Photo Tip #95:
Photo Tip #96:
Image Size and Resolution
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Greetings Fellow Photographers!
I hope the past few emails about post-production have been helpful! Today I am going to talk a bit more about image size and resolution. These elements of your digital photo play an important role when you decide to order prints and photo products through your online photo account.
Image Size
Image Size is the size of your original digital photo file, measured in pixels and DPI (Dots Per Inch, sometimes referred to as PPI, Pixels Per Inch). What is a pixel? A pixel is a small square dot. DPI refers to the number of dots (pixels) per inch. Why is this important? Well, if an image is too small, you might not be able to order a large size print or other photo product. A general rule of thumb for image size versus print size is: the image size should be at least the size of the print you want multiplied by 300, at 300 DPI. For example, if you want to order a 4x6 print, the image size should be 1200 pixels (4 x 300) by 1800 pixels (6 x 300) at 300 DPI. If the image size was half of that (600 by 900), then the 4x6 print would likely come out distorted or pixilated if you were to order a print.
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Camera Settings
Decide in advance what is more important: image quality or room on your memory card. You can set your camera to take photos that are larger or smaller in size. If you know you will only be printing 4x6 photos, then you can reduce the image quality, which allows you to store more photos on your memory card. If you will be printing enlargements or other photo products like photo books, then keep the setting on "high" for higher quality images. The image sizes will be larger and you will not be able to store as many on your memory card at one time. Also, set the file type as "jpeg" if your camera allows you to control that detail. You might have a "tiff" option, but it is not necessary to save the photos as "tiff" files, and it will only take up more room on your memory card.
If you have a point and shoot camera, open your main menu, and find the setting
for "image quality" (or something similar). Usually, the options are "low,"
"medium," and "high." Choose "high" for higher quality (larger) photos. If you
have an SLR camera, you probably have additional options. Just stick to high
quality jpeg images, unless you know you will be doing extensive image editing
and post-production. In that case, you might want to shoot RAW files.
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Resolution
The resolution of your photo is directly impacted by the image size. The more pixels your photos have, the higher their resolution is.
When you upload photos to your online account, you are given three upload options: "Regular," "Fast," and "Fastest." When you choose "Fast" or "Fastest," the photos are compressed, so the resolution will be less than the original photo file. So, if you are just uploading to order 4x6 prints, "Fastest" will be fine. But, if you wish to order enlargements, photo books, calendars, and other photo products, choose the "Regular" speed, which uploads the photos at their original resolution.
Once the photos are uploaded, you will notice three bars for each photo in your account. If all three bars are green, that means that the resolution of the photo that is in the account is sufficient enough to order just about anything on the site. If the bars are all red, you have uploaded a low resolution photo. Try to find the original photo file and check the size. If the size is sufficient enough to order prints (based on the rule I mentioned above about multiplying the desired print size by 300 and comparing to the actual image size), re-upload the photo at "Regular" upload speed. Photos with two or three red bars will generate poor quality prints, especially if you are trying to order anything larger than 4x6 prints.
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Additional Tips
Now that you understand image size and resolution a bit more, and understand why they are important when working in your online photo account, here are a few more extra tips about image size and resolution:
Most computer screens display photos at 72 DPI. That means the printed photo will look different than how it appears on your computer screen. Usually, it will look better when it's printed. But, it is always a good idea to order a 4x6 test print before ordering any large prints or other products to give you a feel for how the photo looks when printed.
If you crop a photo too much (zoom in too much), it will always look pixilated and distorted, no matter how large the image size is.
Once you take the photo, you cannot increase the size or resolution by increasing the number of pixels in any photo editing program. If you wish to increase the resolution or file size, you must do so by adjusting your camera settings before you take any more photos. |
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Thanks for everyone that has shared their photos with me since the last email! Here are a few shots that stood out to me. |
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"My husband bought me a really nice Canon camera & lens not too long ago, so I am very new to learning how to take more than point & shoot pictures. Your emails have been very helpful! The lily pads picture was taken while riding around the river with my husband. I really enjoy taking outdoor pictures and finding interesting shots like this one. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the tips!
– anonymous
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"This picture was taken in March. I took the picture dozens and dozens of times and this was my favorite of my results. The water that splashes above the surface seems to form a crown. It was taken with a Nikon D80 and the use of one SB-600 speedlight. The idea behind taking this photograph was to take an ordinary fruit and do something creative with it to turn it into an interesting picture. A few days after taking this picture, it was selected into National Geographic's Daily Dozen and will be featured in the next issue of Marymount University's magazine as well."
– Pablo
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"This is one of my favorite shots of all time. I was in Ocean City, MD at a conference and was given an ocean front suite which I used to my advantage at sunrise! In hand was my Canon Rebel XS attached with my Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm.
I have not retouched this photograph in any way. Thank you for all of your insights! Everytime I reach for my camera I think of your wonderful email lessons!"
– Marianne
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"It's Spring in Chicago and the tulips are in full bloom. Here, I stopped in Millennium Park to capture some of the thousands of brilliant tulips planted along Michigan Avenue. Who could resist this canvas? Thanks for letting me share."
– Theresa
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