Print Sizes - photo labs

[Wocka]

Gidday,

This has probably been asked mulitple times ( I did a search but couldn't find the answer I wanted/needed ).

When preparing images to print at a photo lab ( say 4" x 5" ) do I make my images this exact size? I have been told to make them twice the size and the lab will "shrink to fit" without cropping?

I would expect that the exact size is the answer, I was just wondering what people do. Is there a tutorial on this topic?

Cheers.

[Aussie Dave]

Wocka
send them the exact size, it's makes things that much easier, and you won't get stung with resizing fees (if any).
basically, find out what dpi they are printing at (probably 300 dpi), then work out the following:

4x6" print:
4 x 300 = 1200pixels
6 x 300 = 1800 pixels

So, resize your NEF to 1800 x 1200 (@300dpi) and all is done.

To be perfect, I usually trim 8 pixels off one end of the NEF so the size is 3000x2000 (not 3008x2000)....but I'm a perfectionist

Hope this helps....

[Wocka]

AussieDave,

Thank you for the reply, I thought it was best to have them the exact size I wanted printed.

What I am doing is using PS CS2 crop tool and typing in the 4" x 5" size in the toolbar and then selecting the part of the image I want to keep. This makes the crop box the exact size. I haven't gone back to check the pixels are 1200 x 1500.

Yes all my files are @300dpi as that's what I save them as off the RAW file.

I just noticed the difference in the file size you spoke about. I thought the standard photo was 4"x5". But you talk about 4"x6" and the photo lab (http://www.metrophoto.com.au/index.html) talk about 10cm x 15cm. Looks like I have my file sizes wrong. I should be going for 4x6.

[Glen]

Warwick, 4x6 or 10x15 is the standard size at most photo labs 5x7 is the next size up, usually not at the bargain 20-30c a print either

[Aussie Dave]

no probs Warwick.

4x6" is the standard photo size (that you used to have film developed to). This obviously conforms to the ratio 3:2

There are other sizes, such as 8x10", which is really an 8x12" with 2 " cropped off the end.

Alot of P&S digicams these days have sensors that are closer to 4:5 than 3:2, so these different sized print sizes are usually catered to these people, though you can crop your NEF's to whatever configuration you like.

I've actually made a PS Action that automatically creates the 6x4 (or another for 8x12) from the NEF size. It's pretty easy to do, and saves alot of time.

[Wocka]

Dave,

I was off on a wrong track with my file ( photo ) sizes.

With the PS action to resize the image, how do you select the area you want to crop or am I missing something here and you already have to crop the image to the final view you want?

[Aussie Dave]

Dave,

I was off on a wrong track with my file ( photo ) sizes.

With the PS action to resize the image, how do you select the area you want to crop or am I missing something here and you already have to crop the image to the final view you want?

Perhaps I'll explain this in 2 ways (and assuming we're creating 6x4's):

1)
Assuming you are happy with the image (you don't want to "crop" it to remove unwanted space etc.), I would:

- crop off 8 pixels from the longest end (only if you can be bothered)
- select Image resize
- make sure dpi is set to the desired figure (300dpi in this case)
- type in 1800 & 1200 in image dimensions
- select OK

2)
If you want to crop the image, I would:

- select the crop tool
- choose "fixed aspect ratio" in the menu at the top of the screen
- choose 3 and 2 (or vice versa, depending on l/scape or portrait view)
- crop desired area
- select copy, then create a new image and paste (which will give you a new image of just the selected area you cropped)
- select Image resize
- make sure dpi is set to the desired figure (300dpi in this case)
- type in 1800 & 1200 in image dimensions
- select OK

Hopefully this makes sense. I'm not on my PC at home so I can't refer to PS to give exact details, sorry.

Let me know if this doesn't make sense & I'll try to explain further