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Printing my photos

printing photos ppi images print photoshop photoprinting sizing help nikon

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8 replies to this topic

#1
inaflashphotography

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Hello, I am new in the printing part of photography and I just can't quite get it.. So I have a client who is wanting to print the photos she got during my shoot, problem is that the photos are being cropped incorrectly for her when she goes to get them printed from WalMart. I tried changing the image sizing, the way I thought it was to be done, and so I went online to WalMart to test it out myself with the new image sizing and they're still cropping out weirdly.. How does sizing work for printing? My clients wants to print 8x10s and 5x7s.. How can I make my images fit any size she wants? While still having good quality? Help is much appreciated thanks!



#2
Merco_61

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What software do you use?

 

One thing to remember is to not give the cheap places anything but sRGB files to print from as they don't use anything else in their fully automated Fuji or Gretag printers so the colours will be all wrong otherwise.

 

You will need to either crop to the desired aspect ratio or use a border with the correct aspect ratio. WalMart and the other cheap printing options crop a bit, so using an added border will probably give more predictable results. Your standard files are 2:3 in aspect ratio, 8X10" is 4:5 and 5X7" is 5:7.



#3
inaflashphotography

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What software do you use?

One thing to remember is to not give the cheap places anything but sRGB files to print from as they don't use anything else in their fully automated Fuji or Gretag printers so the colours will be all wrong otherwise.

You will need to either crop to the desired aspect ratio or use a border with the correct aspect ratio. WalMart and the other cheap printing options crop a bit, so using an added border will probably give more predictable results. Your standard files are 2:3 in aspect ratio, 8X10" is 4:5 and 5X7" is 5:7.

I use Lightroom. I've been going through and cropping to a 4x6. I hope it works

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

#4
dcbear78

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Most digital cameras capture an image in 2x3 (or 4x6 if you prefer) aspect ratio. This is the same aspect ratio as 35mm film and has become the defacto standard from those days. If you customers are wanting to print an 8x10 or 5x7 image, some of the original will be cropped out. I created this example to show this...

 

hQfPperl.jpg

 

Your best bet is knowing what products they are wanting to print and cropping your image to the correct aspect ratio for them to ensure the image looks the best. 

 

ACTUALLY.... The best thing you can do, from a business point of view is not let your customers print anything. You should be doing this for them. Not only does it add value to your work (increasing prices), but it is a vital income stream that has kept working photographers afloat for generations. Additionally you should be sharpening an image to the specified output size. Without doing this you are not putting your work out there in the best way possible.



#5
TBonz

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I run about the middle of what Darryl said...Sometimes I feel an image needs to be at a certain ratio, but that isn't always possible with what I do and I would rather get the sale.

 

When I crop in LightRoom, I crop in 2:3 / 4:6 / 8:12 ratio.  I also anticipate potential requests for different cropping and try to allow enough "room" for the potential crop.  I do not do my own printing, however my site prints and ships to the customer and I've had people coming back for prints long after the event.  

 

Here's the key that I learned the hard way.  Customers don't understand cropping and the different aspect ratios.  Even when the site asks them about cropping, they just click through...I now have to "approve" an order before the site prints and ships so I can address any potential issues before they get an image with someone's head cutoff or another cropping problem.  If for some reason the uploaded image doesn't work with their requested cropping, then I can go back to the customer, discuss it with them and get them what they want before they order a print they won't be happy with.



#6
Dogbytes

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ACTUALLY.... The best thing you can do, from a business point of view is not let your customers print anything. You should be doing this for them. Not only does it add value to your work (increasing prices), but it is a vital income stream that has kept working photographers afloat for generations. Additionally you should be sharpening an image to the specified output size. Without doing this you are not putting your work out there in the best way possible.


Exactly right. What your client and their friends and family will see is the final print. They won’t see the work you put into making that image. YOU need to have full control of the production of that print because that is what your work will be judged upon.

I have never had a print processed by Walmart but I don’t imagine it’s their speciality! Professional printing can be very expensive but it doesn’t have to be. What I have been doing, for years now, is using local university print shops. They usually charge what the students would pay plus tax - ie very cheap. The one I use currently can print on many different papers, various processes and up to 48” wide. Most importantly, I can upload my files to their site and then call them or go in and see them for any special instructions.

#7
Merco_61

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I agree that keeping control of every aspect by doing your prints yourself is best. If you don't have the time to do the prints yourself for your clients, at least get them from a professional printer who can handle the sizes you need and the colour space you want to use. A colour space with a wider gamut will do your D600 better justice than sRGB once you get the workflow right so you can softproof before printing.

An A3 pigment printer from Epson or Canon will soon pay off as they aren't *that* expensive.



#8
dcbear78

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An A3 pigment printer from Epson or Canon will soon pay off as they aren't *that* expensive.

 

I had a couple hours chatting to a fellow photography today. And she has me convinced I need to buy my own printer and do my own printing. 



#9
Dogbytes

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I had a couple hours chatting to a fellow photography today. And she has me convinced I need to buy my own printer and do my own printing.


It’s a lovely idea but I have grown used to the luxury of having a couple of dozen paper types to choose from and a huge variety of sizes. I couldn’t afford to keep that stuff in stock. I know that there a few people local to me that do their own printing but I remain to be convinced... maybe in lottery winning terms!





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