So I'm at Subway tonight...

[Senor Hound]

And I'm sitting in the corner. I look over at a poster-like sign on the wall, and see an image of fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and all that stuff. But I really look at it, and you could see the individual pixels in it! Each one was literally about 1mm square. And you could see the pixels hard edges where it looked like it was stepping down (aliasing?). It was horribly obvious!

I was telling my girlfriend that IMO, they should have retouched it AFTER they enlarged it, or used a medium format film or something if they're going to make it 4 feet tall. It was just REALLY obvious, and I was surprised a company as large as Subway would cut corners on something like that. It looked like they took it with a D40 or something, when it needed much more resolution than that.

 

[LaFoto]

While your observation may have been about a photo, I feel this thread belongs into the Off Topics much rather than Photographic Discussions, for in the end all you'll hear will be Off Topic remarks.

If that should not be the case, I'll move it back to the Photographic Discussions. OK?

 

[nealjpage]

And I'm sitting in the corner. I look over at a poster-like sign on the wall, and see an image of fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and all that stuff. But I really look at it, and you could see the individual pixels in it! Each one was literally about 1mm square. And you could see the pixels hard edges where it looked like it was stepping down (aliasing?). It was horribly obvious!

I was telling my girlfriend that IMO, they should have retouched it AFTER they enlarged it, or used a medium format film or something if they're going to make it 4 feet tall. It was just REALLY obvious, and I was surprised a company as large as Subway would cut corners on something like that. It looked like they took it with a D40 or something, when it needed much more resolution than that.

I was trying to explain that to a coworker today when I came across several sheets of 10x10 aerial negatives that the city had shot 22 years ago. The gist of it was that if I had an enlarger capable of it, I could project those suckers on mural paper and make a giant enlargement with great resolution. She was concerned about pixelation , which I explained was a digital thing. It didn't sink in.

 

[MelodySoul]

I'm not sure if it's the same but the pictures at the Subway's here have some ugly blurred/mosaic effect on them.

 

[Battou]

She was concerned about pixelation , which I explained was a digital thing. It didn't sink in.

That is the modern era for ya, and it's not really her fault either, as most modern 35mm prints are printed digitally and can potentally do just that.

 

[Senor Hound]

That is the modern era for ya, and it's not really her fault either, as most modern 35mm prints are printed digitally and can potentally do just that.

I think I'm starting to see what others are talking about as far as high-quality photographers being harder and harder to find through the okay ones.

I saw a photo on the internet of someone looking to be a model (that model mayhem site). I found a few close by, and I'm looking through all the portfolios, and the photos are HORRIBLE! The white balance is off, they make their face look harsh, there's no PP done, etc. After frequenting TPF here and posting over the last few months, I have definitely acquired an eye for what makes a good photo. The only problem is now I'm spoiled. I could look at a photo of a scantily-clad woman on a beach, and notice the highlights of the waves are blown out, before I notice the girl

 

[Battou]

I think I'm starting to see what others are talking about as far as high-quality photographers being harder and harder to find through the okay ones.

I saw a photo on the internet of someone looking to be a model (that model mayhem site). I found a few close by, and I'm looking through all the portfolios, and the photos are HORRIBLE! The white balance is off, they make their face look harsh, there's no PP done, etc. After frequenting TPF here and posting over the last few months, I have definitely acquired an eye for what makes a good photo. The only problem is now I'm spoiled. I could look at a photo of a scantily-clad woman on a beach, and notice the highlights of the waves are blown out, before I notice the girl

Just wait till you begin to notice the PP overdones and how destroyed the image has become before the subject.

 

[rufus5150]

You mean like http://photoshopdisasters.blogspot.com/?

 

[Battou]

You mean like http://photoshopdisasters.blogspot.com/?

Not quite what I ment but hilarious none the less

 

[Rachelsne]

The image was probably not expected to be looked at so close up, did it look ok from a reasonable distance?

 

[Battou]

The image was probably not expected to be looked at so close up, did it look ok from a reasonable distance?

That is very likely the case, some modern highway side billboards have been found to have pixels the size quarters.....but then again one has to be tresspassing to notice that one :roll:

 

[Phazan]

...You know you're a photo nerd when....

 

[Senor Hound]

The image was probably not expected to be looked at so close up, did it look ok from a reasonable distance?

Yeah, but it was right above the booth I was sitting at. I didn't have to get up to look at it or anything, as a matter of fact, I was just eating, looked over and noticed it.

I guess I have no room to say anything about a bad photo, but I just figured that for a piece of art that would be posted up in numerous stores, and given Subway's balance sheet, they could have rented a MF camera for the day and shot with that. Even if they didn't do that, they could have at least done some things with interpolation or anti-aliasing when they enlarged it, right (I'm still learning, isn't that what someone would do)?

 

[Alex_B]

And I'm sitting in the corner. I look over at a poster-like sign on the wall, and see an image of fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and all that stuff. But I really look at it, and you could see the individual pixels in it!

I always do that. with every poster, huge ad whatever, i investigate the print, the fabric and all. sometimes people from the companies setting up all this approach me, asking if i was from the business

once you open your eyes, you see lots of things which are technically horrible and you wonder how photographers actually manage to sell this work ...

 

[pez]

I'm really hungry.