The Diamond Jubilee is almost upon us but with some careful planning, you still have time to organise the perfect street party. It is surprisingly easy to do if you follow our top ten party tips:

1. Approach your neighbours to get a feel for the general consensus on the idea, especially making notes of who can help with food, supply tables and chairs etc so that you get all the logistics locked down.

2. Once your date has been set, send out invitations to get the party spirit flowing. At Snapfish there is a wonderful selection of Jubilee themed invitations to choose from that will be sure to get everyone really excited for the party to come.

3. Bunting! Don’t forget the bunting! No street party is complete without it. Cut fabric oddments into triangles or involve the street’s children by drawing and colouring Jubilee inspired images on pennant shaped card stock.

4. Organise a food plan with the neighbours to decide who can provide sweet treats and tasty savouries. Once you have decided what you are going to make you can put an image and the recipes for all your delicious dishes (and recipes) in to a Snapfish photo book. It’s a really great way to share your culinary talents with your neighbours and get everyone’s stomachs rumbling!

5. If a line of tables and chairs in the street is not in everyone’s favour, suggest an alternative street party. Why not hold a huge BBQ with pink lemonade, fruity punches and themed food from countries in the common wealth.

6. Don’t forget the kids! Once all those yummy plates of food have been consumed, they will want to burn off the energy with games and play time. Pin the crown on the queen is always fun and a good way to tire them out!

7. Why not hold a raffle for a local charity? Everyone loves the thrill of prize-winning and you can give back to your local community to help the most worthwhile causes.

8. Make sure you plan cleanup operation for afterwards too! This can be done in seconds if everyone joins in and can be rewarded with a well deserved cuppa in a personalised Snapfish commemorative mug at the end!

9. It’s also good to plan a wet weather contingency! We know how fickle our British weather system can be so ask neighbours if they have those portable style gazebos to pop up in the street as a make shift cover in case the April showers return.

10. Why not play music from the era of the Queen’s coronation throughout the day throwing in some modern music to get the kids swaying as well as mums and dads bopping

Most importantly we hope you have a wonderful day and don’t forget to take lots of photographs to mark the occasion.

Check out the Snapfish Jubilee store here.

We’re wishing ourselves a very happy 12^th birthday this month, and you’re all invited to the party! There’s no need to dress up or play silly games though: here at Snapfish we prefer a bit of creative photo fun (though we wouldn’t say no to a slice of birthday cake). Celebrate with us by trying out some new photo ideas. Here are 12 top photo book tips to get you started – keeping the ‘12 in 2012’ theme going of course…

12 top photo book tips

1. Make a truly personal gift by picking every element of your photo book design – from custom covers to colourful themes, titles and extra pages to fit in all your stunning snaps.
2. Get organised, by displaying all your photos together in one place. Go through your photo library and create a set of amazing family ‘yearbooks’ that bring back your best moments.
3. Save the memories of a special occasion between the covers of a superb photo book – from weddings to big birthdays, a photo book will be a great reminder of your wonderful day. Read more…

It’s party time here at Snapfish, as we’re celebrating Snappy’s 12^th birthday this month. To mark 12 great years of creating fantastic photo prints and gorgeous gifts, here are 12 inspirational photo printing ideas to inspire you:

12 top photo printing tips

1. Get set for spring with some bright new prints. How about taking some photos of daffodils, tulips and lambs and decorating your life with the cheerful colours of the season?
2. Share the family fun with a bumper bundle of prints. Make sure you keep everybody up to date with your latest by sending photo prints featuring all your news.
3. Decorate a party venue by pinning pretty (or silly!) prints around the walls. They also make great table place cards for a big birthday meal or wedding breakfast. Read more…

I’m disciplining myself into uploading my images to Snapfish, the moment I need to empty my memory card. It’s hardly laborious but it’s a failsafe for me as I like the idea of my images stored on both my own computer and on Snapfish’s generous servers. Imagine having just one set of images on your hard drive only for the gremlins in your computer to lose them at any given moment?! Well, that’s not a risk that I have been willing to take after suffering a computer crash and External Hard Drive meltdown in the space of 18 months. My prize photographs and subsequent memories were all gone in a snap; it was truly devastating.

Read more…

Now that the days are getting longer and oh-so-slightly warmer, how about getting outside with your camera? There are plenty of opportunities in spring to capture bright and fresh images, so dust off your lens and get snapping!

Find a great setting

As nature starts to wake up after the harsh winter weather, there are some spectacular sights to see. Go for a woodland stroll in search of a thick carpet of bluebells – the perfect photo opportunity.

Get up close

Once you’ve got some stunning spring landscape shots, try moving in closer to get more detailed shots. Experiment with the ‘macro’ setting on your camera to take amazing close-up pictures of delicate and colourful flowers, buds and leaves. These will look great displayed around your home.

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It’s the thought that counts when it comes giving the perfect gift, so how about these ideas to give your Mum something unique to treasure for Mother’s Day…

Family heirloom photo book

Celebrate Mum’s history with an heirloom photo book. Seek out special photos and touching stories from family and friends. Include a variety of past and present images and add your own text to tell each story. Some image ideas to include are: maternity photos taken of Mum, photos of you and your siblings, family holidays and get-togethers, family pets and grandparents. Why not scan and upload tickets from a memorable event, handwritten family recipes and letters too?

The most precious gift is time…

Create a special set of photo cards designed as coupons, giving Mum breakfast in bed, a bubble bath, candle lit dinner…Include a photo of you or the kids holding a coupon sign, or write the coupon on the back of the card.

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If you plan to share some special moments by candlelight this Valentine’s Day, why not capture the memory on camera? Don’t spoil the atmosphere by using a bright flash or switching all the lights on! Our top tips below will help you capture a romantic ambience in your shots:

1. Switch the flash off and select a slow shutter speed, so that you’re making the most of the light you have to illuminate your shot. Some cameras may even have a ‘candlelight’ option, or you can adjust the settings manually. Read more…

Found ‘the one’ and looking for a Valentine’s Day card that says exactly how you feel? Surprise that special someone with a great one-of-a-kind photo card from Snapfish.

We have teamed up with Hallmark to offer you personalised Valentine’s cards featuring the lovable Forever Friends bears – perfect to go alongside a cute photo and message. For a really romantic card, take a look at the ‘Love birds’ designs, and add some photos that represent your most unforgettable moments together.

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Oh yes, it’s that red roses and blue violets time of year again! Here at Snapfish, we’ve had a think about how the Valentines gifts you give reflect your personality. So which are you?

Hopeless romantic

How about putting together a photo book of all your favourite memories together? Include holidays and special occasions, or just the funny moments that you’ve enjoyed. Choose from a huge range of designs and layouts to create a thoughtful gift.

Quietly devoted

If you’re a softy at heart but like to keep quiet about it, let the object of your affection know with a cute teddy bear. Our soft and huggable plush bear wears a white t-shirt, ready for you to add your own photo and message. Who could resist?!

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If you ‘remember, remember’ the following tips, you’ll be well on your way to getting some spectacular shots you’ll be proud to display.

1.    Location – arrive early to get a good spot where your view of the action isn’t blocked by too many people, trees, wires or buildings. 

2.    Settings – some cameras have a ‘pre-programmed’ feature with an auto-setting for fireworks. If setting up your camera manually, you’ll need: slow shutter speed, the highest quality setting, and a low ISO setting (between 50 and 200), to stop your photos looking grainy.

3.    Switch off the flash – so you can capture the clear sparkling colours of the fireworks without picking up any distractions like smoke.

4.    Timing – aim your camera before the firework actually explodes. Use trial and error, but try opening the shutter when you hear ‘whoosh’ as the rocket launches into the air.

5.    Use a tripod – you don’t want the camera to move and blur your shot. You could even use a ‘remote release’ device, so you don’t even have to touch the camera.

6.    Enjoy – soak up the excitement of the firework display and have fun experimenting with different shots.