Resizing images without loss of detail??

[Chrisly2009]

Hi guys

I stumbled across a problem when I did a shoot for a client recently. Basically after viewing my images, my client wanted several images in 15x10 and a few in 10x8.

I print my images via an online retailer but when I uploaded my photos onto their site and selected the sizes requested, I had to badly crop them or have horrible borders either side which really ruined the composition.

I shot in raw so I have TIFF files that would need to be converted to jpeg before printing which I can do, but how do I get my images to the exact size needed in photoshop so that I can easily upload them and print knowing I will have the exact image printed that I took in the camera.

Is there a way to keep the quality high even through upsizing?

thanks for reading
Chris.

 

[heyho]

I'm no expert in this field by any means, but if your original image and the desired print size have different proportions (ie ratio between width and height), you will have no choice but to crop or add borders, unless you wish to stretch or squash the image.

 

[whitey]

The easiest way I find it to use the crop tool in PS

set it to the size you want (15 x 10 or 10x8, I set mine to 300dpi) and then crop the image, you can select the whole image and it will then resize/crop it to the exact size you need for the print

 

[Chrisly2009]

Thanks for the reply,

do pros really crop all requested photos one by one then?? seems like a long process but if thats how you have to do it then thats how you do it.

appreciate the response - most helpful guys.

 

[whitey]

I do it when needed as it also gives me chance to do a final check on each image once cropped before sending to print

It doesn't take to long to be honest

 

[Mike Jackson]

Thanks for the reply,

do pros really crop all requested photos one by one then?? seems like a long process but if thats how you have to do it then thats how you do it.

appreciate the response - most helpful guys.

The only way round it is to only offer sizes that match the proportions of the sensor.

I fell foul of the cropping problem when I first started selling prints as I was offering A size prints that required a crop and didn't allow sufficient space around the subject to allow for the crop.

 

[The23rdman]

Thanks for the reply,

do pros really crop all requested photos one by one then?? seems like a long process but if thats how you have to do it then thats how you do it.

appreciate the response - most helpful guys.

You have too unless the composition is identical on every shot and you can create an action.

I crop in LR3.

 

[The23rdman]

The only way round it is to only offer sizes that match the proportions of the sensor.

I fell foul of the cropping problem when I first started selling prints as I was offering A size prints that required a crop and didn't allow sufficient space around the subject to allow for the crop.

The trouble with that is DSLR sensor sized images are not standard frame sizes. Leave some space when shooting so you can offer the image sizes people can readily frame.

 

[stupar]

I believe DSLR sensors record in a 2:3 ratio e.g 4 x 6, 8 x 12 etc

 

[snappingsam]

I believe DSLR sensors record in a 2:3 ratio e.g 4 x 6, 8 x 12 etc

Most do - but you do get 4/3rd cameras that are - yes 4:3

Also some Nikons - like the D3 - let you set 5:4 and even 1:1

do pros really crop all requested photos one by one then?? seems like a long process but if thats how you have to do it then thats how you do it.

Some labs use software from a company called ROES - which allow you to order different sized - and cropped - photos - using just one jpeg file usually with the camera's native aspect ratio.

I fell foul of the cropping problem when I first started selling prints as I was offering A size prints that required a crop and didn't allow sufficient space around the subject to allow for the crop.

Yes - you have to learn to leave a little bit of "wiggle space" round your image to allow crops of different ratios.... there's loads of historic reasons why they are the way they are - just like the distance between the track on a railway relates back the width of a horses backside! (yes - I am a bit of a geek and you don't want to be stuck beside me at a party!)

 

[Chrisly2009]

awesome replys here. Im new to this site but im really grateful for your help.