Penpal asked for a photo

I send photos all the time.  I used to print on normal paper with my color printer, but the quality sucked.  Eventually I started getting real 4 x 6 prints on photo paper and sending those.  They fit inside the envelopes I use.  I get the prints done at Walmart if I want to save money or CVS if I want to save time.  I've mailed to several different states and the federal system and none have had an issue.  Virginia copies all mail on a black and white copier so it might not be worth that effort to do it if your pen pal is in Virginia.

Most prisons will accept normal photos 6x4s will fit in a standard envelope, just send one of those in or read the rules from the facility about how many you can send at a time. Getting a photo printed at a local store shouldn't cost you more than about 20cents per photo. Then basically you will need 1 first class stamp  and an envelope if you're posting from inside of the US.

I have no issues sending photos, and have done it several times since I began writing inmates. I just print out a couple on regular printer paper, for any of my penpals, since some facilities don't allow actual photos to be mailed to inmates. It's easier than remembering or having to look back at the rules, to see which facility allows only plain paper photos.

I copy and paste the photo into the body of my letter. Once I hear back from my Illinois pp I’m going to send a 4x6 color photo. 

Thanks for the replies everyone! like Zarchery said, when I print images from my printer the quality is pretty bad to say the least lol I think I'll do it this time though and then ask in the letter if he can recieve normal photos; unless someone knows the rules or has experience regarding photos for San Quentin's death row? It takes forever for my letters to reach so I dont exactly want to risk my letter getting returned or the photo being taken out and thrown away. I think I remember reading the whole 'no polaroids/8x10 max size/no photos w backings or frames, etc' for SQ, but I don't remember reading that normal photos were ok either...

I'm almost certain photos are allowed to be sent to San Quentin, not sure exactly what the rules are on death row as I've never written there. I'm almost certain that your photos will go through though.

I used to write to someone on SQ DR. Actual photos are fine to be sent in. I always send 4x6’s, using pretty much the same method everyone else who has participated here does. I make photo stories on regular printer paper if I’m covering something specific, like a trip or something with captions so they can read along like they’re there, so I alternate between those and regular photos. But yeah, I’ve never encountered a facility that does not allow real pictures, so that’s interesting that some don’t! 

I have sent numerous photos to penpals - just normal 4x6 photos that I got developed.  Cheap as chips really.  I have never had issues with them getting through - postcards however, have been confiscated on one occasion.  You can read the facility's guidelines but really, they don't even follow them half the time anyway or they're about 7 years out of date.  Just a bit of a lucky dip.