what size do you save as

[jann1033]

when post processing /converting from raw what size do you crop to or do you save at the same size shot...i've been doing 8x10/300 resolution but thinking i probably should be doing something else so i'm asking what and why do you do what you do
my photo size is around 14x9+ which i need to crop to get anything to fit in a frame...occasionally if it's something i think i might want bigger i save larger
knowing i am going to have to crop it i try to include extra in the photo that i can crop out but the problem with that is it's harder to know exactly where the borders will be when i take the photo and occasionally i can't put the subject just where i want it in the end photo due to that...but i'm wondering if there is another way around this i am neglecting to think of
thanks

 

[Anewman]

when post processing /converting from raw what size do you crop to or do you save at the same size shot...i've been doing 8x10/300 resolution but thinking i probably should be doing something else so i'm asking what and why do you do what you do
my photo size is around 14x9+ which i need to crop to get anything to fit in a frame...occasionally if it's something i think i might want bigger i save larger
knowing i am going to have to crop it i try to include extra in the photo that i can crop out but the problem with that is it's harder to know exactly where the borders will be when i take the photo and occasionally i can't put the subject just where i want it in the end photo due to that...but i'm wondering if there is another way around this i am neglecting to think of
thanks

I dont save a converted jpeg, I feel that I can always go back to the original RAW file and make a new identical jpeg within secs.

So I shoot, convert(tweak, size, crop etc...), send to lab and then delete.

 

[Suburbanmom]

I usually save it in its original size and resolution (8.33x12.53; 240 ppi) and as a .tif file. Then, if I choose to have it printed, I crop it to the size print I want before I upload it to the photo/print shop.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

It all depends on what I'm saving it for. If I'm saving it to post to Smugmug, I usually leave it at full resolution. If I'm saving it to put in a slideshow, I usually resize it to 1280x1024 or 1600x1200. If I'm printing it, I crop it to fit my print aspect ratio and adjust the PPI to 240 or 300.

 

[DVC Jen]

For me - it all depends on what size print I want. Sometimes I save it both as photo scale, 8x10 and 5x7 all at 300 dpi. That way I have all the sizes ready to go when I or someone else wants a print.

 

[Groucho]

Argh! Darn those DPIs!

Don't think DPI, you're dealing with a digital file on your PC - just think pixels. DPI is meaningless until that photo is actually on paper. If you're going to print it out, you'll want to save it at the same pixel resolution as the the original. If you're going to view it on your PC or put it on the web, pick a size you're happy viewing it at (and maybe with a little extra resolution to allow you to zoom in) - I usually do 1600x1200 or more recently, 1280x1024.

If you're going to go print it, crop it to the aspect ratio you need but don't resize otherwise. The only possible advantage to resizing yourself is if you feel that your software is capable of resizing the photo better than whatever software the print shop (or printer) uses.

 

[Anewman]

Argh! Darn those DPIs!

Don't think DPI, you're dealing with a digital file on your PC - just think pixels. DPI is meaningless until that photo is actually on paper. If you're going to print it out, you'll want to save it at the same pixel resolution as the the original. If you're going to view it on your PC or put it on the web, pick a size you're happy viewing it at (and maybe with a little extra resolution to allow you to zoom in) - I usually do 1600x1200 or more recently, 1280x1024.

If you're going to go print it, crop it to the aspect ratio you need but don't resize otherwise. The only possible advantage to resizing yourself is if you feel that your software is capable of resizing the photo better than whatever software the print shop (or printer) uses.

I agree with you on the DPI issue, it only comes into play when printing. A 1600x1200 @ 400 dpi Image is exactly the same as a 1600x1200 @ 72 dpi image, if you actually print at those DPIs then you will be left with different sized prints but on the computer they are exactly the same.

As for resizing for print, I guess I am a control freak and want to resize and apply sharpening to get an exact(as close as possible) proof of what will be printed. Yes you are right that it is doubtful that you can resize better than the lab, but IMO sending the final image in the exact resolution used by the lab gets you closer to actual WYSIWYG printing. But if one does not know what resolution the lab is using one would be better off not resizing at all, because once the lab gets the image it will be resized again which even if not noticeable to the naked eye resizing multiple times does more harm than good.

 

[jann1033]

i rarely print stuff or get it printed but i did notice some places crop so guessing then you would crop to the size you wanted first...

as usual, i am lost with the 1600x whatever so are you saying don't crop with the crop tool, just use the marquee tool or that ever to crop but don't mess with anything else? if i want to post to photobucket is that all i would need to do or would i need to change the size for something like that....

maybe i should have asked this when i was concentrating better

last vacation i did use jpg and changed some of the actual files( oops) so i couldn't get them to the size i wanted them and didn't want to make that same mistake but as long as i have the raw or psd file i could do all tweaking then just save as is and make any crops if i got it printed later right?

 

[Groucho]

For the 1600x1200/1280x1024/etc thing, if you're using Photoshop, you'll use Resize (after cropping or doing whatever other editing you want. If you're using Lightroom, you can set the size when exporting. (Unfortunately, Lightroom creates slightly wonky exif data that doesn't play well with the Gallery script I use on my site, so I export at fullsize then use Irfanview to batch resize everything, that cleans up the exif.)

As for resaving the original JPGs - as long as you don't save them, the originals should remain unmodified no matter how many times you open it. Still, it's always a good idea to have a backup of them all somewhere "just in case"!