? about enlarging a picture...

Beezley

Hello everyone,
I am not sure where this question actually needs to go. but I haven't been taking pictures very long. And recently I took some pictures of the Fire Dept Ladder truck. But what I didn't know was that they would like to blow this picture up to like 20X30. I don't have a wide angle lens. I took the picture at 12 megpixels. I guess I am not sure how that is going to look blown up that big...

any thoughts or comments??? Would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Shelly

divamum

Beezley wrote:

Hello everyone,
I am not sure where this question actually needs to go. but I haven't been taking pictures very long. And recently I took some pictures of the Fire Dept Ladder truck. But what I didn't know was that they would like to blow this picture up to like 20X30. I don't have a wide angle lens. I took the picture at 12 megpixels. I guess I am not sure how that is going to look blown up that big...

any thoughts or comments??? Would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Shelly

Can you post your shot so people can have a look at it for reference? I'm sure you'll get many helpful replies if you do!

Oh, and WELCOME to dgrin!

Beezley

divamum wrote:

Can you post your shot so people can have a look at it for reference? I'm sure you'll get many helpful replies if you do!

Oh, and WELCOME to dgrin!

Yes I can. I will do it after lunch... (shhh don't tell the boss)

Beezley

Beezley wrote:

Hello everyone,
I am not sure where this question actually needs to go. but I haven't been taking pictures very long. And recently I took some pictures of the Fire Dept Ladder truck. But what I didn't know was that they would like to blow this picture up to like 20X30. I don't have a wide angle lens. I took the picture at 12 megpixels. I guess I am not sure how that is going to look blown up that big...

any thoughts or comments??? Would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Shelly

Here are 2 pictures

TJDIV

I'm far from the expert but have been working with a graphic artist on producing large prints recently....so long as the DPI is good ( at 12 meg it should be ) I don't see any reason they couldn't have someone with the right printer set up do quality large images and have it look very nice.

My recommendation is to contact a graphic artist ( or someone on this forum ) that can print the image for the FD.

I have a reliable contact if you want her information. PM me.

Nice pic. I can see why they want it larger.

pathfinder

I wrote a small discussion of print size and pixels needed here

12 Mpxls is about the same size as a file from a 5D, which is 4368 x 2912 = 12. 719 Mpxls.

4368 pixles /150 pixels per inch = 29.12 inches, and 2912 / 150 = 19.4 inches, so a 12 Mpxl file will print ~20 x 30 at about ~150 ppi. While many folks think you need 300 pixles per inch for good quality, I'll bet your fire truck picture will look just fine at 150 ppi.

If you feel you needed higher numbers of pixels, you may be just fine by uprezzing your image a bit, if the quality of the original file is high to begin with.

Ann McRae

You might find this help page useful, too:

http://www.smugmug.com/help/print-quality

ann

Sam

More important than the mp is the image it's self. I have 20X30 prints from my digital rebel that look very nice.

On issue I see with the first image is the fire truck's front tire is cut off.

The second image needs to be straightened.

Also have these images been processed? When processing image for larger prints you want to be extra careful about any processing you do. Things you will never see on a small print or may not notice on your screen will jump right off a large print.

Perhaps if you link to the original we could get a good look at the image.

Sam

Art Scott

Did you shoot raw or jpg?

here is my workflow for a large print......I work with raw files so if you shot in jpg skip the convert from raw to jpg part......
I do all of my processing in Lightroom and open a converted jpg in photoshop .....go to image and then down to image size.....change the dpi to 300....save......go to filters and down the list to OnOne or Genuine Fractals( you will need to go to OnOne Sftware and lownload a trial version of Genuine Fractals 6 or what ever the latest version is....it will be a fully functional software with approx 20 uprezes and saves available)....open GF your image should be opening and uprez to 20 x 30.......and save......go back to photoshop and sharpen in unsharp mask to make it pop a little more.....go to file....down to SAVE AS ......pcik highest number (12) and save it......you now have a 20x30 inch print at 300 dpi....this means it will look great and have no noise if standing les than a foot away from it.....

OK Pathfinder is correct.....but printing without the uprez step to me is not good.....especially if the client doesnot understand VIEWING DISTANCE........simply put that is the distance you must be away from a picture to have it look as good as the small proof print......but if you uprez to at least 300dpi (considered 8x10 quality) then no viewing distance is needed......it can be viewed at say book reading distance and look perfect.....no noise, no grain....no problem................

Good Luck.