With the convenience of digital cameras there are a few things I would like to share with you to aid you in your photo preparation. The digital camera is pretty flawless when it comes to converting your images for the internet. However, there are tricks to taking your photos when using them for printed projects such as magazines, catalogs, brochures, flyers, etc.
THE GOLDEN RULE: We can always reduce a digital image (resample/shrink it/crop it), but we cannot enlarge it. The result: "fuzzy" "muddy" "pixilated" images.
Here's the trick to get the best results for your print projects ....THE BIGGER THE BETTER! Take the largest (widest), highest resolution picture possible. Of course the larger the image, the more memory it takes - (MEGS), but, remember the "Golden Rule!"
The size of the image will be determined by the pixels (PPI) - pixels per inch
FIRST CHOICE: 5 inches wide - 1500 PPI 72 DPI is OK - 100 to
300 best
SECOND CHOICE: 4 inches wide - 1200 PPI 72 DPI is OK - 100 to
300 best
THIRD CHOICE: 3 inches wide - 900 PPI 72 DPI is OK - 100 to 300
best
If you take a photo at a low resolution DO NOT change it yourself. Send us a copy and we will try to enhance it for you.
File Type: JPG - Your camera most likely takes .JPG & .GIF images - we cannot use .GIF for print.
If you are going to e-mail your photos... if you are going to send us multiple photos, or anything over 8 megs, use a "zip-it" or "stuff-it" application. (If you are not familiar with these handy applications, give us a call!)
Resolution: Most print media require image resolution of 300 DPI (dots per inch).
File Type: Print media typically use .TIF files. (I know, your camera takes .JPG images, but we'll get to that in a minute).
Size: Size is determined by the width of the photo layout. The height is determined by the "space" the image will take up - the image will be "cropped" accordingly.
So, there you have it... the basics... Please feel free to give us a call with any questions you may have! We are here to help you achieve the highest quality projects possible!
Move2Oregon.com
541-773-5744 - Fax: 541-776-0445
e-mail photos to: ads@move2oregon.com