Saving for Size

Darren Troy C

How do you guys save for file size? Is there a general rule of thumb that "you" go by to create images with quality pixels that will be easy for your clients to enlarge to their heart's desire...within reason of course. For normal "on computer" storage, I keep things around 10.5mb. Not sure why I chose the number, it just became habit however. I also have given CDs away with the same size files contained therein. No complaints, so far, from any bride....senior....model....etc as far as enlarging. Am I on the mark with this generalization for saving at this size?

ian408

Depends on what you want to do with a shot. If you are shooting professionally, I would suggest keeping the original plus what ever PP and maybe the final output for yourself. If you make a CD for clients, that's up to you but at least enough resolution to print a decent 8x10 maybe?

Qarik

Idlewild wrote:

How do you guys save for file size? Is there a general rule of thumb that "you" go by to create images with quality pixels that will be easy for your clients to enlarge to their heart's desire...within reason of course. For normal "on computer" storage, I keep things around 10.5mb. Not sure why I chose the number, it just became habit however. I also have given CDs away with the same size files contained therein. No complaints, so far, from any bride....senior....model....etc as far as enlarging. Am I on the mark with this generalization for saving at this size?

While it may work if the majority of your picture sizes are similar, I think it is the wrong way to approach it. For example you may have cropped a photo signiifcantly and the saved for best quality to get a 10.5meg file size. Then you might have a full frame shot with no cropping that has a lot of detail, color, that you also set to much lower quality to achieve the same 10.5meg file size. It is likely the 2nd image may suffer when printed to some reasonable size while the the 1st is of unneccessarily high quality.

I would do some testing to see what compression yields acceptable quality for a max print size and just stick with that compression.

R.Leonardo

I work with, save and archive all files in the largest possible size and best possible quality. Never anything less, as I can't replace what is gone.