FAQs

Working lab days are Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm Pacific Standard Time, weekends and holidays are not considered lab days. Customer Service is available by front counter, telephone or e-mail.

To get started please fill out an Account Form. You can find this on our website or for faster setup one of our Reps can email out a form. We keep some basic information on file, then we will send to you your account number to put in the ROES “My Information” (see ROES FAQ’s) then you will be ready to place orders.

We accept Visa, American Express or Master Card and for front counter service we accept credit cards, cash or check. Payment is due at completion of order, whether at time of shipping or front counter pick up.

Prints: 2-3 working days.
Finishing: 5 working days.
Albums: 10 working days.

We try our best to accommodate RUSH requests. Please indicate Rush date and request in the Special Instructions in ROES.

Album RUSH Fees:
-50% RUSH Fee on ½ normal production time = 1 week
-100% RUSH Fee on ¼ normal production time = 3 days

Yes, we require $5 minimum order.

Yes, we allow 3 FREE 8x10 prints.

You can calibrate your monitor using our test file by comparing the digital file (can be downloaded from our website) and a print. The best option is to calibrate via colorimeter calibration, we recommend X-Rite or ColorVision’s Spider.

We accept JPG files only in SRGB color space at least 200dpi in print dimensions. We also accept TIFF files, but recommend sending JPGs, as they are compressed and faster to send. We do not accept PSD files.

We are a digital lab however, we can scan 35mm and 2 ¼ to CD, please call the for a quote.

Yes, we can drop ship to your client. We charge $9 for California and $10 out of state.

Our production department starts working on orders once we receive them, if you wish to cancel an order that has already been processed, the amount that has been completed will be charged. Orders cancelled within an hour of placing will not be charged.

If there is an error in or damage to your order please call Customer Service so the order may be corrected and/or replaced. Please have the order number ready when calling. Remakes will one be done for the same finishing services and from the original files submitted in the original order. If you wish to make modifications to the files or services, you will need to place a new order at your cost.

You can send your order through FTP, however we prefer orders come in via the ROES system.

Our FTP Address, Username and Password is obtainable by contacting Customer Service toll free at 866-725-9378.

For Windows instructions, please click here. Download Internet Explorer here.

For Mac instructions, please click here. Download Fetch here.

ROES stands for Remote Order Entry System. It is like an FTP but with templates. ROES is a downloadable Java based program used to place orders to send to us. Print, finishing, album or sports orders can be sent through ROES.

You should have a minimum 1.6GHz, late-model processor with 1GB RAM and either Java 1.5 or 1.6, the latest Java is available here. Apple Java is native to OS X. Apple OS X 10.4, 10.5 or 10.6, Linux, and all current 32/64 bit versions of Windows (2000 Server/Workstation, 2003/2008 Server, Windows XP (all editions), Windows Vista, Windows 7) will support the application. Be sure to maintain enough free drive space to build, save, and retain order files.

Use ROES_Q4.jpg here

Use ROES_Q5.jpg here

The sizes palette is great to work with; it shows all the products and templates you can choose in a visual manner. The sizes palette will open into a pop up window. There is also a keyboard short cut to open the sizes palette window: Ctrl+2.

Use ROES_Q6.jpg here

Pager is what you may use if you want to create your own templates and save them. If you choose a template that has the word Pager in the name then click the Pager button on the left side you will get a whole host of options for making your own templates. The options are highlighted in red, if you are not using pager, these options will not be available.

Yes, if you choose the Open and Save button on bottom of the ROES window you will be able to save and then open when you would like to come back to the project. It is recommended that you do not move the saved file from location to location as this may corrupt the file. This recommendation also extends to where the photo files being used for your project are located.

There is an Auto-Save feature, but do not rely on it, as it is 100% dependable. In the Preferences, you can change your back up days from the default 15 days to a longer period of a recommended 90 days. With a longer back up day period you will be able to access older queued files easily.

On the main ROES Screen click on the Review Order button located on the bottom on the window, this will pop open a new window. In the Review Order window, on the bottom left, click the Render button. This will allow you to save low resolution JPGs of your order for review. You may then send the JPGs to your clients. Even though you have rendered jpgs, you will still need to save your order, as the rendered jpgs are small in size and flattened.

se ROES_Q9.jpg here

Before sending your order for completion you may add special instructions on the Review Order page, click the Special Instructions button. A window will pop up and you can add anything you think we should know additionally about your order. Perhaps you would like to have Metallic prints or you need to call attention to someone in the lab or if you would like your order by a certain time or date. This would be the correct place to put that information.

Most of our albums are flush mount albums. (hardbound cover and rigid pages) we also offer a proof book that is bound with unmounted photographic pages and press printed books.

Yes, our gutter width is approximately 1/16 of an inch and is a black line.

Our page width is approximately 1/16 of an inch.

Our flush mount album covers come in a round or square spine. The albums that are available in a round spine are the Classic and Helena Platinum the rest of our albums come with a square spine.

The embossing options we have available are Mayfair and Century in Silver, Gold, Black or Blind. $8 for up to 2 Lines.

36 pt
20 pt and 36 pt

Size your album pages to the size of the album you are ordering 10x10, 12x12 etc. Keep in mind we trim approximately 3/16th inch off the page when the album is bound.

PCL West albums come with a first page starting on the right and last page ending on the left.

Size Example 10x10 Album:
-First Page = 10x10 inch.
-Spread 02-03 = 10x20 inch.

Resolution needs to be 300dpi and sRGB color space.

No, you may start or end your album with a spread. An album that starts with a single page will have a feather paper to protect the single page, but when starting with a spread, this feather paper is the opening now. If you would like to start or end your album with a spread, please indicate on the album order form Special Instructions that this is what you would like.

Album cover guidelines are available for download from our website. This is helpful when creating a custom album cover with text or multiple images.

For each album order please submit an order form, album cover and pages through ROES.

We can go pretty big, we can easily go to 30x40, but if you have an odd request, please call Customer Service toll free at 866-725-9378 to see if we can meet your request.

2x3in Single Print.

For prints and enlargements, we have Kodak E-Surface, Luster; Kodak Glossy; Kodak Metallic. Metallic is 20% additional for prints. For albums, you may use all the above mentioned surfaces and additionally Fuji Deep Matte. Price upgrade applicable for Deep Matte and Metallic for albums, please refer to the catalog.

We offer Masonite, Gatorboard, Single and Double Weight Mat Board with the option of adding a trim guard. We can also add a Protective Clear spray in Matte or High Gloss. We can also apply Canvas Bond to Gatorboard or Masonite.

We offer a variety of press printed products, including: Photo books, programs, and flat and folded cards with envelopes.

Yes, we have high quality Photographic and Ink Jet canvas wraps. Canvas wraps come in standard sizes and take 5 days in lab to process.