Printing Image Size

[kshort]

Hi! I am new to professional photography and to this forum, (I checked the other threads but didn't find anything specifically dealing with my issue). I have no formal training but have been doing jobs for quite some time and just recently decided to do it FT. In so doing I signed up with a printing company and they are requiring the images be sent in a certain way.

I use Canon Digital Rebel XT EOS.
My company requires the images at 300DPI and 600 pixels on longest side. And the file size to be at least 300KB or 2-5megabites.

My problem is that my files are apparently too small and I'm not sure how to get them large enough.

The original files are large enough but when I take the image into Photoshop and change the DPI and pixels, (under image size I'm changing the pixel height and the resolution, DPI, or PPI) and even after saving at maximum image quality, (12) the file size is never big enough, (i.e.: 2-5 Megabites).

So my two questions are:

1. How do I get an image to meet these requirements? What am I doing wrong?

2. Is there any way I can still get my small image files to meet these requirements?

Any help on this would be outstanding! Thank you in advance for your time.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

Firstly, it's PPI (pixels per inch), not DPI...(DPI is a printer setting)...and it doesn't really matter, you can change it to anything you want. If they want 300 PPI, then set it to that via the Image/Size dialog in PS.

The important number is the size of the image in pixels. 600 pixels wide is really only good for screen viewing, it's not big enough for most printing applications.

Your camera records images at a much bigger size than 600 pixels, so I'm not sure why you want to make it smaller, unless they are only for screen viewing. As such, when you do resize them, the file size shrinks quite a bit.

Also, the file size doesn't necessarily have an impact on the quality or size of the image. As long as there is sufficient resolution for the required purpose (screen or print) then the file size shouldn't matter (unless it's so big that it's hard to transport).

If you aren't already, shoot in RAW and shape your workflow to accommodate that. Then when you save (save-as) your JPEG files for sending, don't resize them. It's just a guess, but the numbers you are quoting sound like the minimum they want, bigger shouldn't be a problem.

 

[SilentShutter]

And the file size to be at least 300KB or 2-5megabites.

This is what confuses me. 300KB or 5MB that's a big difference. Unless that is a range, Minimum of 300KB and max of 5MB, which then makes a lot more sense.

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

1. How do I get an image to meet these requirements? What am I doing wrong?

Your best bet is to get them out of the camera by using a different image quality setting in the camera itself. Keep in mind that shooting in .JPG compresses the photo within the camera. So Shooting in RAW and doing some minor editing before saving them at a higher quality might be an option to look at.

2. Is there any way I can still get my small image files to meet these requirements?

Not really. Once the image is saved to your memory card... it can be compressed... But you can not easily add to it. Saving at the highest quality that your camera with allow in the first place is key.

 

[MrBarney]

My company requires the images at 300DPI and 600 pixels on longest side. And the file size to be at least 300KB or 2-5megabites.

If I'm working this out correctly (300dpi and 600 pixels maximum) then that gives about a 2" x 1" print? Those numbers can't be right, surely?

 

[KmH]

In so doing I signed up with a printing company and they are requiring the images be sent in a certain way.

I use Canon Digital Rebel XT EOS.
My company requires the images at 300DPI and 600 pixels on longest side. And the file size to be at least 300KB or 2-5megabites.

Is the printing company using your images in a publication, or some other media?

As mentioned, 600 pixels on the long side, at 300 PPI is only 2 inches on the longest side and PPI only has an effect if an image is printed. In any media 2 inches is pretty small. On screen 600 px is the short side of this image ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ (680 px long side). By the way this image is at 10 PPI. Online, or on a computer screen, PPI is meaningless and has no effect.

 

[kshort]

Thank you all for your quick responses! The image size requirements came directly from the company over the phone, so Ill call them back to get a better answer.

The company takes the image(s) and posts them online for my clients and then they print whatever images are ordered.

I feel so much better that it's probably just a misscommunication issue. I thought I had really messed up some how. It didn't make sense either bc I've printed b4 with other companies w/o an issue.

I have just recently switched over to shooting in RAW. Those images take up alot of space on my card so I hadn't been shooting in it, (like for weddings) but it seems if I want a better image there's no other way to go.

So thanks again for all your help! Very much appreciated!