Printing 16 x 20 from 2.6MB file

[Allyson]

Those of you that have done some really big prints, help! Can someone please walk me thru step by step of what I need to do here.

I have a 2.65 MB file (shot Jpeg Fine on a 6.1 megapixel camera). I need to make the best quality 16 x 20 I can. Do I use the crop tool to crop 16 x 20 and set resolution (and if so , to what), or do I use image resize -- and if I use image resize, do I specify document size - what about pixel dimensions?? What do I do with scale, constrain, resample?

As you can see, I am clueless as to what I need to do. :? Print needs to be best quality possible - it will be framed for display.

Thanks in advance -- any amount of advice will be appreciated, just keep it coming. :)

[Jodi Frye]

Well I'm not sure of the pixel dimensions you are starting with so just take a look and see what you get...Go to toolbar>image>resize>image size. First thing you will need to do in UNcheck the 'Resample' option in the bottom left of the menu. Then under the Document size change one of the dimensions ...the other will change automatically. You probably will not get a perfect 16 X 20 so you'll have to decide at this point which part of the image you are willing to sacrifice...part of the width or part of the height or a little all the way around....you'll be cropping off the access later. Notice when you change the dimensions you will also see the resolution number change...this is the important part. I don't know what you are using to print but general rule of thumb is to not go below 150 here. That is pretty much the bottom number...if your image falls above this then wonderful..you are doing better. In general a good to better print falls between 240 - 360. Once you get that sorted then you can go ahead and click OK. Then select the crop tool and just above the screen you will see where you need to put in the width and height ...16 X 20 ...leave the resolution blank. Then just drag the crop tool accross your image....when ya think ya got it where ya want click the checkmark at the top of the screen or click 'Enter' on the keyboard. Let us know if ya need further assistance.

[willpresley]

Allyson -- since this is a jpeg shot on digital you can use the following technique and it will up the ppi in the process.

Go to Image/Resize/Image Size

Then clear the resample box -- then enter the short or long side only and you'll see the ppi increase dramatically. This should yield a quality print.

[Allyson]

Thanks Jodi and Will,

I tried what you said Will, first - as it seemed quicker, but when I enter 20 as the width - (set resample off), my ppi goes DOWN, not up. Maybe I am not understanding properly what I am supposed to do. Am going to try Jodi's suggestion now. Will let you know what happens. Will, if I am not following your steps properly, let me know.

Thx

[Jodi Frye]

Allyson, curious now...what are the pixel dimensions of the image ?

[Allyson]

Jodi,

I am starting with 3008 x 2000 pixels -- the lab is needing 250 ppi. Is there any way I am going to accomplish this? At least it is going to be printed on canvas, so does not need to be that crystal clear (I home -- holding thumbs here).

Thx

[Allyson]

oops, meant to type "hope" not "home"

[Allyson]

Jodi,

Ok, I went in and tried to follow your steps -- I guess I did not realize in the beginning, it is basically what Will said -- I need the 16 (height), and got the resulting 24. something width (that is ok, I will crop some off later), but my pixels went down to 125/inch -- ow!

Maybe I need a better camera (wishful thinking) -- I had read something in the forums about the 110% thingie -- should I go ahead and try that, or is it going to degrade my image a huge amt.? I guess I assumed that with the camera I have (D70) I would have no problem doing some 16 x 20's - maybe I should shoot RAW instead of JPEG??? I am so new at this whole digital thing I feel like a kindergartner. :oops:

[Allyson]

Another related Q. If I use the 110% resize - do I use the unsharp mask at all -- if so, when? At each resize or only at the end?

Thx again

[Jodi Frye]

you can try it. Sharpen only at the final step. Printing on canvas ? I haven't seen this effect yet. Anyways, do what you must to get that up to 250...obviously you'll need to resample but who knows...it may not hurt it here...actual cloth canvas ?

[Allyson]

Thanks Jodi,

Yup, cloth canvas -- and they back it just like a painting, so hopefully it will look cool (it is the first I am doing this way), will let you know.

You know what I cannot understand tho, if my file is 2000 x 3008 pixels - and here I am assuming that translates to a 4 x 6 image -- then effectively, each inch (24 on a 4 x 6) should have 250 000 pixels (or have I already lost something in my understanding)? Or in other words, if I am needing 250 or 300 ppi for good print, then I am figuring that 6 mill pixels (in all) should translate to many more inches than even a 16 x 20 (320 sq inch)? Maybe I should look for something on the web to help me understand these pixels and resolution better.

Thx

[kerriann85]

Hi Allyson,
Sorry it took my so long to get here (got your pm's).

You're right, with our 3008x2000 pixels size at 300 ppi it does drop in ppi when we increase the physical size. I had a 20x30 printed by ofoto. I did the resizing by the 10% rule until it got over the 20x30 size be fore I sent the huge file to ofoto. (This was months ago.) It turned out great.

That being said...... I was just in a bookstore browsing a Gregory Georges book for digital photography. Here's what he says in regards to the 10% rule:

"Using Bicubic Smoother...you get a picture that will be as good as, or better than, any such "small-step" techinique"

He recomends resampling with the bicubic smoother and then using the unsharp mask as needed.

So where are you getting this canvas picture made? (and of course I'm cuirious what the pix is!)

[Allyson]

Thanks Kerriann,

I am having it printed at a local pro lab, and the pic I am doing is of these cute 3 little girls -- you can see in my gallery AllysonG (sorry, don't know yet how to get the image location pointer in this message).

I will let you know how the canvas turns out. :)

[kerriann85]

Allyson, that will be adorable! I'm sure it will turn out great.

[TonyW]

Allyson: when you resize without resampling the pixels are fixed so as the image size goes up the resolution goes down. Here's a table that shows what you'd get with a 2000x3000 pixel image without resampling:

Pixels Size Resolution

2000x3000 4x6 500 ppi
2000x3000 8x12 250
2000x3000 12x18 167
2000x3000 16x24 125

If you resample, Elements adds new pixels to fill in the gaps created if you try and increase the size and keep the ppi the same. Although it does a good job it's still its best guess as to what the missing pixels should look like.

Ooops - edited - I got my maths wrong the first time :(

Tony

[Allyson]

Tony,

Thanks for the info. I have also since discovered that different labs require different resolution depending on their printers. Some will accept 120 for a print, while the one I am using requires 250.

Thx again

[Chris Bishop]

I use QImage for this sort of manipulation. Their interpolation algorithms are really good, often beating Genuine Fractals plug in
Elements is great, but just occasionally other programs match or beat it.
QImage is one, a great printing program with more colour management than Elements
Vuescan is another for scanning with full colour management
Neat Image to remove noise, had them all before my Elements .