imperfect’ look by having some prints stick out past the others.
Measure out your display. Use painter’s tape once again to mark a vertical line, this time down the centre of the wall. Then measure your frames and tape a square/rectangle showing where you want each of your frames on the wall, keeping consistent with the spacing between your prints.
Assess your gallery wall. Take a step back to assess whether you like the look. If not, peel the tape and try again!
Hang your prints. Get your hammer, anchors and level out, it’s finally time to hang your prints!

3. Add Fresh Life to Your Coffeetable

Don’t neglect your coffeetable, it’s easy to give it a refresh too! A new vase and a floral scented candle can breathe in some fresh new life, as can a bright new coffeetable book. A good coffeetable book is not only a conversation piece, and a place to store treasured memories, but it can also be a piece of décor that you can easily switch out from season to season. For spring, personalize a coffeetable book from our Photolab with some of your favourite springtime memories (scenic hikes, your garden, family activities, trips, etc.). You can even choose from spring templates to help theme your photo book. We recommend choosing the coffeetable book with a custom photo cover, or cover with a window; you will be able to personalize the cover with a spring-themed photo of your choice that will be seen when the book is sitting on your coffeetable, making it a perfect piece of seasonal décor.

4. Bring Spring Indoors with Photo Panels

Liven up your space by going BIG with one of your favourite spring-themed images! While we have enlargements up to 44”x96” in size, another option is to have your image printed as multiple-panel split art, where your image is split over a few large prints. This style of wall art can make your images look even more eye-catching!

Our aluminum metal panels are a great choice for this split art style, as they are frameless and ready-to-hang. The high-gloss surface also makes colourful images pop really well, so they are perfect for brightening up your space with vibrant spring images. Lots of people seek out cherry blossoms and tulip fields for photo ops during the spring – those are great images to feature in this format, as would any other vibrant landscape images!

When hanging your split art, start with the middle panel first to ensure your prints will be centred on your wall. We suggest spacing the panels out about 2 to 3 inches apart if your panels are on the larger size. Smaller panels may look better with a little less spacing.

5. Brighten Up with Some Updated Pillows

A tried and true way to add some brightness to your home in time for spring is to update your pillow cushions! A new cushion colour or pattern will do the trick, or you can customize something fun with our Photolab’s photo pillow cases. Choose a pet or family photo to feature, or if nature photography is your forte, a macro flower photo or other spring scenes would be a great way to customize your pillows for the season. They’re sure to make you smile every time you walk into the room!

Spring Cleaning Your Photos

Speaking of refreshing your home with photos this spring, your photos might need a little spring cleaning too! If you have lots of old photos in albums or collecting dust shoeboxes, now is a good time to digitize them to ensure they aren’t lost to damage and degradation. Digitizing them yourself can be a big undertaking, but our Photolab can help make the process seamless. Just pick up a Photo Scanning Box at your local Photolab, bringing it home and fill it with up to 800 photographs and documents (up to 8.5”x11” in size). Then just bring the box back to us in-store, and we’ll digitize them all for you and put them on a USB drive. Simple as that! We also have a Slide Scanning Box to help you digitize up to 80 35mm slides.

Once digitized, your photos will not only be safe, but you’ll have so many more opportunities to share those precious photos! Use them in any of our 5 ideas above, from printing and framing them, to including them in your coffeetable photo book, or printing them on a pillow! The options are endless once your photos are digital.

You can also check out this blog for more tips on organizing and preserving your irreplaceable photos.

5 Creative Ways to Celebrate Easter At Home

While Easter may not include all of the people and traditions it normally would this year, there are lots of ways to make the most of it with your bubble! Try some of these creative ways to celebrate Easter at home, from Easter-themed art projects to virtual egg painting parties.

1. Swap Easter Ears for an Easter Mask

A set of Easter ears always makes for a fun photo opp, but this year, why not switch things up with an Easter face mask from our Photolab? You can choose one of our Easter patterns, or you can customize your mask with one of your own photos. Order yours in advance so you have a chance to wear it leading up to Easter as well! They’re sure to get a smile while you’re out grocery shopping.

2. Create Some Easter-Themed Art

If you’re looking for an activity for the kids, our free Take & Create Books are great to have on-hand. You can pick them up from our Photolab in-store, or you can download the book for free and print it out at home. It’s full of templates for things like photo mugs, bookmarks, buttons and even face masks that they can draw in their own designs for. Let their creativity run wild with creating their own Easter artwork!

Once they’re done drawing, you can scan the pages with an at-home scanner, or simply bring the book back to the Photolab and we can scan them for you. Once the drawings are scanned, you can then upload the files to our Photolab and personalize some Easter keepsakes with those drawings.

3. Virtual Easter Egg Painting Party

Show off your egg dyeing or egg painting skills with your bubble, or have a virtual chat where you can paint ‘together’ and vote on the best designs. Consider sending egg dyeing/painting kits to each household so everyone can participate. We have everything you need – from paint brushes and paints to food colour kits in both original and neon colours.

If you’re planning to host a virtual Easter celebration, make sure you first check out our DIY Studio video on 5 tips to look and sound your best on your video calls! Pro photographer Erin Manning has some handy tips to share, from how to find the most flattering light (or using a ring light like this) to positioning your camera for the best angle. It’s free to sign up to get access to all of our DIY Studio modules – you can join here!

You can also find helpful tips for using a camera as a webcam for your video calls here.

4. Create Cards to Send to Family & Friends

An Easter photoshoot at home is a fun way to get your household involved and create some lasting memories. (Not to mention, it’s a chance to ditch the loungewear for some nice Easter clothes for a change!). For the best photos, a tripod is recommended, either for your smartphone or camera. You can use the camera’s self-timer, or a remote controller to make sure everyone can get in the shot. Those aforementioned Easter face masks would be great for a group photo, or have some other props on-hand, like Easter baskets and your painted Easter eggs. If you’re looking for photo tips for capturing all of your Easter activities, check out this blog here.

After you’ve taken a photo everyone is happy with (and everyone’s eyes are open!), you can personalize your own Easter cards with that image to send as a special keepsake to family and friends you weren’t able to celebrate with in-person. Our cards have Easter-themed templates for you to choose from, so you can pick the design you like best to add your photo to. Plus, you can add a personalized message inside too. It’s a thoughtful way to connect with those outside your bubble.

5. Play Easter Bunny

While you might not be able to do an Easter egg hunt together with all of your family, you can be the Easter Bunny this year and send your loved ones a special Easter basket of goodies they can enjoy! Make it extra special with a personalized Easter mug, either featuring your kids’ artwork (made using our Take and Create Books), or a photo from your at-home Easter photoshoot. Just add some chocolate and candy eggs, a personalized card, and wrap it all up to drop off or send by mail.

We wish you all a safe and Happy Easter, and hope you all have the chance to create and capture some great memories!