How do I prep a digital photo properly for the lab?

[marissa_c._boucher]

Hi,

 

What I need to know is what's the best way to get the most quality

out of a print by prepping the photo in photoshop before sending it

to the lab.

 

Okay, let's say I want to print an 8x12 from a (largest) jpg shot

taken on a Canon 20D. I called my lab and they told me to simply do

this (is this the best way?)...

 

1. Open the photo in photoshop

2. Select the crop tool

3. Enter 8x12 in the crop dimensions

4. Enter 320 in the resolution field

5. Crop the photo

6. Convert the profile to their custom .icc

 

I've heard so many different ways to do this. Isn't photoshop

resampling if I use this method? I ask this because most people say

not to resample, but to go under image size instead and un-check the

resample box, then enter 300 or 320 into the resolution field and

hit ok. Thing is, that only gives me a document size of around 11x6

at high res. What happens when you print a photo at a desired size

of 8x12 when your res is 300 and your document size is only 11x6?

 

Hopefully I'm making sense in my effort to explain my confusion. I

hate how much prep there is for digital. It's ridiculous. White

balance, Contrast, Levels (usually), color profile converting,

resizing, resolution changing.

 

Jeez, you'd think Canon would have the camera at least default to

300 or 320 instead of 72. I heard 72 is an ancient monitor res or

something like that, but is this necessary? It's almost as annoying

as 8x10 or 5x7 photo sizes when a camera doesn't produce that in the

frame initially.

 

I am desperate to know the best way to prep a photo for print so any

help would be greatly appreciated. Excuse my lack of knowledge,

still new to digital.

[nomade]

First of all, if you hate doing all this things, probably you'd enjoy more going back to film.

 

Second, if you still want to stay with digi cams but this steps bother you, I would suggest you to find a lab to do the job for you.

 

Third: going from 11x6 to 12x8 IS resampling, but not that much; if I guess well, you won't be able to see the difference.

 

Fourth: 72 dpi is not an old format, only the one used for the monitors, most of them dont need more resolution, but prints do.

 

Fifth: I dont know much about setting your camera, but take a second look to the manual of the camera, probably you can change them in order to generate the files at your desired resolution.

[beauh44]

Hi Marissa, I'll take a stab:<P>

 

<I>Isn't photoshop resampling if I use this method?</i><P>

 

Probably. If your filesize is large enough (or larger) to accomodate your crop at the given dimensions it will resample down, which usually isn't a bad thing. If there aren't enough pixels it will resize up and that's not so bad either unless it's done to the extreme.<P>

 

You can crop your image without changing the dpi to arrive at the correct aspect ratio - just leave the dpi box blank and fill in the height and width before using the crop tool. You can then use the Image>Image Size command to see if you'll have enough pixels to print at a given dpi. Simply UNcheck the "Resample Image" box and enter the dpi you want in the dpi box.<P>

 

If you enter, say 300 dpi and it won't print large enough, then yes, you'll need to resize your image (enlarge it). Assuming you've entered the 300 dpi, to make your image bigger, CHECK the "Resample Image" box and now enter the dimensions you want. Photoshop will resize the image at the 300 dpi you specified. As long as it's not a huge difference, things will probably look fine - especially if you sharpen the image a bit afterwards.

 

If you enter that 300 dpi and your image prints too big, you can resample down too. Just check that "Resample Image" box and enter the dimensions - if there are too many pixels, Photoshop will resample the image down. Some people select "Bicubic Sharper" from the drop-down box when sizing down and "Bicubic Smoother" when resizing up.<P>

 

<I>Jeez, you'd think Canon would have the camera at least default to 300 or 320 instead of 72. </i><P>

 

The dpi Canon chooses is meaningless. If they gave you 300 dpi and you weren't printing the exact size that the image would print at that dpi and resolution, you'd be up against the exact same thing you are now. Good luck!

[erik scanhancer]

Your lab's advice seems pretty good to me. Obviously the native resolution of their printer

is 320 lpi. So any size you want from them should indeed have the desired size at the

printer resolution. Of course this might mean up- or down-sampling of your file, but

otherwise this will happen in the lab's printing process. Now you have full control over the

process yourself and you will be able to apply the desired sharpening before submitting

the file to the lab.

 

Isn't it a bit strange to expect your camera to set the printing size for you? All the camera

has to do is to deliver the information that's come from the CCD. You (or your lab) has to

set the values to produce the best print out of that file. When you would use film you'd

have to decide such things in a later stage too.

 

Today I spoke to a friend of mine who has a digital lab. He is going desperate because of

all the lack of knowledge of his amateur clients. They have seen their pics on their

uncalibrated monitors (in a preview screen or something) with fancy candycolors because

the preview program does not support the built in profile. Then the prints come out and

they hold them next to their monitor. Completely different of course. And then they

demand their money back.

 

The fact that your lab supplies you with a profile is already a very good sign. The fact that

you want to use it properly is a good sign too, by the way.

[marissa_c._boucher]

Thank you for the responses everyone. I really appreciate it. It's not that I hate all the prepping enough to go back to film, it's just frustrating when you don't know it like the back of your hand. I just need to be patient and deal with the trial and error.

 

My local lab does do a great job considering their prices. It's Calumet here in San Diego. I specifically asked them for a printer profile for both their matte and gloss and have had very consistent results. My monitors are all calibrated regularly so I've had good luck in that regard.

 

I understand things much better now that it's been explained, thanks everyone.

 

Another question would be this, so if I was shooting RAW would this make any difference in my ability to print larger prints at higher res vs shooting jpg?

 

Or, if I were using a 1Ds Mark II or a H-blad H1 with a 22 MP digital back would I even need to resample when making prints no larger than a 16x20?

 

Thanks,

Weston

[beepy]

I would follow the lab's instructions.

<p>

I would also (if I were you:-) send them a representative sample print prepared per their instructions (including the ICC profile conversion!) and go over the print with them...

<p>

I'm a little worried - if you want the BEST quality out of a print (of what size?) sent to a photo lab I would have shot Raw, and done image prep in Photoshop including capture sharpening (instead of it being done by the camera) and output sharpening (me, using

<a href="http://www.pixelgenius.com/sharpener/index.html">PhotoKit Sharpener</a> with Contone Output selected if they are targeting something like a Lightjet)...

<p>

I presume the Canon is defaulting to 72dpi because direct capture JPEG is most often intended for web use...

<p>

Tell me not to worry...

[beauh44]

<I>if I was shooting RAW would this make any difference in my ability to print larger prints at higher res vs shooting jpg? </i><P>

 

Shooting RAW won't give you any more pixels, no. Shooting in RAW might give you better tonal gradations in your print is all.<P>

 

<I>Or, if I were using a 1Ds Mark II or a H-blad H1 with a 22 MP digital back would I even need to resample when making prints no larger than a 16x20?</i> <P>

 

Probably. I do think you're over-concerned about re-sampling. I do it all the time - pretty much everyone has to at some point.<P>

 

I do own a 1DsMKII. If I want to print an 8X10 I have to resample down.<P>

 

I also have a 20D. If I want to make a 13X19 print from shots taken with it, I have to resample up - which I have often done and the prints look *great*! <P>

 

In short, resampling - whether it's making an image smaller to post on the web, or larger to make a big print is pretty much unavoidable no matter what camera you own.

[eric_perlberg]

<i>Jeez, you'd think Canon would have the camera at least default to 300 or 320 instead of 72.</i>

 

<p>

The camera just records pixel dimensions, eg, 3504x2336 on a 20d. The 320 or 240 or 72 dpi are done by photoshop not by the camera and only relate to printed output resolution. As you up the resolution you decrease the final printed size. You can change the print resolution either in camera raw or in the Image Size dialogue.

[j_sevigny]

Marissa,

 

There's no reason to be afraid of resampling, which just means adding or taking away

pixels.

 

I understand your point: if you go under image size, uncheck the resample box and enter

a desired dpi, what you're changing is the print size, not the resolution. Which is of course

less destructive to the image than resampling. But truth be told, in many cases, you can

get away with an awful lot of resampling in order to make an image bigger.

 

One trick that many people use is to resample in small steps. First, go to image size,

uncheck the resample box, and set the dimensions as close as possible to the print you

want to make. You'll see the dpi change according to the size you choose. Obviously, if

you pick huge dimensions, you're going to get a 60 dpi print, which is useless. But if

you're just talking adding about a couple of inches, you might only have to add 75 or 100

dpi.

 

Next, check the resample box and increase the dpi by like 10 percent. So if the dpi is 250,

punch in 275 and hit OK. Do it again, this time punching in 300. There are differing

opinions as to how much you can upsample, but really, it's nothing to be afraid of.

 

If you want more detailed info on this feel free to e-mail me.