Resolution for very large prints?

Squirt

I read in the help section that I should not worry about changing my pixels when uploading, but I usually uncheck the "Resample Image" at the bottom and change the resolution to 300 maintaining my pixels at the top. The original resolution says 72. Should I not worry about that and just leave it as is when I upload it to smugmug? That won't affect the quality, even if someone wants to order a HUGE print?

jfriend

The dpi setting is only metadata and has nothing to do with the quality or quantity of your pixels and is not used when printing via Smugmug. I never change that value on my I mages and can print large just fine.

Squirt

Okay, so I can just leave everything as is instead of resizing it (except for my blog)? Meaning, leave all the high pixels at the top of the image resize dialog box and don't even mess with the resolution down at the bottom even though it says 72? I've got a client who tried to order a 24x36 print from Kodak (wouldn't let them with no reason given) from the CD I delivered where I did as before leaving the pixels alone and changing the resolution to 300. So changing the resolution must have limited the size they could enlarge it to? If that's the case, is it okay to now go back and change that to 72 and they still be able to order a large print?

jfriend

Squirt wrote:

Okay, so I can just leave everything as is instead of resizing it (except for my blog)? Meaning, leave all the high pixels at the top of the image resize dialog box and don't even mess with the resolution down at the bottom even though it says 72? I've got a client who tried to order a 24x36 print from Kodak (wouldn't let them with no reason given) from the CD I delivered where I did as before leaving the pixels alone and changing the resolution to 300. So changing the resolution must have limited the size they could enlarge it to? If that's the case, is it okay to now go back and change that to 72 and they still be able to order a large print?

All that should matter is the quantity ans quality of your pixels. Labeled dpi is not used. You do have to be careful to not accidentally be resampling and making more or less pixels because that can degrade your pixels. Stick witgh hyour original numberf of pixels.

Squirt

jfriend wrote:

All that should matter is the quantity ans quality of your pixels. Labeled dpi is not used. You do have to be careful to not accidentally be resampling and making more or less pixels because that can degrade your pixels. Stick witgh hyour original numberf of pixels.

I think I've finally got it. The resolution at the bottom of the image resize dialog box is for printing on my own computer at home. If I leave it alone the lab I choose will resample up or down depending on the size print ordered. I never touch the pixels unless I'm downsizing them for my blog. Thanks!