Printing 101

[aam1234]

It has been a while since I last printed so forgot what one has to do to make a photo ready for printing. Would a kind soul run us through the steps needed to prepare a file. Let's call it Printing 101.

Some parameters that might/may not be useful. Sort of like assumptions:

- Input: the file will be from a 5D, which is 4368 x 2912 cam. A jpeg sourced from Raw.
- Output: 11x14 inches.
- Mpix will be printing it.
- General purpose print, not for an exhibition or anything fancy like that.

Thanks for any advice.

[Tom Swaman]

aam1234,

I wish I could find the book that has what you are requesting. Frankly, I think you also need to specify the other hardware and software involved in editing and printing. If you really want this, I would search Amazon,com for the current paperbacks written by well known authors that cover what you are asking. My honest opinion is that in these books, you will find or you will be able to assemble from the information in these books what you are asking.

Happy Thursday,
Tom

[aam1234]

Hi Tom, and thanks

Not looking for the ultimate methodology in printing. Just want to get my feet wet and print decent photos at this stage. Reading books about the subject, at the moment, would be an over kill.

Thanks again.

[blumesan]

Since you will be sending the image to Mpix for printing, the steps are rather simple.

1. Edit the image in PS or Elements or whatever, to your taste, keeping the image at 16 bits if possible.
2. Crop the image to the 11x14 aspect ratio; do not resample at this stage.
3. If Mpix requires a color profile other than what you use as your working profile, convert to that profile.
4. Resample the image to whatever resolution Mpix requires (300ppi ?).
5. Do a final output sharpening to taste.
6. Flatten image and convert to 8 bit mode.
7. Save image in whatever format Mpix requires. (tiff, jpeg ??).

Save a copy of the file at any step where you think you may want to come back to the image and refine what you have done.

Cheers/Mike

[jfrancho]

4. Resample the image to whatever resolution Mpix requires (300ppi ?).

If the resize is for a larger print, let their software do the resizing. I've had better results from both Mpix and WHCC going this route. If its for a downsize, do it yourself. Deadsmiley showed me a 16x20 made from a 6MP D100 file that looked awesome. WHCC did the resize.

[dougsmit]

Opinion: This is a good question but asked in the wrong place. If you have decided to have prints made by Mpix (I've never used them so I do not know) it would seem the first step is to read every word in their help section and blog. Certainly there are some things that cross over from printer to printer but information you get from Mpix should be better than anything offered here.

I have gone on record before suggesting that people might try Costco but should develop a rapport with the local machine operators at their local store. This goes for anonymous online sites, too, but rather than a face to face chat with the photo manager, you need to understand what they have posted in the way of instructions. Certainly I am more than willing to tell you what I do to get what I want from their services but I'm not 100% sure I know more about it that they do so my opinions are just that. Looking over the Mpix site, I see evidence of a place I might try if I wanted a print larger than my Costco can do or if I were to move to a part of the world where Costco has no store. In my situation, the extra cost for postage alone would make me hesitant to try them as long as I am getting what I want locally.

One thing I really believe no matter where you will be having your print made is that you should deliver them a file that is the correct proportions for the print you will be ordering and not allow them to guess what should be cropped out from your full 5D image. At a minimum you need to crop off about 662 pixels from the long side (one end or both) as you see fit if you expect an 11x14 that fills the paper. Since you are converting from RAW and polishing the image anyway, you might as well throw out the part that you want gone rather than making someone else guess what you are thinking.

I hope you get replies from Mpix veterans.

[aam1234]

Thank you, Mike. Appreciate your help.

But at this stage I probably need to contact either the Russian or the Chinese embassy to help decipher what you have written above

This thread should be titled "Printing 99" instead of "101". Baby steps here

[jfrancho]

I don't think they have Costco where aam1234 lives. But I do know that it isn't just Doug that loves them. They must have a well established training program.

[jfrancho]

One thing I really believe no matter where you will be having your print made is that you should deliver them a file that is the correct proportions for the print you will be ordering and not allow them to guess what should be cropped out from your full 5D image. At a minimum you need to crop off about 662 pixels from the long side (one end or both) as you see fit if you expect an 11x14 that fills the paper. Since you are converting from RAW and polishing the image anyway, you might as well throw out the part that you want gone rather than making someone else guess what you are thinking.

When you upload the file, there is a simple crop preview that allows you set this much faster than in Photoshop. I actually prefer using this.

[aam1234]

Originally Posted by dougsmit

One thing I really believe no matter where you will be having your print made is that you should deliver them a file that is the correct proportions for the print you will be ordering

Exactly. But I don't know how to do that, unfortunately.

Btw Doug, I'm not in the US. Will be ordering online because it's cheaper than the crazy printers here. One guy quoted me $35 for 11x16. Would you believe it.

[jfrancho]

Like I said above, you don't need to know how. Upload the file, choose your print size, and adjust the crop. Couldn't be any simpler.

[blumesan]

Originally Posted by aam1234

Thank you, Mike. Appreciate your help.

But at this stage I probably need to contact either the Russian or the Chinese embassy to help decipher what you have written above

This thread should be titled "Printing 99" instead of "101". Baby steps here

No, this is printing 101. If you can't decipher it you need to go back to Photoshop 101 (or Elements or whatever editing software you use).

I agree with JF. If Mpix will do the resizing for you, best let them do it.

[aam1234]

That's not very enticing nor appealing proposition. I, for one, want to learn as I go along.

Please don't be mistaken guys that I have photos worth printing. I don't. But I want to learn that aspect of photography.

Thanks

[jfrancho]

Originally Posted by aam1234

That's not very enticing nor appealing proposition. I, for one, want to learn as I go along.

Then you need to upload some pictures, and place an order.

Originally Posted by aam1234

Please don't be mistaken guys that I have photos worth printing. I don't. But I want to learn that aspect of photography.

Thanks

Horse manure! I'm sure there are a load of files on that computer of yours that show those nieces of yours in some good light - go print a few!

[dougsmit]

Originally Posted by blumesan

I agree with JF. If Mpix will do the resizing for you, best let them do it.

There is a major difference between cropping to format and resizing. One commonly heard complaint is from people who loved the 4x6 and can't understand why the lab cropped off the ends of the 8x10. Labs certainly can handle file sizing but format driven cropping has to be done by a human eye or by chance. I prefer eye.

Sorry, aam, I guess the football helmet fooled me as to your location but the suggestion that you can get instructions from the lab stands. They even list an email address for questions not covered. Keep us posted how your prints come out.