Printing Digital Photographs

[Tykimeister]

When you have your image with a border around the image that you made in photoshop, will it print to scale, or is there a chance that parts of the image wont be printed?
Example:
When I take a digital panoramic photo to walmart and have it printed, their machines will only print the center of the image and leave the rest out (while still filling up the entire page. What I wanted was for the image to be printed as a panoramic with white borders on the top and bottom since its wider than it is long.

I don't want something like this to happen when I get some of my HDR's printed for an exhibit coming up.

Any reply would be greatly appreciated.
Ty

[Lee4145]

All of the printers I've used have had cropping software so I could select what I wanted in the print.

Otherwise I'd think if you just crop your image to the ratio you want it and crop outside the frame (and of course print it to that size), it should be included.

[KmH]

This is how I order prints that are not a standard size.

I have an image that is 7x18. I check the standard sizes I can order and the closest is 12x18. I add a white border to the top and bottom of my image with my image editor (resize canvas, 12x18, white background).
And it looks like this (the black border is just to be sure you can see where the white ends):



When you get the 12x18 print back it has the white border top and bottom.

Here's the neat part; If I really don't want the white border part I just put text on the border requesting my lab trim the excess for me before they send me the now borderless print (might not be a service walmart offers).



Hope that helps.

[Tykimeister]

This definetly helps. Thanks for the responses.

So if you crop an image that isn't standard, like 7X10 (for some reason), the printing software that they use will print the 7X10 on a 8X10 with white borders on the top and bottom (or sides whichever be the case) and it wont just get stretched to fit the entire print? Sorry if this sounds kind of stupid...
Thanks,
Ty

[jfrancho]

OK, here's a thought. Use a better lab, like WHCC, and their ROES software will show you exactly, within the 1/16" of paper drift, what you'll get. I frequently order prints already mounted on matboard that have a border. For example, a popular portrait order will include an 8x10 size image centered on a 16x20 size print. Then the customer can simply request that it be framed with a 16x20 mat with an 8x10 reveal, or go glassless, for a different look. Thanks Mark McCall for that idea, its a hot one .

[happusa]

If you have your prints done at costco, just request "include all". If you have a 7x18 image, have it printed on 16x20 paper.

[KmH]

Originally Posted by Tykimeister

This definetly helps. Thanks for the responses.

So if you crop an image that isn't standard, like 7X10 (for some reason), the printing software that they use will print the 7X10 on a 8X10 with white borders on the top and bottom (or sides whichever be the case) and it wont just get stretched to fit the entire print? Sorry if this sounds kind of stupid...
Thanks,
Ty

I don't think so, but basically it depends which lab you have print your images.

Not stupid at all. If you don't have much experience having prints made how would you know, other than taking the time to do some research and sending in a couple of test prints to see what you get back. Have you asked the lab you intend using what their procedure is for printing nonstandard size images?

How do you let the lab know what size paper you want the image printed on? I order my prints online and I have to put the number of prints I want in the box telling the lab what size paper I want the print on. If I want the print on paper that is larger than my image I put borders on the image in my image editor before it gets uploaded to the lab.

I value my images to much to leave decisions like that up to the lab.

HTH

[jfrancho]

I don't think so

Quit guessing, and use a real lab that says, "Yes, because you said so!"

[after]

Agreed, the 2 labs I use will print whatever I want, I just type in my request in the special instructions box, and they will make it happen.

[KmH]

Originally Posted by after

Agreed, the 2 labs I use will print whatever I want, I just type in my request in the special instructions box, and they will make it happen.

There ya go, that's the kind of lab to use.