Post Process?

[pleahy]

I post on a MAX OSX and use PSE7. The following is a quote that I got on this website. Is it right to crop at 300 dpi (or between 200-300) first, then do the levels, than resize? I'm a little confused. Thanks!

I set a custom crop size of 2166 x 1600 pixels at 300 dpi.
I cropped the image with the custom crop settings
I tweaked the image - lighting, levels, contrast, sharpness
I saved the image as a separate file to preserve the original. This image can now be printed in all the favorite sizes without losing any part of the image due to cropping.

Then...
I resized the image to 740 pixels wide
Added a black border around the image
Inserted text on the image
Inserted copyright info using the File -> info menu choice
Flattened the image
Saved it with another file name to be displayed on the web.

[Diana]

I usually post process the full-size image with no cropping and save it in PSD format so if I have multiple layers it will preserve the layers. Then if I want to print at a particular aspect ratio, I can crop it to that aspect ratio with the maximum pixels included.

If you crop at 2166 x 1600 pixels at 300 ppi, that is an equivalent of 7.22" x 5.33". If you wanted a 10"x8" image from that, and changed the width to 10", the height would only be 7.387" and the resolution would be lowered to 216.6 ppi, unless you resized it with "Resample Image" checked, then it adds pixels based on adjacent pixels, which may degrade the image somewhat.

My photos straight out of my camera are 3888 x 2592 pixels, or an equivalent of 12.96" x 8.64" at 300 ppi, so I have a lot of leeway to crop in whatever aspect ratio I need when I decided to print one.

Diana

[pleahy]

Thank you for responding.
I have been doing this for about a year and I need to know if I'm doing this important sequence right in order to get the best quality picture. Here is what I usually do.
My intent is to print large photos 8x10 up to poster size.
I open my image(72ppi)>I crop out what I don't want if needed using the crop tool>I resize (resample not checked) I usually type in resolution between 250 and 300. Whatever ends up in the width and Height remains there.>I edit my image. Levels, effects, etc.>I flatten and sharpen>and save as a jpeg for sending off to be printed (photoshop file).

What I want to know is how YOU would do it? In laymans(womans) terms please
Thank you mucho

[ljameso1]

I do the same as you right up until you mention flattening. I don't do that. Instead I save the unflattened image as a tiff file. I make a duplicate for when I need a flattened jpg.

[genevh]

I open my image(72ppi)>I crop out what I don't want if needed using the crop tool>I resize (resample not checked) I usually type in resolution between 250 and 300. Whatever ends up in the width and Height remains there.>I edit my image.

The one thing I wouldn't do when cropping is specify a resolution. Leave the resolution box blank. The reason being, you may inadvertantly end up throwing away pixels. I have cropped many a photo and by leaving the resolution box empty, end up with a higher apparent ppi count than what I started with, which would still allow to me to print a decent picture if I resize it to 300 ppi without resampling.

On screen resolution is pretty much meaningless anyway. When you are importing into PSE from your camera, 72 seems to be the default that is assigned. If you ever noticed, the picture size that PSE/CS shows at that resolution straight out of camera would be huge. My camera resolution is 2848x4288, which at 72 ppi would be 39.5" X 59.5". Large prints for sure, but they would be horrible printed at 72 ppi. The last thing I want to do is to throw away pixels when I'm editing. I want all them little suckers I can get. :)

To print, you want a minimum of 200 ppi to get a decent print, but the more the better. At my camera's resolution, with a little cropping I can print a 13"X19" at about 220 ppi without resizing. A 4x6 would print at about 712 ppi, which is even better. And I would not resize my original file's pixel count down to 300 ppi to print a 4x6, but leave everything there it has to offer. The more pixels you have to work with, the better the detail in the final print.

Now, if I were to print a 13"x19" starting at 220 ppi, I would enlarge it within PSE/CS simply by increasing the resolution and leaving the Resample and Constrain Proportions boxes checked. You can enlarge and get good results as long as you don't push it too far. But, by the same token, larger pictures are meant to be viewed from further away, so you can get away with lower resolutions on them. I've had 16x20's printed from my old 6 Mp camera that came out just fine without enlarging them.

[pleahy]

Thank you for your responses. It certainly has been helpful and encouraging. The Kloskowski method of 'rule-breaking resizing for Poster prints' I am willing to try too. If anyone is familiar with this, I am assuming this is done first before you start editing?

[Not4wood]

Interesting take on this.

First, I''ve always thought you shouldn't go below 240 ppi?

Next, I always work on my images and after everything is set and done my last stage is to crop or re-size.

[genevh]

First, I''ve always thought you shouldn't go below 240 ppi?

That's what I get for not proof reading closely enough! :o

Personally, when printing here at home, I try not to go below 300 ppi. Where I order prints from tells me how large they can go with a certain picture size, and so far everythng they have printed for me has come out really well, even in the larger sizes. But when I upload, I try to have the maximum amount of pixels I can give them.

As for when to crop, I'm not convinced that either at the start of processing or the last thing you do, that one is better than the other. I generally crop at the start, unless I make a decision to later on for whatever reason. Not that it probably really matters in the long run, but if I plan on cropping anyway, I get rid of what of what I don't want so it's not hanging there to influence what I'm doing. And I've always got my original to go back to if I change my mind later.