And Shutterfly is relatively foolproof  upload an image, crop it as desired and select a size. The order is delivered within a few business days. One caveat is that the service is limited in terms of professional help. If an image has imperfections, find someone to help or go with a service that offers more help. Shutterfly’s paper sizes also have limits, so photos with an unorthodox crop may come with a white border to be snipped off at home.

STRETCHING ONTO CANVAS Some companies offer the option to print onto a stretched canvas. The effect is instant art, ready to be hung. Canvas Pop (canvaspop.com) specializes in taking everyday photos, including candids snapped with a camera phone, and blowing them up without losing detail. Company technicians work on each image to ensure that an iPhone photo looks as good stretched across four feet as it does on a 4.5-inch screen. When comparing two shots, one from an iPhone and the other by a professional with a digital single-lens reflex camera, the difference in quality had more to do with each camera’s (and photographer’s) abilities than the printing technique. Canvas tends to work well with images that have a little motion in them, since the material’s texture softens the movement rather than making it glaringly obvious as it would on a glossy print.

After the printing, the canvas is finished with a matte laminate, which guarantees against cracking, fading or bubbling for life. If the canvas ages over the years, the company will replace it free. Sizes start at 8-by-10 inches ($30-$70 depending on finishing options) and go to 24-by-72 inches ($219-$419). Diptychs, triptychs or quads may be made out of a single image. Wood frames are available for a more polished look.

THE EVER-POPULAR COLLAGE Oddly, it takes a lot of planning to achieve that haphazard scattering of hanging photos. CollageWall, a Web service, can help streamline the process. The service, at collagewall.com, offers templates for dragging and dropping digital images, but custom collages are possible, too. The photos themselves are printed on professional paper with a luster finish, for the color benefits of glossy stock with the fingerprint resistance of matte.