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How to Estimate Postage to Send Pictures

Whether you're involved in a postal print exchange with a fellow photographer friend or just sending a few holiday pictures to relatives overseas, you'll need to estimate the price of postage before shipping your item or items. Shipping rates for padded portfolio envelopes tend to be inexpensive, but prices may vary slightly among different parcel services. Save time and effort the next time you need to ship pictures by estimating the packages dimensions and weight.

Things You'll Need

Appropriately sized envelope
Food scale
Recipient address

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the size of your shipping envelope by measuring your largest photo. The envelope must be large enough to fit the largest picture plus any others comfortably.
- 2
  Weigh your pictures. Postage costs depend largely upon the weight of the package. A food scale or micro scale will give the most accurate reading.
- 3
  Visit the U.S. Postal Service's online postal calculator using the link Resources link. Input your shipping destination (domestic or international), recipient's zip code and package dimensions, including weight.
- 4
  Use the rates provided by the calculator to estimate the price of your package's postage. Pay for postage and ship your package by bringing it to a shipping clerk at the parcel service of your choice.

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