First time printing, need help (update)

Hi all,

Took 100's if not thousands of photos since I got into digital, but didn't print a single one yet. Now I would like to print some at the shop as a test to see how they look like.

I'm aware of the aspect ratio where you need to adjust the photo to the printed size. That's not an issue right now, as it's just a test. However, people talk about things that sound very complicated to prepare a photo to be printed.

To make a long story short, what do you need to do to print a photo (a jpeg) at the shop, other than resizing.

Thanks for any help

Just burn a copy of your images you want printed to CD-R and take it to the shop for printing. What you need to do after that depends on how good or bad the prints come out.

Thanks Leo.

Why do 30 large photos to test???

Just process one or two photos and have 5X7's and 8X10's made to start. Make sure you resize (most recommend dpi of 250 - 300) and crop to the proper aspect ratio. You probably want to apply extra unsharp mask when you prep for printing.

Once you get these back you can decide what else might need to be tweaked in your process to get what you want. That way, you can have 30 photos printed over time and learn from each set to improve the output. Just my opinion but seems safer that sending 30 photos at once and hoping for the best.

Also, I have only sent digital photos once for printing as I have a photo printer at home. The results were better when I asked them to turn OFF the auto correction feature in the Fuji machince that they used at the local Sam's club.

What I do is save an image at 300 DPI for whatever size photo (1200x1800 for 4x6, etc), convert to sRGB since most photolabs seem to expect this) and Save As JPG at max quality (12 is PS). Throw them all on a CD and go.

I would *not* print 30 5x7s or 8x10s on the first test, but I would definitely try one. If you mix 4x6 and 8x10 on a CD then give the 8x10 a distinctive name - I usually give them something like CRW_9384_8x10.JPG and write my name and the number of images on the CD - "30 @ 4x6 and 1 @ 8x10"

About the only other thing is that some of us have noticed that some printers will chop off a bit around the edges, like 10 or 15 pixels. So if you've got something important that's *very* close to the edge of the image then you might get that something chopped off.

ejwebb made a great point - no color correction! If they look good on your monitor then add "No Color Corrections!" on the CD and envelope to make sure they see it.

Now I'm pretty sure that you're monitor isn't calibrated, but this is still what I recommend. If your test shots come back a little under-saturated then you know to add some saturation on the next run. DO NOT trust them to saturate the same amount every time!

Which brings up another point. Try giving them 4 or 5 of the same image done different ways. I will do things like add 7% saturation on 1 and 12% on another. I'll also do different sharpening techniques on the same image, like 120%, 140%, 160% and so on. If you do this, put that info INTO the picture - just add a text layer with the settings you used. When you get these samples back you'll know just what to do to your images to get them back the way you want.

When you get the pictures back, check the back. Many (all?) photolab printers will print out a code on the back stating the color corrections and exposure adjustments. You might see something like "N003111" which *could* mean anything, but it *does* mean that they made adjustments. If you told them "no adjustments" then that string should be all Zeroes.

Thanks ejwebb,

Because I like them no matter how they come out. You know that kind... family and little nephs & neices.

Now that's the complicated stuff I mentioned earlier. I bought a book just to explain the technical side of digital photography. It wasn't much of a help for printing.

Thanks ejwebb again.

WAW Scottes, you seem to know these things by heart.

Many thanks for the help.
What I really want to do at this stage is print some photos

Does it have to be so complicated

Many thanks again Scottes.

aam1234 wrote:
Does it have to be so complicated

No, it doesn't have to be complicated.

1200x1800 Save As JPG. sRGB is *highly* recommended.


The rest - all the testing and such - will make things better in the long run, allowing you to get better prints. For now, take the easy way, since they're photos that you'll keep anyway.

But make a note to yourself to get some of these printed again in 6 months. You'll have learned a lot by then, and in 6 months they will be *much* better than those you'll print today.

I shoot large/fine on the 300D, is that good enough for semi-large photos (sorry I don't know sizes in feet/inches, only in mm/cm).

Without cropping? Oh, yes, that's plenty big enough for A3, with ease. (297mm x 420mm)

WOW, really? now that's good news. Thanks! (will run to the print shop 1st thing in the morning, too excited).

Thanks again.

I understand why 30 prints, now. Let us know how they come out!!

Sure will ejwebb, will do.

And thanks for the help earlier.

As ejwebb requested, here are the results...I'm impressed!!

The colors came out as in the monitor, even though mine isn't calibrated. However, they were chopped on the sides, which was expected I guess. Btw, I took ejwebb advice and told the lady not to color correct anything.

So that raises a question: does it really matter if you crop it before printing, since the machine will crop it anyway. Of course if you adjust it yourself you will do it in the way you like it, and no surprises.

One can imagine how much better they will be after taking the advice mentioned above into account.

This camper is very happy. Thank you guys for the help.