putting pictures on a cd

[mitsugirly]

What size and dpi do you all use for your pictures to be put on a CD for the client? I'm looking for a size that will be decent on viewing online (like if they were to download the pictures onto their myspace or something), but yet not of quality print or can be blown up past that point.

I've tried anywhere for 600, 800, 1000, 1200 at both 72 and 100dpi. But for some reason, the 600 and 800 are just so small that it's hard to see the picture. The 1000 at 72dpi was ok...but still. Then it seem like anything bigger than that was a little blurry but yet possibly printable for a small pic?

Then I tried it with another picture. Using the same size (for instance 1000 at 72) and the pictures ended up TOTALLY different. The 2nd picture ended up huge and I would say very printable.

What is going on?

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[Big Mike]

One problem with giving clients small 'screen viewing' images...is that they don't know any better and they will try to print them anyway. They will probably look bad and that can reflect poorly on you...and you might not even know that they tried to print them at all.

Another issue is that they might take those photos, splash them all over Facebook etc and never bother to order prints from you.

My advice is that if you are going to hand over files, make them high resolution, print quality files...but be sure to get paid for them.

If you are going to give clients digital proofs, I'd suggest doing it on your website and putting up some sort of protection against downloading them (although that wont' stop everyone). Also, if you are giving them images for proofing, put watermarking on them...something that makes them all but useless to them. Clients will take every inch you give them and steal a mile. A lot of that can be blamed on ignorance but the result is the same as if they were actually trying to rip you off.

[lschaaf]

I agree w/Mike, only give them high res files on a CD, they will print regardless. If you don't want them printing, don't give them digital files.

But, if you still want to offer low res files for online use, I think Facebook is 600 pixels on the long size. Trust me, they will still print, but is it worth getting bent out of shape over this? Just know it will happen!

[Rere]

If a client pays the money for each print that he/she wants, I give them the full resolution and let them (or their webmaster etc.) lowerthe size and resolution. That way they can do whatever they want with it.

If you want to give them just the prints to email etc. I always crop to about a 4x6 and lower the pixels to 500 or 600. This is easily done in one of my image editing programs. The "save for web" in Photoshop is great.

If a client asks for a picture on a cd for whatever reason, I don't worry about copyright, but charge a decent amount per picture. No matter who they are, they will copy it if they want.

On hard copies, I always put the copyright symbol, name, and year.

[MACollum]

You could try giving web-sized images only with paid orders. That way, you don't have to worry about them not ordering anything and only keeping the small pics, and they get a little something extra and don't have to know about resizing, etc. to use them.

[KmH]

For online viewing and web use no more than 600 pixels on the long side if you don't want them to be able to print anything larger than a 4x6 or so. 72ppi, 100ppi is meaningless for online images.

If you give clients digital files, it's safest to assume they will get printed.

[mitsugirly]

I was planning on stressing the fact that the images on the cd are for viewing only and they are not printable images and if they attempted to print from them, they would be very blurry and unsatisfied.

I assumed they would post the pics on facebook and I don't have a problem with that. To me, others will see the pictures, like them and it will generate business. So, that was my goal. I just didn't want them to be able to take the pictures and print them off. I want them to order from me.

I plan on having a client viewing (I'm thinking about going with smugmug, that way I can password protect the pictures and I'm reading that they are unable to right click or drag them to the desk top. If they get past that, then I guess not much I can do).

I just know that there's another photog in the area that are doing some "glam" (and I use that word loose) pictures for all of my daughters friends and they were all going to go with him, but now want me to do the pictures because they would feel more comfortable with me than him (he wants them to remove their clothes and they say he's kinda creepy). But, he is doing their 1st session for FREE along with a high resolution CD...and mailing it to them FOR FREE! All I can say is pervert. Then if they want more pics...he charges for the 2nd session. I'm sorry, I can't beat that price of $0...and I won't do all these girls pics for FREE AND hand over a high res CD of all the pics. I could make a lot of money with all the girls wanting pictures...but I want to keep it as low as I can and fair so they'll come to me instead of him.

I know before whenever I would take my kids to JCP or Sears or Target, for $4.99 they would post the pics on their website and you could copy them and use them on your myspace or facebook...but if you try to view them any larger, they were all blurry and you couldn't print them. That's what I'm looking for. I want them to be able to have pictures like that to post on their website so that all their friends will see them and want me to do their pictures. I look at that like building my business.

So, I should do the larger side at around 600 pixels and set the dpi to 72. Right?
I was having some major problems with this earlier. Then discovered if I set the dpi FIRST, then the pixels the pixels wouldn't change. When I was doing the 600 pixels then the 72dpi it would change the pixel size. So, I'm going to try a few more pictures tomorrow and see what I come up with.

[Big Mike]

I was planning on stressing the fact that the images on the cd are for viewing only and they are not printable images and if they attempted to print from them, they would be very blurry and unsatisfied.

You can tell them, but some people still don't get it.

My suggestion would be to make them even smaller...500 or 400 pixels. I'd also add your name/website to them somewhere. That way, when they get put up on Facebook/Myspace, people will know who took them without having to ask.

I was having some major problems with this earlier. Then discovered if I set the dpi FIRST, then the pixels the pixels wouldn't change. When I was doing the 600 pixels then the 72dpi it would change the pixel size. So, I'm going to try a few more pictures tomorrow and see what I come up with.

Are you using Photoshop?
In the 'Image Size' dialog, first uncheck the 'resample image' box. Then you can change the PPI to whatever you want (72). Then recheck the resample image box again...now you can set the size to what you want.

I still think that you will run into a few clients who will be satisfied with the small images that you give them...and not order any prints from you. For a lot of people these days, putting images on Facebook is more important than having a print in their hands.

[mitsugirly]

I put my watermark on each one of them (as you've probably seen in the pictures I post on here). However, I think I need to come up with a new one for pictures. I have the little copywrite symbol in it, but it's not as prominent as I'd like it to be. I would also like to incorporate my website addy in it somehow like you suggested. That would be great. Although the address is kinda long...so I'm not really sure how to go about doing this.

When you guys make prints for your clients, do you remove your watermark?

Yes, I use photoshop. I'm going to try your suggestion on the resample image box. Maybe that's the problem I'm having.

Yea, I agree, I probably will have clients that are happy with just having their pics on their facebook or myspace. I'm already prepared for that. And I'm fine with that as long as my info is on the pictures and everyone will see who took the picture and maybe generate some business out of it.

I'm still debating on what to do. Maybe I won't give them a cd and just have them view their pics in a client viewing area and then tell them when they purchase prints, I will give them a cd then. Well, after thinking about that for a second...that would probably just keep them from ordering as many prints...so that's not a great idea I guess. Blah....decisions.

[raider]

may not be a total pervert... it's your basic TFCD...depends how old your daughter is.

[mitsugirly]

What's a tfcd? He's a wedding photographer...so I don't know at what point he decided to photograph these types of pictures for all the young girls. My daughter is 20 and her friends are give or take a few years. So it's nothing illegal. Just kinda creepy and the girls my daughter knows that went to him for some "sexy" pictures...he pressured them into taking off their clothes and they so regret it. They said he makes them feel really uncomfortable. So idk.

[HeY iTs ScOTtY]

i use fototime. i asume its like smugmug. i can water mark albums and put paswords on them, charge certain amounts per album or pic or service, and they can't save your pics to their computer. it has a ton of customization. try it out. i took the watermark off my pics but you can check out my website too. pm me if you have any questions about it.

www.scottandersen.fototime.com

[Big Mike]

What's a tfcd?

Time For...CD. It used to be TFP (Time for Prints). It's a basic portfolio building agreement between photographers and models, make-up artists, hair dressers etc. You shoot them, they pose for you...you both get shots for your portfolio, so it's a win-win (usually for those starting out, as established photogs and model would always expect to get paid).

Yes, it does sound like that other photographer is creepy. Nobody should be pressuring people to remove their clothes for photos. Word of mouth spreads fast, so maybe he will earn a bad reputation and that will be his downfall.

[msf]

What's a tfcd?

Time For...CD. It used to be TFP (Time for Prints). It's a basic portfolio building agreement between photographers and models, make-up artists, hair dressers etc. You shoot them, they pose for you...you both get shots for your portfolio, so it's a win-win (usually for those starting out, as established photogs and model would always expect to get paid).

Im interested in hiring some models off of models mayhem to add some photos to my portfolio. I want to offer TFP, but I dont know how many prints is normal and what size is expected. I assume 8x10's, and im guessing 3 prints for an hours worth of modeling?

Since they are from MM they may want some pictures for their profile. Should I offer low res images in addition to the TFP, or offer something like 5 mid sized jpgs instead of tfp?

Thanks for any advice. : D

The pictures I hope to get will be high school senior portrait type pictures.