QUESTION #1 - What Process is Used to Print the Pictures?
All event photos printed in-house are done using a Kodak ML-500 Dye-Sublimation mini-lab printer. Also known as 'thermal dye sublimation' or 'dye-sub', this color printing technology forms images by a diffusion transfer process that requires transfer of gaseous dyes from a donor material to a receiving layer. Heat is required for the process. Dye sublimation technology has been around since the 1930's or 1940's. With the advent of digital technology, such as digital cameras, scanners, and computer generated graphics, the type and size of images that can be applied in all sizes and shapes is almost limitless.

Kodak dye sublimation has many advantages over other types of imaging technologies. The photographs are printed on special Kodak paper (the industry standard for almost a century) with special inks, in full color, and then applied to the object with a heat transfer process in a single step. The whole process takes about a minute. Dye sublimated items are also incredibly durable! The printed image has a very smooth “feel”, cannot be scratched, and will not crack, peel or fade over time. The images and colors stay as bright and vibrant as the first day they were printed!

QUESTION #2 - What Do the Photos Look Like When They Arrive?
Every picture package available to order provides you with a single sheet of pictures. the 8" x 10" picture is the largest available printed in-house and is obviously one picture on a sheet (note: for information on larger pictures, please read below). However, all additional picture packages can be broken down to have two pictures, four pictures, or even as many as twenty pictures on a single sheet. In any of these cases, every individual picture package prints on a single sheet and is shipped to you in this manner. The only picture package that will accept multipkle subjects on the page is the two, 5" x 7" package. All other picture packages require a single subject is printed per page.

QUESTION #3 - Why Can't I Get Multiple Subjects on a Single Picture Package?
Quite simply, it is a factor of time and cost. Making these pictures available at these prices make them among the lowest cost prints in the event photography business. We can produce these prints for a lower cost for several reasons. Quite frankly, because Adobe Photoshop can automate the multiple pics on a page with a single subject (but not with multiple subjects), adding multiple subjects exponentially multiplies the time it takes to create the print, simply because each photo is not only custom cropped to size, but also color corrected and touched-up by hand to ensure each photo ordered by you looks the best they possibly can.

QUESTION #4 - What About Offering Discounts on Multiple Picture Orders?
Currently, the prices offered for these event prints remain far lower than any other event photos, even those that offer bulk buying discounts. That said, any school wishing to order a huge number of pictures (more than a dozen) may contact our office to see if a discount can be implemenented.

QUESTION #5 - Your Photos Are SO EXPENSIVE - I Print Pictures at Walmart for a Dollar Each - Why Do You Charge So Much More?
When you are buying a photograph from a photographer, you are not only paying for the physical picture, but you are paying for the camera equipment, licenses, lab printing, and years of training and expertise that went into taking that picture and printing the picture correctly. The camera equipment alone can easily cost over $10,000 for the camera body, lenses, flash units, disposable items, memory cards, and/or special lighting and other items needed to produce quality photos (like the Kodak ML-500 Printer mentioned above that cost roughly $15,000 when new a few years ago).

We generally get far more comments from those looking around stating how much LESS EXPENSIVE our photographs are compared to any other event photography available todayhjjkkllff. We do deeply discount these pictures for many reasons:
1) Because the event itself pays the bills and therefore the photos can be offered at a near break-even price.
2) Because the photopackages are pre-set and very simple to print.

QUESTION #6 - Can I Just Buy a DVD That Has All of Our Photos or a Disk With Every Event Photo?
No, while many places do provide this service, we do not do this for several reasons: 1) We are unfomfortable with a group holding event photos for cadets that are not on their team. 2) We have no system to label/sort all of the hundreds of pictures. Becaue of this, it would be cumbersome to impossible to try to make school-specific DVDs.

QUESTION #7 - How Quickly Do You Ship The Photos?
Generally, all orders ship within three business days from receipt of order. There are a few times of year that this is impossible and they are explained below. Buyers have the option of choosing a USPS 2-3 day Priority Mail envelope (our standard shipping), or they may opt for the Federal Express Overnight (next afternoon) service for an increased fee. While not an option you can select on-line, you may come by and pick-up your photos in Daytona Beach, Florida at our office and pay no shipping charges at all. Those looking for this option must call and order your photos over the phone and make all arrangements to pick them up in advance.

QUESTION #8 - I Really Need Them Soon - How Can I Ensure They Arrive by a Certain Date?
Within the constraints listed above (and sometimes, we even bend these limits to satisby a client!), we can get your photos to you with next day service if needed. The best way to ensure this happens is to email and if you do not hear from us immediately, to CALL and speak to Justin Gates. If these is anyway to get you what you need, we can make it happen!

QUESTION #9 - I Didn't Get My Photos, What Should I Do?
If you read through the FAQ and believe you should have receioved your prints by now, email SNI and we will investigate. All photos are shipped trackable for delivery so we can quickly learn if and to whom they were delivered to, regardless of your shipping method.

QUESTION #10 - Can I Get a Special Message Written On the Print?
Many people request just such information on their photos, thereby making them completely custom. Whether you wish to have the team name, year and location or other information such as "Nationals Champions", in any case we can do this without a problem. However, special massages or other informational writing may only occur on 8" x 10" photos, or side-by-side 5" x 7" photos only.

QUESTION #11 - Why is the Photo I Received Missing Things I Can See on the On-line Photos?
The photos shown on-line are often un-retouched, raw pictures straight from the camera. The photos are generally far larger than what you would need (roughly 10 x 13 usually). When you request a certain picture size, the photo must have the aspect ratio changed to reflect what you have requested. If we did not do this, everyone would look tall and skinny or short and fat!