Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to many of the questions you may have regarding Nations Photo Labs products and services. If you have additional questions not answered below, please call us toll-free at 1-800-315-0420 or take advantage of our “Chat Live!” button, located in the yellow section to the left.
Section 2: General Questions
1. What type of photographic paper does your photo lab
use?
We print exclusively on Kodak Professional Endura Paper for all
photographic printing. We offer both Lustre (E-Surface) and Metallic
finishes (Glossy may also be available – call for details). Kodak
Endura Paper sets the standard in professional printing, so you
can feel confident giving your client the best paper in the industry
that offers the best representation of your work.
2. What is the difference between lustre and metallic paper?
Lustre paper is similar to matte, but with a textured finish.
It is the standard in traditional professional printing.
The Lustre (E-Surface) paper features:
- Medium contrast for more true to life skin tones
- Enhanced highlight and shadow detail
- Works well for a variety of photographic applications
- State-of-the-art image stability
- High gloss finish with tear resistant laminate layers
- 3-Dimensional/metallic appearance
- Ideal for outdoor images, black/white, and portraits
- Has been described as "chrome on paper"
- State-of-the-art image stability
3. What is
the difference between Color Corrected and No Corrections?
Color Corrected – Our professional technicians will individually
color correct each image for color and density (Density – how
light or dark the image is.)
No Corrections – Your prints will be printed “as is.”
4. How much is shipping?
Print orders exceeding $50.00 will ship FREE OF CHARGE through
FedEx Ground.
All other orders, including drop shipments are $7.00.
You can upgrade to 2nd Day Air for $15.00 or Next Day Air for
$30.00.
Album orders ship for $10.00 through FedEx ground.
5. Do I need to pay a fee to work with
your photo lab?
No, while some professional photo labs charge a variety of working
fees, we do not. You just pay for what you order.
6. Is there
a minimum amount for ordering?
No, there are no minimums for ordering.
7. What are
my options for placing orders?
We give our clients various ways to place orders.
These include:
- ROES software
- FTP uploading
- Mailing us a CD/DVD
ROES
We highly recommend using our ROES software, as it is the most
efficient method. It is a template based, drag and drop application
that will allow you to crop your images and order from our
complete catalog. Some of the advantages to using the ROES
software include; ease of use, order email confirmation, free
custom back printing, hundreds of options and product customizations,
and a secure streamlined method for file transfer. ROES orders
may also be burned to a CD/DVD.
FTP
Please call us to receive an FTP user name and password. FTP will allow
you to transfer your images from your computer to our server for basic ordering.
CD/DVD
This is the ideal option for clients that DO NOT have access
to a high speed internet connection. You can burn your order
to CD or DVD and mail it to:
Nations Photo Lab
11438 Cronridge Drive, Suite X
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Please include all of your contact information and make a note
of any specific instructions for your order. Please contact us
to set up an account and receive instructions for setting up
your DVD/CD order. ROES orders can also be burned to a DVD/CD
and mailed to the address above.
8. When will my order ship?
We offer a 24-hour turnaround time on most print orders from
the time the order begins processing. Orders including mounted
prints, gallery wraps and prints that require retouching may
extend the expected turnaround time. Orders that are received
on Friday after business hours will be treated as orders received
on Monday morning. We do not ship on weekends.
Please note: Delays may occur during the holidays, depending on our daily volume as well as our shipping courier’s volume.
9. How long
will it take to receive my order?
Once your order is shipped, the time it takes in transit depends
on your location. Orders are shipped from Baltimore, Maryland.
The following is an estimate of Federal Express ground shipping
times:
East Coast: 1-2 Business Days
Midwest: 2-3 Business Days
Southwest: 3-4 Business Days
Northwest and West Coast: 4-5 Business Days
10. What happens if my order arrives
damaged?
We strive to ensure that each order is properly packaged for
safe arrival. In the event that your order is arrives damaged
please contact us on our customer service at 1-800-315-0420,
within five (5) working days to have your order replaced. We
reserve the right to ask for proof of damage or the return of
the original order.
11. What if I am unhappy with my prints?
Nations Photo Lab offers the highest standards of quality and
guarantee our work. Following our guidelines for submitting images
is paramount to receiving quality prints. We also encourage our
new customers to place an evaluation/test print order before
placing a live order. We are not responsible for underexposed,
blurry, or images of low quality that are submitted without attention
to custom/color corrections through our “Color Corrections” catalog.
It is the photographer’s responsibility to submit images that
are suitable for printing. Nations Photo Lab will do its best
to monitor images that are uploaded and notify clients if their
images are of low quality and not suitable for printing.
12. Do you offer volume discount pricing?
Yes, you can find volume discount pricing built into our ROES
ordering program.
The following discounts are available:
400 minimum 4x6’s = $0.20 cents each
300 minimum 5x7’s = $0.35 cents each
100 minimum 8x10’s = $1.00 each
NOTE: Volume prints may be all one image or any number of unique
images.
If you feel you are a high volume account with specific needs
please contact our sales department at 1-800-315-0420.
13. What will appear on the back of
my prints?
On the back of each print will be Kodak’s embedded copyright and the filename of your order. Additionally you can custom imprint the back of each photo at NO CHARGE. This option can be found on the “Review Order” screen in the ROES program.
