Professional Photo Printing/ Fine Art Printing - FAQ

1

What should I pay attention to, when choosing a file?

2

How to know if file resolution is sufficient?

3

What is aspect-ratio?

1

What should I pay attention to, when choosing a file?

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Image resolution has to be sufficient. Attention: many mobile apps (e.g. whatsapp) will downsize images by default.

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Print & file aspect-ratio must be the same.

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Subject or people (also logo & signature) shouldn't be too close to the edge, or part of them may be covered by the photo frame.

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Enlarge the image to “100% crop" to check for defects, e.g. blurring, excessive noise, sensor-dust or undesired facial expressions.

2

How to know if file resolution is sufficient?

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Pixel dimension / print size = Resolution. Unit of it is dpi, dot per inch.

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E.g. If file width is 4500px and you want a 30” width print, resolution is 4500px / 30" =150dpi.

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You can't tell resolution from file size, but jpg <2MB is likely insufficient for large-prints.

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>120dpi is considered good; <72dpi is considered poor.

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It is a common mistake to read the "resolution" straight-forward in Photoshop "image-size" dialog-box, WITHOUT adjusting document-size WHILE keeping the same pixel-dimensions.

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Unlike book-reading, large photos are normally viewed much further away, and at such distance, difference in resolution isn't noticeable unless it's really poor. A photo that looks large enough on the wall, in harmony with the environment is much better than a very high-res but small photo.

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High-res =/= sharp, image can be blurry due to digital-zoom, camera-shake, out-of-focus etc., enlarge at “100% crop" to check for defects.

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We don't recommend customers to sharpen their files as it's too easy to over-do it, we'll do so in a subtle manner, if needed.

3

What is aspect-ratio?

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It is length:height proportion of the image.

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E.g., if long-side / 3 x 2 = short-side, it is 3:2; if long-side / 4 x 3 = short-side, it is 4:3

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It is 3:2 for 135-format, APS-C cameras; 4:3 for 120-format, 4/3 and most smartphone cameras.

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Print & file aspect-ratio must be the same, otherwise part of the image will disappear in the printout (red area shown below)

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If there's aspect-ratio mis-match we will give suggestion, but we don't crop photos for customers, as it will alter image composition, which is a matter of preference, or aesthetically uncroppable

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For most types of printing, a few mm of the file-border can't be printed, this is "bleeding-area". Pro designers & photographers know this limitation and avoid placing important subjects near it.

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"Print-bleeding" doesn't occur in our giclee-print. But image-border will still be covered by frame rabbet/passe-partout (or trimmed/folded away in frameless-style products), this is "frame-bleeding".

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Viewable-size of a framed image is usually smaller than print-size.

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Avoid placing important subject/ logo etc. too close to the border (lower-right, orange border simulates frame-bleeding).