Photo size/resolution for magazine printing (Page 2): Thanks Chuck (?).....I think part of my problem is that I am tired of inspecting every image that gets sent to me and then pulling...

fotobyferg

CHG_CANON wrote:

Putting them in the dropbox is the best way to for... (show quote)

Thanks Chuck (?).....I think part of my problem is that I am tired of inspecting every image that gets sent to me and then pulling the correct response/image back from the person who submitted when they have (yet again) sent a Facebook image or something captured off a webpage. I was hoping to educate the senders on *their* end, versus having to be the photo inspector on *my* end. Maybe that's too much to ask, and I should simply accept the fact that not every picture submitted will be eligible for print. I am trying to keep the membership happy, as well as willing to continue to send images even if they do not make their way into the magazine.

No good deed goes unpunished. C'est la vie.

BlackRipleyDog

As I was instructed by my first publisher - Shot in Raw and submit them to the Art Director who will make any edits and decide what to print.

fotobyferg

BlackRipleyDog wrote:

As I was instructed by my first publisher - Shot in Raw and submit them to the Art Director who will make any edits and decide what to print.

Yes....but remember, these are people who are not necessarily proficient in photography. They are recreational carriage drivers snapping images of their day trips and sharing on social media.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

fotobyferg wrote:

Can someone please supply me with a chart, link or... (show quote)

Simple - just ask the publication what they need. The newspaper industry generally recommends 150 to 300 ppi- they use an 85 lpi screen on graphics - so an image resolution of 170 ppi is ideal. Average (whatever that means) magazines use a finer screen, often 150 lpi - so an image file up to 195 to 300 ppi is ideal. High end magazines may require higher ppi. A rule of thumb is 1.3 to 2 times the lpi of their screen is what your ppi needs to be.

That is why I recommend you contact the publication to find out their exact recommendation.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

fotobyferg wrote:

Yes....but remember, these are people who are not necessarily proficient in photography. They are recreational carriage drivers snapping images of their day trips and sharing on social media.

Just develop some boiler plate about requesting uncropped edits (or originals) for publication, possibly needing to set-up a dropbox / similar to receive these images. If they're capturing from phones, give some examples of the pixel resolution needed and how the image needs to be added to the dropbox to retain the original size rather than being emailed.

fotobyferg

Gene51 wrote:

Simple - just ask the publication what they need. ... (show quote)

Thank you. The problem is that people do not always send me what the publication needs (despite my having explained it in the past), and I am tiring of the constant one on one discussion with them to try and make them understand. It is frustrating.

fotobyferg

CHG_CANON wrote:

Just develop some boiler plate about requesting uncropped edits (or originals) for publication, possibly needing to set-up a dropbox / similar to receive these images. If they're capturing from phones, give some examples of the pixel resolution needed and how the image needs to be added to the dropbox to retain the original size rather than being emailed.

That's what I was hoping I could find here, lol. But yes, I will roll out yet another reminder to them.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

fotobyferg wrote:

That's what I was hoping I could find here, lol. But yes, I will roll out yet another reminder to them.

Figure the max and / or typical printed size. Calculate the 300 ppi value for that size. Write your boiler plate around that 'minimum' pixel resolution for submissions. Leave the option to just send originals, uncropped, if the photographer is unsure how to determine the pixel resolution. Set-up a transfer mechanism that takes the possible negative (automated) resizing out of the picture. This might be harder if you're accepting submissions from a random public, but doable.

fotobyferg

CHG_CANON wrote:

Figure the max and / or typical printed size. Calculate the 300 ppi value for that size. Write your boiler plate around that 'minimum' pixel resolution for submissions. Leave the option to just send originals, uncropped, if the photographer is unsure how to determine the pixel resolution. Set-up a transfer mechanism that takes the possible negative (automated) resizing out of the picture. This might be harder if you're accepting submissions from a random public, but doable.

Random public. Let me work on it and pull out a few more hairs.

fotobyferg

Maybe something as simple as: "pictures taken and sent directly from cell phones, uncropped and unedited work best."

I'd be willing to bet that 99% of what gets sent to me comes from cellphones, with a side of Facebook or Instagram tossed in. Some even send screenshots. We're talking general public here...not photobugs.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

fotobyferg wrote:

Maybe something as simple as: "pictures taken and sent directly from cell phones, uncropped and unedited work best."

I'd be willing to bet that 99% of what gets sent to me comes from cellphones, with a side of Facebook or Instagram tossed in. Some even send screenshots. We're talking general public here...not photobugs.

It's a good start from which you can assess an improvement in the submissions.

fotobyferg

CHG_CANON wrote:

It's a good start from which you can assess an improvement in the submissions.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

fotobyferg wrote:

My apologies, as I did not mean to imply she was using “weird ratios”....just that some of the photos I submit to her via the membership are not useable.

I am merely trying to send her more useable pictures by (hopefully) giving guidance to the people sending them to me.

I see. Well, if someone sends you a photo, and you view it and too small you'll see it right away. Simply ask that person to send and unaltered photo if it's one that you think makes the grade and if they do not have one, then toss it and move on to another photo.

You might also ask the people if the photo is theirs or not before you submit it for consideration. If it's not theirs, the publisher could get into copyright trouble. I would think that if a photo is too small, and the person submitting it can't produce an unaltered photo, then they may have downloaded it from the internet and it doesn't belong to them. I'd also ask them to sign a waiver if not already done so.

fotobyferg

jeep_daddy wrote:

I see. Well, if someone sends you a photo, and yo... (show quote)

We do give photo credit. Most of the time the person who sent the image is the one who took it, or another club member. The "pros" usually have a watermark or logo...along with their permission.

Al Beatty Loc: Boise, Idaho

Hi group,

You've already gotten some good information. My wife and I write for numerous outdoor magazines and spent 10 years as editors for one of those publications. Most magazines have lists of author guidelines that are available upon request or can be downloaded from their website. Therein you'll find their expectations regarding copy and photography. If you plan to submit a story/pictures without contacting the editor, be certain to double space the copy and submit 11" x 14" @ 300 PPI jpg files. By so doing, you may actually get the piece looked at but unsolicited "pieces" all too often get the "boot" in favor of manuscripts the magazine has negotiated the content in advance. Editors like the picture size (at least we did) because it gives them the option of using part of it cropped or as double-page background with text positioned as an overlay.This all gets decided when the content reaches the art director's workstation. The bottom line is it's a good idea to work with the editor so you both know what to expect. Take care & ...