DEBRIS.COMgood for a laugh, or possibly an aneurysm

I became a customer of PhotoAccess.com in January, 2003, based on numerous positive reviews of their photo print quality and their ability to print 4.5''x6'' photos.

(Most digital cameras create images with a 4:3 aspect ratio. 4x6'' prints can’t fit the full 4:3 digital image — you’d have to either shrink the image, leaving white borders along the short sides of the print, or crop the long sides off the image. Or, print the full frame on 4.5''x6'' paper.

Some photos can be painlessly cropped to 3:2, but in my experience nearly half the shots I take actually work best at 4:3. I relied on PhotoAccess’ “6D” print size — which measured 4.5''x6'' — to reproduce these images.)

In March of 2005, PhotoWorks bought/assimilated/wrecked PhotoAccess. Print prices came way down — from about 42 cents a print to 19 cents — but the new ordering interface was confusing and difficult to use. The UI wasn’t bad enough to make me leave the site, but it was a sad step backwards considering how well the PhotoAccess site had worked.

But, this week, PhotoWorks removed the 6D print size option. This means that most digital images (which have a 4:3 aspect ratio) will have to be cropped or shrunk. The print is compromised in both cases.

It’s sad to see this devolution. PhotoAccess seemed to be a high-quality outfit with somewhat exclusive pricing. In contrast, PhotoWorks seems to be going after the mass market, and they’re shedding features and quality to do it. If my experience is any indication, they’re shedding customers too — I was once a fan and advocate of PhotoAccess; now I’m writing bad reviews of PhotoWorks for the world to see.

Also I’m looking for a new digital photo print service. I’ve found the Printers and Printing forum at dpreview.com, which should lead to some new vendor recommendations.

If you have a favorite, let me know.

UPDATE, 2006-05-01: I went with MPIX.com.

No, I haven’t been around here much lately.

There’s something new and exciting in the works. Something involving both fish oil and noni, which, if combined in a metabolic reactor, generate a colossal — well, I can’t talk about it. But rest assured, it’s going to be great. Despite the smell.

What part of “do not bend” did you not understand?

Handy tips for would-be entrepreneurs at the Green Festival:

• If you’re going to come to my booth to try to sell me something, do so before sucking down that half-pound of garlic aioli in the food court.
• Elaborate nose-wiping routines are best performed in the restroom, with a tissue, rather than during your pitch, with your fingers, and yes you lose points by trying to shake my hand afterwards.

Now, which booth was it that was selling cruelty-free bleach?

The Green Festival had another great year. I love the energy; people let their shields down because they realize, finally, here’s a group of folks who have also figured out how the world ought to work. True, there may only be a couple thousand of us, but at least once a year we get together to enjoy some organic flax-chip vegan nachos, raw free-trade coffee, and a soy danish with soy nut butter served on a compostable soy-plastic plate.

Speaking of which, I think the secret corporate sponsor of this year’s festival was the Soy Council. Get yer stunning photograph proof right here.

My review of the 2004 event is a lot more interesting than this one. For that matter, so is my review of the 2003 event.