Alamy 48mb jpeg submissions?

[patrick t]

I've tried contacting <a href="http://www.alamy.com">Alamy</a> about this but

response so far has yet to materialise.

<p>

In their recent newsletter they state that they are now accepting submissions as

Jpegs but still require the minimum 48mb file size that they have always needed

with Tiffs. Apparently this is to save disc space and also to prepare for the

forthcoming method of uploading images rather than their current method

requiring submissions to be mailed to them on disc.

<p>

Surely a 48mb Jpeg is 48mb? The same size as a 48mb Tiff? And surely a 48mb Jpeg

is going to be huge in terms of dimensions? I have some images that contain

areas of flat tone or colour that are 48mb as Tiffs but when saved as Jpegs [max

quality level 12 ] become suprisingly small files.

<p>

Does anybody have any info or ideas regarding this?

<p>

The only thing I can assume at the moment is that files should be 48mb when

saved as Tiffs and then the resulting file can be smaller when converted to Jpeg.

<p>

Any contributors had any luck contacting them or fathoming this out?

[robertshantz]

<P>Here's the relevant section of their email:

<P>'Save JPEGs at the highest quality setting and at 48MB in size

once uncompressed'

<P>That is, the size of the original file before being compressed by the jpeg algorithm must be at least 48MB. The size of the file after compression doesn't matter so long a PS level 12 or equivalent was used.

<P>The file size after compression will vary considerably as you noted depending upon the nature of the original photo.

<P>Robert

[dens]

Is my camera inadequate for Alamy?

 

Do they not accept submissions from digital camera's?? I have a D70 which produces a 6Mbps RAW file, if I save it as 16bit Tiff it is still only 32Mbps. far short of 48 Mbps.

[rob_mcknight1]

See this page:

http://alamy.com/contributors/stock-photography-digital-cameras.asp

 

"Use a pro-level camera with a "true" (non-interpolated) resolution of at least 6 megapixels. This will give a file size of at least 17MB at 8 bit."

 

"Interpolate (upsize) the file to at least 48MB using a specialist, professional software package. We recommend Genuine Fractals

[rosemaryh]

Hi

I contacted Alamy about this as I have just been accepted there. I use a D70 also and I use Photoshop 6 which can save at Level 12 at most. Here was their email reply:

 

Hi,

 

Please note that we do accept JPEG at level 12 setting as of

now. Your images must be saved at the highest quality setting. They must

be at least 48Mb once uncompressed (opened). We are not concerned with

the compressed filesize.

 

As an example, if producing Tiffs, your images should be at

least 48 MB prior to saving as a jpeg. The resultant jpeg file, as

guidance, is likely to be between 2 and 10Mb compressed. When

uncompressed, the file will revert back to 48 MB.

 

I hope this clarifies things for you.

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

Luke

Member Services

Alamy

 

-- Hope that helps, I have sent them a new disk today. R

[dens]

Not realy sure I understand, maybe I am missing something.

I shot raw, come out of my D70 just under 6Mb, I edit and save a level 12 Jpeg(8bit), ths is usually 2-4 Mb. If I save Tiff (8bit) its around 10Mb.

 

Never near 48Mb, you saying I take my 3Mb JPEG and use GF to upscale to 48Mb before they will accept it?

 

 

Thanks for the advice

[mohamad]

I'm sbmitting to Alamy as well i use to have a d100 which is 6mb as well here is my work flow

shoot raw , edit in cs2 upsize in genuine fractals to 5200 pixles and the file size will around 51.3 mb save as jpegs and its done if you have cs2 you can do without the genuine fractals through image size now i'm shooting with d2x and still have to upsize anyway , hope this help

[julien_buckley]

This has been a bone of contention for me as well. Once you save a TIF down to a JPG, the file is compressed. So a 50MB file becomes a 7-8MB file.

 

I found an excellent blog entry on the Alamy website explaining their requirements: http://www.alamy.com/Blog/contributor/archive/2007/02/22/783.aspx

 

In essence, you should work on the 8 bit TIF file and then convert the final image to a JPG, which will only be between 3-10MB.

[kelly_flanigan1]

A 48 meg uncompressed 8 bit RGB image means its from a 48/3=12 megapixel camera; ie not upsized with hamburger helper; pixel helper, cheater etc. Thus when one "upsizes" your bubble pack; cellphone; P&S digital or dlsr's image to fit their requirements one often voids their trust; if the upsizing is not mentioned. Many editors and stock photo places want trust; not wondering what else is sqweaked by; ie owneship; copyright; crap cloned in.

[kelly_flanigan1]

Be *upfront* with folks if you submit upsized images; they tire from the publics duffousity of trying to pass dead mouse with hamburger helper as a whole cow. Many of these chaps were into images before folks here were born and are not amused with having their time wasted. A high impact image that is not to their specs often can be saleable; just be upfront if you upsize so you won't be labeled or blackballed. None of this stuff is really new; folks made 4x5 tranys from instamatic images in the 1960's and wondered why stock agencies never liked their masterpieces; ie crap. The EXIF info might show your photo is from a 3 megapixel P&S digital; you upsize it to their specs "hopeing" that they are dumb! :)

[jimwww]

<p>Well I wish that they would accept 48mb tif's or above and make the whole process easier. This upresing and then trying to make a 48mb jpg is ridiculous. I just bought a Epson V700 and I can make some great images. By the time it becomes a big jpg it is 1/5th the quality..<br>

If someone has been successful can you share with us how 'exactly' you are preparing them.. thanks</p>