Sep 16

Sep 16 Things To Check Before You Get Your Photos Ready For Print

Whether you are a novice or a seasoned photographer, there’s no denying that we all like to pixel-peep. The SHARPER, the BETTER! The same is also true when you want to display your memories.

How to Get Photos Ready for Print

Here’s a list of things you must keep in mind before printing images/getting your images printed:

Monitor Calibration

To make sure that your picture comes out of the printer exactly like it was there on the monitor screen, it is essential to calibrate your monitor.

Calibrating corrects your monitor’s color grading and balances it using spectrometer and calibration software. It is recommended to calibrate your monitor at least once a month. This way, the colors showing on your monitor will perfectly match the colors of your printed photos.

Choosing the Correct Print Resolution

Pixel is a term used to measure the size of digital images. An increased number of pixels per inch in a photo results in higher image quality.

Whenever you crop or enlarge a photo, its pixels-per-inch density (PPI) decreases, making the picture look less sharp. The photo might look vibrant and clear on the monitor. However, it may not be perfect when it’s printed due to the increased area. The minimum pixel density you would want is 180 PPI, but larger frames should at least be printed with 300 PPI for the best quality. You also need to keep the aspect ratio the same, for example, an 8x10 print will have to be cropped at a 4:5 aspect ratio for a perfect print.

Here’s a table for a better understanding of pixel resolution:

    Full Resolution
    Pixel Dimensions
  
    3" x 5"
    900 x 1500
  
    4" x 6"
    1200 x 1800
  
    8" x 8"
    2400 x 2400
  
    11" x 14"
    3300 x 4200

Saving the Print Files

Where and how you save your image files before printing them is a crucial step. If we consider the technical aspect, RAW images have the best resolution for printing photos. However, most printers are only compatible with CMYK and RGB formats. The best image format for printing photos is TIFF/TIF. This is a lossless format that does not get pixelated when you zoom in.

Soft proofing a Printed Image

Advanced image software like Lightroom and Photoshop has a feature that allows users to see the printer profile. Soft proofing helps predict the image’s appearance on a specific paper with a particular printer.

With soft proofing, you will easily be able to make adjustments in your photos like saturation, color balance, brightness, exposure, sharpness, etc.

It is essential to analyze different types of papers and see which one suits a specific photo, as different papers and printers produce different ranges of colors.

Tip: Here’s how you can take stunning night-time photos using your iPhone!

Image Sharpening

Another important aspect to check before printing photos is sharpening. An image printed without sharpening will look clear as long as it’s not put next to an image that has been sharpened.

How much you need to sharpen totally depends on the image type. Sharpening for an online display is not quite the same as sharpening for print. Usually, pictures with more objects like cars, buildings, and people are required to be sharpened more than pictures with soft surfaces like the sky, still water, etc. You can also determine the right amount of sharpening by making test prints.

Choosing a Print Medium

This is a subjective choice and will totally depend on your budget. That said, the results will not be drastically different if you follow the process correctly. Here’s a list of different options to choose from:

Printing at Home

Printing your pictures at home is the most affordable option. However, you will still have to spend money on the printer, paper, and ink refills.

Online Printing

Many online websites offer image printing services that are not only cheaper than usual printing but are also open to customizations. You are just required to upload your pictures and choose the print size.

Printing Studios

The last option is to find a local printing studio and get your photos printed on a commercial photography printer. This could cost you a lot more money than the other options. If you have to do this on a large scale and do not bother paying high setup costs, you can even look into traditional lithographic printing.