Should I reduce "quality" or "dimensions" to meet file size requirement

[DirtySocks85]

Hey guys, need a little bit of advice here. I'm entering a photo in a contest for a calendar (where the winning photos will be printed in the calendar), and the submission requirements are as follows:

The total files size must be less than 5 MB or 250 pixels per inch

(it also states that the submitted image must be in jpg format)

So, I have an image that I want to use, but when I export it from Aperture it's 5.7 MB at 4828 × 3218. I can take it into Photoshop and reduce it, but I'm not sure which is the best choice: Do I cut the image size down (say by to 75% it's original size), or do I resave it with a higher jpg compression? Which would better preserve my photo for printing?

 

[The Bad Guy]

If it's just for web, cut the dimensions.

I use 1500px on the long edge for web viewing.

 

[DirtySocks85]

If it's just for web, cut the dimensions.

I use 1500px on the long edge for web viewing.

I'm entering a photo in a contest for a calendar (where the winning photos will be printed in the calendar)

Which would better preserve my photo for printing?

So... not just for web viewing.

Edit: Here's the contest for anyone who is wondering (ignore the part where it says 3.9 MB) it says 5 MB on the official entry form. http://www.rhinokeeperassociation.org/photo-contest/

 

[The Bad Guy]

Sorry, didn't catch that part.

Knock it down to 5MB then...it'll print fine for a calendar at that size.

 

[Cheese&Apple]

Resample the image to a size that results in a file that is less than 5 MB. jpg setting should be lowest compression.

This would give them the best quality in a size sufficient for a calendar.

 

[Designer Dale]

Less than 5MB. So let's go with 4.8 as a target size. Keep the dpi up and jpeg compression down. Go to the original and see if there's any information (data) you can toss out without detracting from the image perceptibly. Something in the editing or maybe a layer that can go? Look for around 1MB of stuff to get rid of. Maybe a bit of cropping? Reprocess the original and see what you can do.

Dale

 

[Oracle1729]

Less than 5MB. So let's go with 4.8 as a target size. Keep the dpi up and jpeg compression down. Go to the original and see if there's any information (data) you can toss out without detracting from the image perceptibly. Something in the editing or maybe a layer that can go? Look for around 1MB of stuff to get rid of. Maybe a bit of cropping? Reprocess the original and see what you can do.

Dale

First, 250 pixels per inch means absolutely nothing unless you know how many inches or how many pixels. I can give you a 10x10 pixel file that 250 pixels per inch (and 1/25th of an inch square).

Second, from the contest entry:
"By entering the contest, you grant the International Rhino Keepers Association (IRKA), and its successors and assigns, the non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual right and license to use, display, reproduce, publish, transmit, and distribute your photograph on IRKA’s Web site, social media websites, in the Crash newsletter, calendar, and/or in any other promotional materials. Your grant and license shall also apply to any reprints, revised editions, or derivative works in any media or format, whether now or hereafter known, including without limitation other kinds of print media and electronic media. "


Do you actually understand what you're giving them. I understand you're very amateur and don't value your work, but seriously. You're giving them the right to resell your work to anyone they want for any purpose and granting them or anyone they allow, permission to modify your work to show it in any light even things that might embarrass or offend you. You have zero say or permission over your photo.

There are a lot of photo contests with clauses like that I'm not sure why anyone who has any aspirations would ever enter one. To give up that much control over your picture and the only reward is you hope they will choose to use your picture for free.

I don't even have that level of control over my own wedding photos, and no sane photographer would have given me that level of control.

 

[Designer Dale]

First, 250 pixels per inch means absolutely nothing unless you know how many inches or how many pixels. I can give you a 10x10 pixel file that 250 pixels per inch (and 1/25th of an inch square).

Second, from the contest entry:
"By entering the contest, you grant the International Rhino Keepers Association (IRKA), and its successors and assigns, the non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual right and license to use, display, reproduce, publish, transmit, and distribute your photograph on IRKA’s Web site, social media websites, in the Crash newsletter, calendar, and/or in any other promotional materials. Your grant and license shall also apply to any reprints, revised editions, or derivative works in any media or format, whether now or hereafter known, including without limitation other kinds of print media and electronic media. "


Do you actually understand what you're giving them. I understand you're very amateur and don't value your work, but seriously. You're giving them the right to resell your work to anyone they want for any purpose and granting them or anyone they allow, permission to modify your work to show it in any light even things that might embarrass or offend you. You have zero say or permission over your photo.

There are a lot of photo contests with clauses like that I'm not sure why anyone who has any aspirations would ever enter one. To give up that much control over your picture and the only reward is you hope they will choose to use your picture for free.

I don't even have that level of control over my own wedding photos, and no sane photographer would have given me that level of control.

Um, you quoted me, but it's not my thread. Whom are you addressing this to?

PS: It's the thread starter's photo. If he wants to give it away, then he is free to do so.

Dale

 

[Hughmac]

I understand you're very amateur and don't value your work.

??

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Oracle1729]

??

Cheers

Hugh

Well that does sound insulting taken out of context. I really didn't mean it to be.

I was just saying this sort of contest is aimed at amateur photographers who don't place monetary value on their pictures and don't think they ever will. Just who are happy seeing their work in print. Nobody who takes their work seriously (as in as something more than a fun diversion) would entertain those rules.

I apologize to the OP is my post came off too rude.

 

[swordio777]

Hey guys, need a little bit of advice here. I'm entering a photo in a contest for a calendar (where the winning photos will be printed in the calendar), and the submission requirements are as follows:

(it also states that the submitted image must be in jpg format)

So, I have an image that I want to use, but when I export it from Aperture it's 5.7 MB at 4828 × 3218. I can take it into Photoshop and reduce it, but I'm not sure which is the best choice: Do I cut the image size down (say by to 75% it's original size), or do I resave it with a higher jpg compression? Which would better preserve my photo for printing?

Don't increase the level of compression - that will degrade the quality of your image. Instead resize your image and export it keeping the highest quality level you can.

Do you know how big the image will be printed? That information will help you export at the correct size.

They want the submitted images at 250ppi, so multiply the dimensions of the final print by 250 to see how many pixels you need in the final image.

For example, let's say the images printed in the calendar will be 12"x8", then your images only need to be 3000 pixels by 2000 pixels, or 6 megapixels.
(12 x 250 = 3000; 8 x 250 = 2000).

To do this in Aperture, click Export then in the "Size To:" dropdown select "Fit within (pixels)" and enter 3000 in both the width and height boxes.

The number in the DPI box below is completely irrelevant, but you might want to change this to 250 as well, purely for continuity.

Hope that all makes sense.
Best regards, and good luck with the contest.

 

[DirtySocks85]

First, 250 pixels per inch means absolutely nothing unless you know how many inches or how many pixels. I can give you a 10x10 pixel file that 250 pixels per inch (and 1/25th of an inch square).

Second, from the contest entry:
"By entering the contest, you grant the International Rhino Keepers Association (IRKA), and its successors and assigns, the non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual right and license to use, display, reproduce, publish, transmit, and distribute your photograph on IRKA’s Web site, social media websites, in the Crash newsletter, calendar, and/or in any other promotional materials. Your grant and license shall also apply to any reprints, revised editions, or derivative works in any media or format, whether now or hereafter known, including without limitation other kinds of print media and electronic media. "


Do you actually understand what you're giving them. I understand you're very amateur and don't value your work, but seriously. You're giving them the right to resell your work to anyone they want for any purpose and granting them or anyone they allow, permission to modify your work to show it in any light even things that might embarrass or offend you. You have zero say or permission over your photo.

There are a lot of photo contests with clauses like that I'm not sure why anyone who has any aspirations would ever enter one. To give up that much control over your picture and the only reward is you hope they will choose to use your picture for free.

I don't even have that level of control over my own wedding photos, and no sane photographer would have given me that level of control.

Maybe I have other aspirations and rewards that are beyond your comprehension. This contest is for an organization that I believe in that does great work for rhino conservation. I'm willing to donate a license for them to re-use this photo for the listed reasons for that. Additionally, the winners will be published along with the name of the facility that the photo was taken at. At this point, the exposure to both my own branding and the small privately owned zoo that I work at is VERY worth a non-exclusive license for a single image. I like the image, but it's not like it's my only good image, or even my only good rhino image.

So yes, I read the fine print, and I understand what it means. Don't automatically treat me like an idiot because my priorities don't fall in line with your own.

Additionally, it actually DOES outline where it can be used, and usage of it outside the elements listed IS a violation of that license agreement. They include that verbage so that they may run the contest (since the images are voted on publicly), announce the winners, and print and sell the calendars (which again, the proceeds go to something that I believe in).

 

[Blackshapes]

Don't increase the level of compression - that will degrade the quality of your image. Instead resize your image and export it keeping the highest quality level you can.

Do you know how big the image will be printed? That information will help you export at the correct size.

They want the submitted images at 250ppi, so multiply the dimensions of the final print by 250 to see how many pixels you need in the final image.

For example, let's say the images printed in the calendar will be 12"x8", then your images only need to be 3000 pixels by 2000 pixels, or 6 megapixels.
(12 x 250 = 3000; 8 x 250 = 2000).

To do this in Aperture, click Export then in the "Size To:" dropdown select "Fit within (pixels)" and enter 3000 in both the width and height boxes.

The number in the DPI box below is completely irrelevant, but you might want to change this to 250 as well, purely for continuity.

Hope that all makes sense.
Best regards, and good luck with the contest.

DPI is not irrelevant. Assuming you have a 6000x4000 (24MP) image at 300dpi, it will print at 13.3"x20" when printed at 300dpi. Print it a 150 dpi, and you will be able to print it at 26.6"x40".

For the purposes of your calendar entry 200dpi will be more than enough as even the most modern lithographic printing presses (which is what I assume this calendar will be printed on) run at 150 dpi.

But all that aside, have you tried running the slightly-too-big file through a program called ImageOptim? It will strip useless metadata from the file and save a HUGE amount of file size, with 0 difference in quality.

If you have Adobe Lightroom, get the image in there, use the export function, limit file size to 4.9MB, uncheck don't resize and make sure quality is at 100. It will do all the work for you.