My photos are not printing correctly

[Mike Tamane]

I just printed out some photos that were 4x6 and they looked nothing like I had envisioned. Transferring the files out of Lightroom at 8x10, I cropped the pictures to fit 4x6 on the printing company's website. Is my problem that the images are over compressed as I'm using an 8x10 file at 300 PPI and then cropping it to 4x6? Should I resize the image in lightroom first?

 

[Mike Tamane]

From what I understood the basic standard for PPI ranged from 240-300. My 8x10 at 300 PPI would be 2400x3000 pixels. A 4x6 would be 1200x1800 pixels. Since the 8x10 is bigger and the file is being compressed to a cropped 4x6 wouldn't that result in too many pixels per inch? Therefore, leading to discolouration and a less sharp image?

 

[KmH]

You can't really have to many pixels per inch, and no, increasing the print resolution (ppi) does not fade colors or make a photo less sharp.

8x10 is a different aspect ratio (5:4 and almost square) from 4x6 (3:2 and quite rectangular).
To make a 4x6 print from a 8x10 original pixels have to be cropped from the photo.

10 / 8 = 1.25 - The long side is 1.25x longer than the short side.
3 / 2 = 1.5 - The long side is 1.5x longer than the short side.

So to not lose any pixels from the long side of the photo: 3000 px / 1.5 = 2000 px or 400 pixels need to be cropped from the short side of the photo.
At that point you do not need to change the ppi.
The print lab will do that for you and to make the print smaller using nearly the same image resolution - the print resolution (ppi) increases.
3000 px / 6 inches = 500 ppi.
2000 px / 4 inches = 500 ppi

 

[Mike Tamane]

So it would appear to be an issue with the new lab I'm using then?

 

[Village Idiot]

I just printed out some photos that were 4x6 and they looked nothing like I had envisioned. Transferring the files out of Lightroom at 8x10, I cropped the pictures to fit 4x6 on the printing company's website. Is my problem that the images are over compressed as I'm using an 8x10 file at 300 PPI and then cropping it to 4x6? Should I resize the image in lightroom first?

Honestly, your best bet is to get it as close as possible on your end. If you cropped it to 4x6 and uploaded it, it would have made one more step you were certain of and one less step for the printing to go wrong between the software and everything else. That being said, if you're cropping it on their site (and what software are they using?) you should see the portion of the photo that's being cut off. If you didn't, then it won't cut it off, it'll just compress a longer aspect ratio to a shorter and cause a distorted photo. Do you have a picture of your picture?

You should probably contact your printer. Most are very good about making their customers happy and reprinting incorrect orders. They should help you out and that would be the best source to go to to figure out what went wrong.

 

[Light Guru]

I just printed out some photos that were 4x6 and they looked nothing like I had envisioned.

Well let's start by explaining how they don't look right?

Are the colors off?
Are they to bright/dark?
Is the contrast off?
Do they look pixelated?

So it would appear to be an issue with the new lab I'm using then?

If it's one of the first 3 questions I asked then I don't think it's the print lab you used, I would bet it's because your not working with a calibrated monitor.