What size images?

[notapro]

I have a question for photographers that provide high-res digital files instead of prints. What dimensions do you make the images?

I'm going to be doing some portraits for someone and it's occurred to me that maybe it would be good to provide each image (she's only looking for max 100 shots) in all of 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 dimensions so that she doesn't have to crop the photos depending on how she prints them.

I could give her the original size, but a) some photos will probably need cropping to begin with and b) if she takes them into walmart or something, they generally just center the crop.

I also thought about giving them to her, having her choose which she wants in different formats, then providing those, but since I'm doing this at cost, I really don't want extra work later.

Any thoughts? Am I missing something or would this not be a common issue?

[canoflan]

Dead on good question.

I am delivering a set of prints to a client this next weekend and this is how I am handling it. I have agreed to provide the photos on a CD (my copyright embedded of course), and a color and black and white version of all of them. We discussed the initial print package they wanted and they decided on an 8x10 of the full-family portrait, then a 4x6 of all the portraits, including the full-family one. This is about 30 pictures in all at delivery.

In Lightroom, I adjusted all the originals for color, white balance, tone, contrast and initial sharpening. No cropping because I had some distortion filter stuff to run in PS anyway due to the wide angle lens effect. Therefore the RAW files remain adjusted, but uncropped and unsized in Lightroom. I export to PS and adjust for things there that only it can handle, then save the full layered file, still uncropped and unsized; so it is a finished photo for any future sizing and cropping in the future for when they want a 4x6, or 5.5x8.5, or whatever size they may want.

At the point I have this final, layered, uncropped and unsized photo, I make another copy, flatten it, then crop and size and put finishing touches (i.e. signature, framing edges, etc...) for the size that I have agreed to print (let's say 8x10). I then print that file, change to B&W and save a copy that is B&W converted, then I will put the color and B&W flattened, cropped, sized for 8x10 and finished file on a CD for their full use; I don't give them the uncropped, unsized finished photo because they are paying me anyway to crop and make the pictures look nice (right?). This way, I will explain to them that the files I provided them on the CD are sized for the size print I gave them and the file names I gave the files have the size they are good for in the filename. If they want other sizes of the same photos in the future, they will have to either resize and/or recrop and stuff in their favorite photo editing software, have a digital print service do it that they have never used before, or call me. If they just need a photo or two resized, I will do it at no charge unless they insist on paying me; but if becomes a package deal of additional prints, then we will work out a fee. Most of my clients want 4x6's anyway since they are a nice table top and work environment size and small enough for emailing.

Frankly, keeping a finished, but unsized and uncropped original is the only way I can see doing this and having the most flexibility for future print business. Most my clients won't know all the ins and outs of doing this stuff and that is what they are paying for anyway.

Hope that helps,
Pat

[chris_m_atl]

very good answer, canoflan. I would also like to add utilizing the power of actions and batch processing.

[Jon, The Elder]

Unless otherwise requested, I size all the CD files to a standard 8 x 10. This seems to be the largest print that most people will print.

I also use the "mini" size CD's. People seem to like the novelty of them.

[bieber]

Unless otherwise requested, I size all the CD files to a standard 8 x 10. This seems to be the largest print that most people will print.

I also use the "mini" size CD's. People seem to like the novelty of them.

Ooh, that's a good idea. When I deliver high-res images I just give original size, unless I feel some really need cropping for composition. Of course, the only client I've delivered high-res images to works in advertising full time, and knows her way around Photoshop very well. Henceforth, I'm planning on just selling prints, and digital images big enough for web use, but not printing. I'll likely just reduce to 1000 pixels on the longest side...

[notapro]

Unless otherwise requested, I size all the CD files to a standard 8 x 10. This seems to be the largest print that most people will print.

I also use the "mini" size CD's. People seem to like the novelty of them.


Good idea with the mini CDs for a novelty factor. I can see why people would like them.

About the 8x10s... I find that with my images, an 8x10 requires cropping out areas of the frame that could be included in a 5x7 or 4x6 and would sometimes make for a better photo. I guess the customer doesn't know what used to be there, though.

I have been thinking and am wondering if it might be a good idea to set up an online gallery and have her choose what she wants printed anyway. So that we have ongoing contact and people seem to share online galleries more, too, so there might be more opportunity for new business coming from it. Does that make sense to anyone but me?

[notapro]

Also.. when you shoot (especially portraits) are you conscious of the fact that the image will have to be cropped? For example, to get the largest possible 8x10, you're still losing about 15% off of one side of the image. Do you make sure to leave the extra bit to be cropped off?

[stefeb]

This thread could not have been started at a better time.

Up till now all my cropping as been for the web, so 8X10, 5X7, didn't matter, because prints weren't being made, the images were only being viewed on the web.

But now, I'm offering prints and am learning to shoot with a little more room for cropping. I was surprised when I cropped an image to 8X10 that the corners of a building were no longer there. I'm going to have to remember print sizes when shooting.

All the posts thus far, have been a real eye opener for me.

Thanks so much. :D

[notapro]

I agree--very helpful posters! It's funny how you don't think about something so simple until it comes up!

[bieber]

On a side-note, I once had an image at 8x8, that I meant for a lab to print on 8x10 paper and then trim two inches off of, but they just stretched the damn thing to 8x10 so it filled the whole paper. Trick was, I actually had to get out a ruler to figure out what they'd done with it: I thought maybe my mind was playing tricks on me and it was actually square, because I honestly couldn't see any stretching evident in the image. Moral of the story is, you can certainly get away with a little bit of distortion (and going from 8x12 to 8x10 should actually be a little less than 8x8 to 8x10) without it being evident. Not something I'd reccomend, but if there's no other choice...

[PhotosGuy]

I put the different sizes in different folders on the CD, & also rename them to 5X_xxx.jpg in case they mix them up later. I ask before if they're Costco members & include that profile.

+ I tell them where NOT to have them printed if they want good results.

[canoflan]

Couple more things.
1) You do have to consider cropping when taking pictures you know you will be printing for a client. That is why the highest quality image (RAW format) is needed with the best camera (highest megapixels you can get) and technique (i.e. tripod, etc...). The native size of the 5D with no cropping is 8x12, therefore, you know what happens from there.
2) My final files for putting on the CD are renamed to indicate the size and this is easy for me and the client in case they go somewhere and want to print the same picture the same size.
3) When I export from Lightroom, I export at highest jpeg quality, 300ppi (the file is already at this ppi so no change in quality for this), sRGB profile (most printers use this), and no change to the dimensions since I have already taken care of this in PS.

Pat