DSLR Photography Forum

I was asked to make a series of 5 pictures to decorate a livingroom. The thema would be sand and seashells or some droplets like the pictures I was posting here few weeks ago...

As a coincidence, the day before I had bought some shells to play with and see what I could do with them... Now it wont't be a game... they will be hung in a livingroom...

Lots of question.... I really need help here...

About resolution...
She wants to have big prints.... I have a 12Mpx file, would that be enough for a large size? how large with good quality? I would like to know how big I could offer my prints.

Color working space...
I have read that the best for printing images is to work with CMYK color. Should I change the working space before my post processing or after? I can't see much difference in the screen.

I don't know much how to work my crop. Should I corp (8x10 or 3x2)?

Consistensy...
While I can work very smooth images, I could also work with texture... Should I be consistent in this as well? or I could mix styles in the series. Should I show a couple of pictures to the lady and talk about what she likes and dislikes from the pictures I show to redirect my ideas?

How behaves bokeh in the print? In the screen looks smooth but in the print? Should it look that smooth as well?

The thema sand and seashells is not exactly a topic for this time of the year, so I brought sand from the lake and with the shells I had I worked just for testing the light in these pictures... We'll try to go to the sea tomorrow so I can get better and more beautiful shells.







I would appreciate a lot if you had any advice in any of these questions... or a link to share...

I am enjoying the proyect, but also I am a bit nervous.... :|

I have done quite a lot of framing for display, so let me jump in with some *opinions*. See within quote below...

Irma Wrote:About resolution...
She wants to have big prints.... I have a 12Mpx file, would that be enough for a large size? how large with good quality? I would like to know how big I could offer my prints.

You need to print at 300 dpi for good results - so you should save/crop to that resolution. What size of prints is she looking for? A 12 Mpx file should be fine at least to 16" x 20". If you need something larger than that, there are some great non-destructive techniques for greatly increasing photo size. In PhotoShop, you can increase the size of your print to absolutely huge sizes (bigger than poster size) if you do Image Size in very small increments - increase by 10% each time. Your client will unlikely want anything bigger than 16x20 - so you should be fine.

Color working space...
I have read that the best for printing images is to work with CMYK color. Should I change the working space before my post processing or after? I can't see much difference in the screen.

Before post processing definately - if you are planning to work in CMYK - personally I never do except when I do CD covers or something that will be printed by a press rather than a lab.

I don't know much how to work my crop. Should I corp (8x10 or 3x2)?

Crop to your target size. If your client wants 16x20 for example - set your crop details in PhotoShop to 16 in height 20 in width and 300 dpi

Consistensy...
While I can work very smooth images, I could also work with texture... Should I be consistent in this as well? or I could mix styles in the series. Should I show a couple of pictures to the lady and talk about what she likes and dislikes from the pictures I show to redirect my ideas?

If they are in the same room - I would stay with a consistent style - but this is personal preference only. If your client is buying a series - they should be consistent IMO.

How behaves bokeh in the print? In the screen looks smooth but in the print? Should it look that smooth as well?

The bokeh on a print made by a good lab should look like the screen - but be aware that the light quality will be different - some prints just look good on a screen - and look flat in a print

The thema sand and seashells is not exactly a topic for this time of the year, so I brought sand from the lake and with the shells I had I worked just for testing the light in these pictures... We'll try to go to the sea tomorrow so I can get better and more beautiful shells.

General advice...once you have picked your photos, do a couple of smaller prints (8x10) to see if you have to modify anything in your process before committing to printing very large versions.

Another thing to consider - print on high quality photo grade art paper - the prints look a lot more professional looking, and can have a paper texture rather than just a photo paper gloss. I personally like the Hahnemuhle Inkjet Fine Art line of photo papers - there are many choices of texture and print characteristics.

http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/images...914-01.jpg


http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/images...959-01.jpg


I would appreciate a lot if you had any advice in any of these questions... or a link to share...

I am enjoying the proyect, but also I am a bit nervous.... :|

Great information in your comment Toad, and great ideas as well.
They will helped me a lot.

Thank you very much.

Irma - no problem - I added a hint at the end about fine art papers...

The prints I was thinking to give them to a man who has a shop in Moelln. You can go with him and you can see the picture in his monitor and see that everything is correct. Any adjustment about color could be made at the last moment, if needed. I think he also can work with different papers because he is photographer himself and has a studio and take pictures of weddings. His pictures are great, and he makes the prints of the Camera club in that city.

I like it there also, because he is very kind and the deal is more personal.

I'll visit him next week to see what papers he has to offer...

Thanks again...

Hi Irma;

here are some quick thoughts between here and dinner:

The largest I've printed is 11"x14", with a 5mp camera. They come out fine to my eye, so I don't think you'll have to worry about resolution. Especially with so much of the image being out of focus, printing should be quite forgiving. I also find that noise needs to be quite aggressive before it shows.

You will probably find that there are very few papers or frames in a 2x3 aspect ratio, so a crop to a squarer ratio is probably in order.

As general advice, I would also say that if your desire is to have a series, then you should shoot and select images that will create the best group, and not the individual best photos. If your favourite one doesn't match the look and feel of the others, then you need to pick another. (Print your favourite and keep it for yourself.)

Check with the person doing the printing to see what colour space you should use.

Also, if there's a last-minute check, make sure both of your monitors have been calibrated, and save the files with your working profile embedded.

Hi Matt,

I read your comment early in the morning but I couldn't answer then. I went out to an art shop to see paintings and frames. I was surprised to see a lot of square format frames and paintings.

Thanks so much for your comment and advice.