Create a custom iPhone or iPad skin using your own designs or purchase the new Sublime Template Set from www.photoduds.com to create a one of a kind product using your own images in their templates. These skins are printed on the same wear resistant vinyl used in vehicle wraps and laminated with our UV Lustre film for even more protection. The vinyl is backed with a removable adhesive that won't leave a residue when removed.

Download semi-transparent .png guides here to help with the layout of your images.

Wholesale and volume pricing only available through our Pro ROES client.

The .png guides are located here.

If you offer custom size prints that are not already in our ROES catalog, let us know in the comments.

(via dvafoto and Petapixel)

Deal of the day website Groupon is the fastest growing companies in web history and a popular way for local businesses to generate some buzz in their areas, but some independent photographers are finding out the hard way that offering special deals through Groupon might be the worst marketing decision they ever made.

 
Here’s how Groupon works: local businesses offer a special deal through the site (typically at least 50% off), and people buy the deals directly through Groupon, which takes a 50% cut of the proceeds. Businesses that offer deals may actually lose money from the promotion, but the hope is that the hundreds or thousands of people who take up the offer may become repeat customers and help spread the word about the business.

This type of marketing may work for businesses like restaurants, which can fill up empty tables and generate some buzz about their food, but for independent photographers it might actually be a horrible idea. Case in point: photographer Tim Jones offered a £200 photo package that included a 1-hour on location shoot for £29.

Here’s what he included in the package:

• 1 hour photo shoot in either the comfort of your own home or another location
• Every photo taken will be put on CD or DVD in high resolution
• 20 of the images will be professionally edited and air brushed
• Also includes one 12×10 framed print, two 10×8 prints, two 8×6 prints, two 5×4 prints, two 4×3 prints, and two 3×2 prints
• Suitable for marking a special event or occasion
• Up to three outfit and one background change

Newspaper photographer Andrew Smith crunched some numbers, and came to the conclusionthat Jones is actually losing money for each of the 301 people who purchased his package.

Even if this photographer is doing each job to a bare minimum standard, he has committed himself to nearly a year’s work for no money. If that doesn’t sound like good business sense to you then be very careful if you decide to offer a deal through Groupon or any similar site. What may at first seem like success could very easily put you out of business.

Even if Jones does manage to plow through the hundreds of shoots he booked for himself, he still has the difficult challenge of making this promotion benefit his business in the long run. If using Groupon to promote your photography business has crossed your mind in the past, let this be a lesson to you: be careful not to bite off more than you can chew shoot.

Beware of the Groupon piranhas eating you alive! 

"LifePics Android App Voted One of "Best Photo Apps for Android"

The LifePics Android app is your one stop shop for all your digital photo needs. Our free app lets you create an account, view online photos, and upload photos from your phone to your account for unlimited free storage, sharing, and thousands of cool photo products. Coming soon: order photos from the app to 10,000 different stores in the LifePics Network!

The LifePics Android app operates directly within the Android phone's operating system. Users who have installed the app will see "LifePics" as a sharing option for any photos saved on their phone, whether the app is running or not. The app also uses lazy loading technology, so users with thousands of images stored online can quickly access all of their albums without having to wait much time for the albums to load. The next release of the app will include the ability to order prints from the app to any of the 10,000 stores in the LifePics Network, as well as multi-image simultaneous uploading.

A recent TechCrunch article (Spring 2010) indicates that Android phones represent about 10% of the Smartphone market, up from 2% in 2009, and is close to catching up with iPhone sales, which represent about 15% of the Smartphone market.

To download the LifePics Android app, search for "LifePics" in the Android Market on your Android phone, or scan the QR Code image below with the camera on your Android phone.

Find a local retailer for your digital photo printing and sign up for a free LifePics online photo account today!

Here's how it works:

If you don't already have a PPS account, use this link to create one: Account Registration

Within 24 hours (weekends excluded) you will recieve a confirmation email with your account number.

New accounts will receive a $20.00 lab credit which may be used to order samples!

Download and launch our ROES software from this link: PPS ROES

Enter your information including the account number from your confirmation email.

In ROES open the sizes pallette and navigate to the catalog "Press Products" Using the arrows at the top of the sizes pallette navigate to the sub catalog "Press Card Samples". Populate any of the available templates with your own designs. Use the size templates more than once, there is no limit to the number of deigns you can order

Save and submit your order!

Don't forget to enter you credit card info when prompted if this is a new account and you order exceeds $20.00

For each design submitted, we will print 2 samples cards on your choice of Matte, Linen or Pearl paper. (paper surface can be selected in the options pallette)

Note: Both sample cards in a set will be the same design and paper surface. If you want the same same design on two different paper surfaces, you must order 2 sets of samples, one set for each paper surface.

Available sample templates and pricing:

5x7 flat     (set of 2) - 3.00

5x7 folded (set of 2) - 4.50

5x5 folded (set of 2) - 4.50

5x5 trifold (set of 2) - 4.50

Minimun order 10.00 - Shipping & Handling included.

Sizes are available from 5x5 to12x12 with a Ten page minimum (20 sides)
with three choices of styles for book covers-Black Leatherette, Brown Faux Suede,
or you may design and use your own photo layout..

PPS is now on Facebook with it's very own group!

join the PPS FB Group and join in by posting comments, asking questions, or sharing photos of some amazing work you're proud of!

 Click here to join PPS on Facebook

• G - General Collection  (Merited)
• L - Loan Collection
• GB - Showcase Book

PPS would like to recognize a few of its own staff for their commitment to excellence and achievements in the PPA International Print Competition this year!

Tina Watson- "I BRAKE FOR HARLEYS"- G
Tina Watson- "BEL AIR" -G
Tina Watson- "AB-SOLUTELY" -L
Tina Watson- "GRAPHIC ASCENT"- GB

Heather Dolin- "SPLASH"- L
Heather Dolin- "UNCHAINED MELODY"- G

Clayton Spangler- "WV WHISTLE STOP"- G