update 1: when i started this experiment in early january, i had said my donation would go to the denver rescue mission. in light of the recent disaster in haiti - and after speaking with the mission - the donation will go fully to the red cross. thank you for understanding.
asterisks. they're a necessary evil. as you've probably surmised, the prints aren't really free, but sort of. yet not really. this is an experiment that will probably crash and burn, so that's why i'm setting a deadline for it - march 1, 2010.
a huge part of photography for me is being able to capture moments and share them. yes, i italicized share for a reason. the whole point of this is that even though my photos aren't that great, i still want them up on your walls, shelves or wherever else you desire (please - no animal cage mats). prints can be quite expensive, so that's why i'm fiddling with this experiment.
so how do i define free? well, i won't make a cent from this; there is no markup here. in fact, i will actually donate $1 to the american red cross for every household transaction (up to $250 - currently: $250).
the not-so-free part: you pay for the cost to produce the actual print, and to ship it. the printing company i use is whcc. i am not affiliated with them, but have used them for years and like their quality, and using one printer is going to make things easier (so no asking to use another printer or handing over my hi-res file).
you have two pricing options, based on size (please excuse my ugly table):
| sizes | substrates | shipping | etc | pricing |
| under 11x14 | lustre only | $5.00, two-day | n/a | |
| above 11x14 | lustre, glossy, metallic | $7.50, two-day | $12 min. order |
here are the stipulations (oh, there's always some of those) - this is open only to u.s. residents (sorry, rest of the world), only for photographic prints (no canvas wraps, mounts, or anything fancy), and payment must be submitted through paypal (an evil option, i know). the red cross donation will be made online and i will be providing everyone who purchased prints an order/tracking code from the red cross for verification.
now before sending payment, contact me first, telling me which photo(s) you want, the size(s), and the paper type. if there's a crop or licensing issue, i'll let you know before the order is placed.
so - in the end, "free" has become at least five bucks. if you're infuriated, you should probably leave now before the migraine kicks in. if you're still interested, however - hooray! i realize it's a little crazy and not everyone's cup of tea, but if you want some prints for cheap, all the while supporting a great charity, then welcome.
if you're interested or have any questions (i'm sure there are many), please send an email to info@dailysnap.com. thanks!