Auto or True color?

BeemerChef

Hi there... Oh! so new to all this... Thinking about having some photos printed and wondering which option I should choose... "auto or true"?
I like the way my pictures look axactly on SmugMug as I do "tweak" them...

Next!... What has been your experience in the finish? "lustre" or "mat"? Right now my tendency would be to say "mat"... I just think iit "might" look better... or is it just a personal taste!

I am also wondering if SmuMug will mail to "post office general delivery" as I travel constantly... and also can the photos be printed even if I have them R click protected or do I need to unlock them for that process...

And last (sorry about all this!... I do need to know...) as I have them "now" R click protected, I noticed as myself I cannot "borrow" them off SmuMug, I can however "borrow" them off any other Forum my pictures might be on... Is R click protect only for SmugMug Galleries or should it also apply for the Internet period?

Thanks in advance... learning curve here!

Be well...

Ara

denisegoldberg

BeemerChef wrote:

Hi there... Oh! so new to all this... Thinking about having some photos printed and wondering which option I should choose... "auto or true"?
I like the way my pictures look axactly on SmugMug as I do "tweak" them...

Next!... What has been your experience in the finish? "lustre" or "mat"? Right now my tendency would be to say "mat"... I just think iit "might" look better... or is it just a personal taste!

I am also wondering if SmuMug will mail to "post office general delivery" as I travel constantly... and also can the photos be printed even if I have them R click protected or do I need to unlock them for that process...

And last (sorry about all this!... I do need to know...) as I have them "now" R click protected, I noticed as myself I cannot "borrow" them off SmuMug, I can however "borrow" them off any other Forum my pictures might be on... Is R click protect only for SmugMug Galleries or should it also apply for the Internet period?

Thanks in advance... learning curve here!

Be well...

Ara

It's my understanding that unless you do extensive editing that you are better off with selecting auto for your printing. Here's a link to a SmugPage describing the two: http://www.smugmug.com/help/too-red.

As far as paper type goes - you're right, that is a very individual decision. My preference is lustre. Why don't you order one photo in all three finishes to see which you prefer.

You're right about the right-click protection - it's only available within SmugMug and not from posts that include links to your photos. I only use the small and medim images when I link from off-site. Those are really small in the overall scheme of things, and I doubt that anyone can get a really good quality print from them.

Right click protection and printing photos are not related - so you can leave your galleries right click protected and still order prints, assuming that you have printing turned on.

As far as your post office general delivery question goes, I think you're going to have to get that answer from a SmugMug official helper (as in employee!). Hopefully an answer will pop up here. If not, you can always email for help (http://www.smugmug.com/help/emailreal).

--- Denise

BeemerChef

Thank you for your time and reply Denise, and of course, great replies generate more questions!
I am still thinking that "true" printing in my case would be better... I am a newbie... for sure... but I do like the end result, the "actual" result of the photos that I see on my SmuMug Gallery...
Such as...



or even this, from this past weekend...



I think as you wrote, for this decision the best would be to order some samples and see what happens...

While I have you here... I am having a hard time understanding the sizing... I have the table of "size" versus "ratio" versus "minimum resolution"... but it has become a mystery to me how do I choose the size of the print? Or do I not choose it... the 'table' will choose it...

I appreciate your patience and help... I will be ready to roll!

Be well...

Ara

Andy

Ara, stay tuned, for Steve Mills from our team.

SteveM

BeemerChef wrote:

Thank you for your time and reply Denise, and of course, great replies generate more questions!
I am still thinking that "true" printing in my case would be better... I am a newbie... for sure... but I do like the end result, the "actual" result of the photos that I see on my SmuMug Gallery...
Such as...

or even this, from this past weekend...

I think as you wrote, for this decision the best would be to order some samples and see what happens...

While I have you here... I am having a hard time understanding the sizing... I have the table of "size" versus "ratio" versus "minimum resolution"... but it has become a mystery to me how do I choose the size of the print? Or do I not choose it... the 'table' will choose it...

I appreciate your patience and help... I will be ready to roll!

Be well...

Ara

Hi Ara,

Yes, it would be best to order some sample prints in True color and auto color. You see, what you see on your monitor may not be the "true color" our lab's printers will be seeing. The colors and brightness on monitors vary from model to model and through adjustments.

As for the sizes.. the table you linked shows some pretty obscure sizes and ratios that SmugMug doesn't offer. For a much simplier time, check out http://www.smugmug.com/prints/catalog.mg then add some prints to your cart and get a feel for how they'll crop at different sizes.

BeemerChef

Thanks Andy...

Steve... too funny! I think "talc powder" might help!!!

But yes, thanks for the link... you guys are too cool! Of course all one has to do is "search", which I did not do!!!

SmugHugs [Copyrights protected... ] all around!!!

Be well...

Ara & Spirit

BeemerChef

Well... a sad not "ending" but... lesson!!!
I obviously never did my homework when we left a year ago... Me?... print?... never! And honestly I never thought I ever would! Maybe I have learned to take better pictures... who knows! The bottom line is that I have taken most of my pictures in too small of a size! Some cannot even be printed and most 5 x 7!!! Maybe I can do some postcards!!! And no... we are not going to retrace the same route for another year... Life just goes on... School is always open!...

Thanks for all the help... it has! Ara

BeemerChef

I guess I better ask now! Every picture size need to be a certain ...pix x ...pix, is there a table... somewhere?
I realize, a little late of course now, (and not feeling better about all this at all!) that SmuMug will automatically show what size print a picture can be printed... it would be nice however for me to know how that works!

Thanks again...

Be well...

Ara

denisegoldberg

BeemerChef wrote:

I guess I better ask now! Every picture size need to be a certain ...pix x ...pix, is there a table... somewhere?
I realize, a little late of course now, (and not feeling better about all this at all!) that SmuMug will automatically show what size print a picture can be printed... it would be nice however for me to know how that works!

Thanks again...

Be well...

Ara

Scroll down on this page - http://www.smugmug.com/help/print-quality - to see minimum requirements, a little lower on the page for recommended settings.

--- Denise