Big Print

[shachr6]

I have a picture and it is in RAW format. I want to get it printed as a 20X30. What is the best way to do this? how should I save it, or should I just send it to them as a RAW file? Thanks in advance!

 

[Big Mike]

You should call them and ask what format they would prefer. I doubt it would be RAW...plus, RAW files require some editing or at least some decision making about the settings...wouldn't you rather do that than leaving it up to them?

I would edit the image myself (Photoshop) then save it as a PSD file. Then flatten it and save a copy to send them...either a PSD, TIFF or JPEG at max quality. Also, make sure you are using the color space that they require (probably sRGB)

 

[Sw1tchFX]

You need to save it to an sRGB Jpeg, becuase that's what it will eventually get converted to anyway at some point in the printing process.

 

[Christie Photo]

You need to save it to an sRGB Jpeg, becuase that's what it will eventually get converted to anyway at some point in the printing process.

Really? I never knew that. My lab asks for Mac tiffs.

Pete

 

[shachr6]

Thanks, what would the best program to do this in be. Lightroom? CS2?

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks, what would the best program to do this in be. Lightroom? CS2?

That's up to you, there is more than one way to skin a cat, or so they say.

I haven't used lightroom, but it's supposed to be great for converting RAW files, especially when you have a lot of them. For one image, Adobe Camera RAW is probably good enough for the conversion. Once you have converted the RAW file, Photoshop is probably the best program to work on it.

 

[shachr6]

Thanks!

 

[Flash Harry]

If your using a pro lab rather than the corner shop they should print from Adobe RGB files or have their own printer profiles for you to assign in PS, SRGB is a smaller colour space and really you want more info than less especially as this shot is going to be large.

 

[Christie Photo]

If your using a pro lab rather than the corner shop they should print from Adobe RGB files or have their own printer profiles for you to assign in PS, SRGB is a smaller colour space and really you want more info than less especially as this shot is going to be large.

I understand the color space... what I don't get is the jpg part.

 

[Garbz]

What's not to understand? Most labs take JPEG files. All of this can be solved by calling the lab you want to get it printed at. It's all good and fine for us to tell you most Pro labs use Adobe RGB and want jpg files but what if this is not the case.

Call up the lab. Ask them what format they want the photo in, what dpi they want, and which colour space they print in. From there the adjustment of settings is trivial.

 

[Christie Photo]

What's not to understand?

Someone here said it was necessary at some time in the printing process to convert files to jpg. That's what I don't get.

I routinely print tif files, and to my knowledge, they NEVER become jpgs.

I'm asking for a clarification of that statement.

Pete

 

[darich]

i always send jpegs for printing after I've done the post processing and cropping.

As for sending or printing from TIFFs it's already been said here - ask the lab - some labs may happily work with TIFFs others with jpegs.
Christie - it cold be your lab is perfectly happy with jpegs while in Garbz experience, jpeg is the preferred format.

I'd say it depends on the lab.

 

[Christie Photo]

i always send jpegs for printing after I've done the post processing and cropping.

As for sending or printing from TIFFs it's already been said here - ask the lab - some labs may happily work with TIFFs others with jpegs.
Christie - it cold be your lab is perfectly happy with jpegs while in Garbz experience, jpeg is the preferred format.

I'd say it depends on the lab.

Yeah! I've got all that.

This is what I'm having trouble with:

You need to save it to an sRGB Jpeg, becuase that's what it will eventually get converted to anyway at some point in the printing process.

At what point in the printing process does a file get converted to a Jpeg? I'm not convinced that this is correct. Can we get this statement claified?

Pete

 

[ksmattfish]

If the prints are inkjet prints they can probably be printed from most files.

If the prints are digital C prints they are printed from 8 bit files in sRGB color space; that's what the Fuji and Noritsu machines are designed to use. The pro labs I work with will return any 16 bit and/or Adobe RGB files dropped off or emailed in for digital C prints without printing them; they don't even want to deal with the headaches of potential changes in conversion. Many labs will convert tiffs to jpeg for printing. Not all, but many do. Discuss with your lab to see what their standard operating procedures are.

The vast majority of computer monitors (all that cost less than $3000+) can't even fully display the sRGB color space, let alone the Adobe RGB color space. If you are editing your files in Adobe RGB without making inkjet color tests as you do, you are manipulating colors you can't even see.

I have done a fair amount of close peering at large prints. As long as they are properly postprocessed I can't tell any difference between prints from tiffs or prints from jpeg. I have even had the opportunity to examine large prints that were purposely saved over and over again as jpegs in an attempt to create artifacts. The files had to be re-saved as jpegs (not even top quality jpegs) about 8 times before artifacts became evident to the human eye in 16"x24" prints. I'm not advising people to be unconcerned with file compression, I'm just suggesting that the problems are not as dire as often described.

When I want high quality enlargements I discuss the best way to do it with the lab or person doing the printing. There are usually several paths to the same outcome, and all that really matters is that you are on the same path as your printer. The pro labs and custom printing services I use all prefer 8 bit jpegs in sRGB, unless they are going to be doing any editing before printing. That's what I give them, and the prints are wonderful.

 

[ksmattfish]

At what point in the printing process does a file get converted to a Jpeg? I'm not convinced that this is correct. Can we get this statement claified?

Clarification can only come from your lab. Many digital C print machines are set up to automatically convert to jpeg. I'm not sure where it happens exactly, other than somewhere in the software.