Method and apparatus for printing and/or displaying digital images

1. A method of printing a customer image order, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a digital record of a customer order containing a plurality of images;

selecting at least one image from said plurality of images where a face is detected for printing as an unenhanced image and as a digitally enhanced image;

digitally enhancing said at least one image; and

printing said digitally enhanced image and said unenhanced image.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said printing step comprises:

printing said enhanced image and said unenhanced image on a single print in a side by side relationship.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said printing step comprises:

printing said enhanced image on an index print and printing said unenhanced image on a standard print.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said selecting step comprises:

selecting at least one image from said plurality of images where a flesh tone is detected.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said selecting step comprises:

selecting at least one image from said plurality of images where red-eye is detected in the image.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said selecting step comprises:

selecting said at least one image for enhancement based on characteristics of said at least one image which includes at least one of red-eye, tone scale, under exposure compensation, noise reduction and sharpness.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein each of said characteristics is assigned a predetermined weighting factor and the selected image for enhancement has a total weighting factor which is above a threshold value.

8. A method according to claim 6 , wherein each of said characteristics is assigned a value and said value is used to generate a message or information for a consumer.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said unenhanced image is a digitally rendered image to simulate an optical image and said digitally enhanced image is digitally rendered with superior quality to said unenhanced image.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said printing step comprises:

printing the unenhanced image on a first index print and printing the enhanced image on a second index print.

11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said selecting step comprises:

disqualifying any images from said plurality of images where the image has inappropriate content, high grain, a poorly composed image content, out of focus images, or objectionable image artifacts.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said unenhanced image is an optically generated print.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said enhanced image is printed on a first print which is printed inline with a second print having said unenhanced image.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said enhanced image is printed on a first print by a first printer and said unenhanced image is printed on a second print by a second printer.

15. A method of offering imaging services comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one image from a customer order for rendering as an unenhanced image and as a digitally enhanced image;

applying enhancement algorithms to said selected image to create the digitally enhanced image;

assigning a value representative of an amount of enhancement to said selected image; and

displaying said unenhanced image and said enhanced image on an electronic display.

16. A method according to claim 15 , further comprising:

providing said unenhanced image and said digitally enhanced image on a CD.

17. A method according to claim 15 , wherein said displaying step comprises displaying said unenhanced image and said enhanced image in a side by side manner on the display.

18. A method according to claim 15 , wherein said displaying step comprises:

sending the unenhanced image and the enhanced image to a remote computer for display on the remote computer.

19. A method according to claim 15 , comprising the further step of:

sending information to a remote computer which includes said value.

20. A method according to claim 15 , comprising the further step of:

using said value to generate messages for transfer to a consumer.

21. A method of creating a comparison print comprising the steps of:

placing an unenhanced image on a first portion of a comparison print; and

placing a digitally enhanced rendering of the unenhanced image on a second portion of the comparison print, wherein the digitally enhanced rendering is the unenhanced image after adjusting at least one characteristic of red-eye, flesh tone, under exposure compensation, or noise reduction and sharpness as compared to the unenhanced image, wherein each characteristic is assigned a predetermined weighting factor and the digitally enhanced rendering has a total weighting factor which is above a threshold value.

22. A method according to claim 21 , wherein said second portion of said comparison print is adjacent to said first portion, to permit a viewer to view and compare the unenhanced image on the first portion of the print and digitally enhanced rendering of the unenhanced image on the second portion of the print.

23. A method of printing a customer image order, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a digital record of a customer order containing a plurality of images;

selecting at least one image from said plurality of images for printing as an unenhanced image and as a digitally enhanced image, wherein each of the at least one selected image is selected for enhancement based on characteristics of said at least one image which includes at least one of red-eye, tone scale, under exposure compensation, noise reduction and sharpness, wherein each of said characteristics is assigned a predetermined weighting factor, and the at least one image selected for printing as the unenhanced image and as the digitally enhanced image has a total weighting factor which is above a threshold value;

digitally enhancing said at least one image; and

printing said digitally enhanced image and said unenhanced image.

24. A method according to claim 23 , wherein each of said characteristics is assigned a value and said value is used to generate a message or information for a consumer.

25. A method according to claim 23 , wherein said selecting step comprises:

selecting at least one image from said plurality of images where a face is detected.