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For professional photographers
and experienced hobbyists wanting to take direct control of their images
and print quality, we offer the following information.
For the professional photographer or serious hobbyist using an
image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, there are several steps
you can take to insure that your files print exactly as you expect.
"Value Prints" is a
Print-Ready service. We do not open,
preview, or check incoming files before they are printed. When you
submit a Value Print order, the image files are sent directly into our printer
without intervention on our part. The quality of the files we receive
determine the quality of the prints.
Value
Print services are attractively priced because we
pass labor savings along to you for preparing your own files for
printing. If you require special attention
to be given to an image before we print, do not order Value Prints.
Instead, order Pro Prints or Custom Prints.
The following steps are presented
in general order.
Your preferred workflow may vary. |
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Monitor Calibration
Using
a properly calibrated is an essential first step in achieving
predictable color. A calibrated monitor displays color according to
industry standards, resulting in prints that closely match what you see
on screen. All but the highest-end graphics monitors require an external
hardware device such as an EyeOne (www.pantone.com)
or Spyder (www.colorvision.com) for
precision calibration. These devices typically range in cost from $150
to $250 dollars. If you are serious about the quality of your work, they are worth
every last cent.
Color Space
View and
edit images in the correct color space. sRGB is the safest color space
for all print sizes, and must be used for print sizes
10x15" and smaller. Extended gamut spaces such as Adobe 98
may be used for print sizes 11x14" and larger. Regardless of print size,
it's a good idea to convert file data to the correct RGB color space,
and tag it before uploading.
This includes BW (or grayscale) images, which must be in RGB
for printing. Untagged files are assumed to be sRGB and printed as
received.
Edit Image
Perform desired edits
(color, density, etc.) on your Master Working File. Edits may be done at
any bit-depth, but must arrive in 8-bit for printing.
Crop & Set Resolution
Pre-Crop images to the desired print size(s)
and resample to 300ppi. If you are ordering multiple print sizes from a
single file, create a separate file for each size: 5x7@300ppi,
8x10@300ppi, etc.
Sharpen Image
This should be done for each print
size, after the image has been cropped and resampled.
Saving Your Files
- Flatten image
- Delete alpha channels, paths,
annotations.
- Convert grayscale images to RGB
- 10x15's & smaller: Convert to sRGB
and tag.
11x14's and larger: Convert to sRGB or A98 and tag.
- Save as JPG, #10 compression.
- Use a file name that includes print size,
like: baker_003_5x7.jpg
- Upload files, order prints.
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