DPI

Recently received a request for a photo to be sent 9x12 and 300dpi. I am not sure what is wanted as it is my understanding that dpi is a setting used when you print not send by e-mail. Will appreciate any help with this.

Thanks,

John Tobias

Thats so they can print your image at full page or smaller. The few magazines i have worked with usually requst this as a min res for cover consideration.

This gives you an image 2700 pixels by 3600 pixels using 300 dpi for a print size of 9x12 inches. You will probably need to crop the image to 12x9, assuming the image is greater than 2700x3600 pixels as an original. IF it is smaller, than you will need to upsize it and probably THEN crop it to exact measurements. Depending on the software package you are using, be careful of the settings for upsizing or downsizing. Check the Resample Image (in PS) settings for which to use for either for a better image.

You did not specify the format of the file they desire. If they want jpg, and you started with an original jpg, then I would open the file and save it in a TIFF format. Make all your changes in the tiff. (Could use PS/CS format if using PS/CS). Multiple saves in a tiff will not give any lost data (check your settings!) like multiple saves in jpg will. When you are finished, save the file as a jpg using the highest settings you can - like 12. Some folks say no one can tell the difference between a 10 and 12 except the file size is smaller.

Coming from a D700 file of 2832x4256 pixels at 300 dpi (9.44x14.187inches) file cropped to 2700x3600 pixels should give a filesize in the whereabouts of:

tiff = 29.3 Mbytes
jpg saved at level 12 = 4.2Mbytes

So, they are probably already aware that you probably won't be able to email the tiff.

Those files sizes are actually variable depending on many variables I won't mention here...just gives you an idea.

Troup Nightingale
Southeastern Photography
http://www.southeasternphotography.com

If they want the tiff, ask them for recommendations for an FTP site to upload to rather than sending them email.

John, they're just confused, what they really mean is that they want the image at 300 PPI (pixels per inch). A lot of people get those two confused.

Thanks everyone. Jpeg is the format request. Apparently Floris is correct.

Don't forgetto tell them,if they didn't specify it, what colorspace the jpeg is tagged with. It iwll probably be sRGB or Adobe RGB but you don't want them to experience any color surprises when opened.