How can I send you my files? Which online service should I use?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. This is a simple file transfer from your computer to ours using the internet. Think of it as an "online folder" that you drop the images into and they come straight to our lab.
How can I make my uploads faster?
If you are not sending JPGs you should be. These load the quickest because they are compressed. We convert to JPGs anyway when we print. Just make sure they are set to minimum compression. Also, do not send us files that are excessive in size. We will have to compress them and quality could be lost. It is best not to exceed 400 dpi at the size you will print.
You can also use our new upload from Flickr service. Your high res originals are already uploaded, so the wait time is minimal.
Can I use your photo uploader with my ______ browser?
Our nifty photo uploader can be used with the following browsers:
How do I know if my image will crop?
Cropping occurs when the aspect ratio (or shape) of your file does not match up with the print size you requested. For example, if your image is from an SLR digital camera then the image is a 1:1.5 ratio which is a rectangular shape. If you want to print an 8x10 from this file an 8x10 is more square shape so your file would have to be cropped to print a borderless 8x10. Now if you print an 8x12 then your image would not be cropped because an 8x12 is also a 1:1.5 ratio.
You can check your file size in Photoshop by going to Image and then to Image size. You can key in the print size that you want and see it the size of your file matches up. You can also see what the resolution of your image at that size is while you're at it.
A point and shoot digital camera generates an image that can be printed at 4x5, 8x10 borderless with minimal cropping. An SLR digital camera creates an image that is 35mm and can be printed at 4x6, 8x12 without cropping.
IF YOU DO NOT WANT A CROP
How is your black and white digital printing?
Do you print on real BW paper?
Standard BW digital prints are made on color paper. For many this is fine but we also have a state of the art system which for the first time allows us to print on true black and white silver based Ilford paper.
What resolution should my file be?
Our color machines print at 400 dpi and our true black and white machine prints at 300 dpi. So when preparing your files these are the optimal resolutions your files can be at the size printed. Our state of the art equipment can interpolate or "up-res" your files so we can generally make quality prints from files as low as 150 dpi. More resolution is not necessarily better. If your image resolution is higher than the res that we print at then your file will be compressed when printing. Files for Giclée printing should be at 360 dpi for optimal results although 240 dpi, 144dpi and anything within this range is also acceptable.
What file types do you accept?
We accept: JPG, TIFF, PSD, BMP, PDF. We can also accept Raw files but there will be a charge to convert them. When using any of our online ordering systems we recommend converting your images to Jpgs for speedier upload. When submitting PSDs or PDFs please flatten them first especially when submitting images with text layers. Photoworks may not have the same fonts and the software will automatically find a substitute font to use in the unflattened image.
Do you make corrections to images when printing?
Yes, we have a lab technician who looks at each image and makes color, density and contrast corrections.
What if I want to do my own corrections?
If you want to make your own corrections use our color profile and specify "no color corrections" when placing your order. The color profile we use is sRGB IEC61966-2.1 It is a common profile that can be selected in most versions of Photoshop. (For Giclée prints use the AdobeRGB 98 color profile.) This way you will be viewing the images in the same color space we are using. When you place your order let us know that you do not want any corrections made to your images.
RGB is used for web, inkjet prints and photo printing. CMYK is more used for printing presses. You should use RGB.
What ICC profile should I use?
You can download our ICC profile to implement in Photoshop or in most cases you can simply choose if from a list of available profiles in Photoshop as it is a common color profile. The profile that we use is sRGB IEC61966-2. For Giclée prints use the AdobeRGB 98 color profile.
Should my files be 8 bit or 16 bit?
They should be 8 bit.
What if I need some Photoshop work done?
If you need some Photoshop work done please bring your files into the store or send them to us via FTP and we will contact you with an estimate.
How are your prints better than my at home printer or local one hour lab?
Our prints are printed on actual silver based RC photo paper using actual photo chemistry. They are not ink on paper. The resolution is better and you have a trained professional correcting your image to get the best print possible.
What type of paper do you print on?
We print our color digital images on Fuji Crystal Archive. Our true BW images are printed on Ilford paper. Our color machine prints from film are printed on Kodak Endura Paper.
What's the best way to get black and white prints from my color photos?
There is no need to convert your files to greyscale. Leave them color, select True Black & White Paper for your order (under Tone/Paper) and we'll do the rest. If you've already converted the files that's ok as well.
What are the border options for prints?
We offer several types of border styles for your prints. Click over to our Services and Rates section to see them. (Right hand side of screen.)
Multiply Height x Width x Resolution then Divide by 1200 = megabytes
(For example 11 x 14 x 300 dpi divided by 1200 = 38.5 megs)
| Print Size | File Size (estimated, uncompressed) | |
| 300dpi | 200dpi | |
| 4 x 6 | 6 MB | 4 MB |
| 5 x 7 | 8.75 MB | 5.83 MB |
| 8 x 10 | 20 MB | 13 MB |
| 9 x 12 | 27 MB | 18 MB |
| 11 x 14 | 38.5 MB | 26 MB |
| 16 x 20 | 80 MB | 53 MB |
| 20 x 24 | 120 MB | 80 MB |
| 20 x 30 | 150 MB | 100 MB |
| 20 x 40 | 300 MB | 200 MB |
| 40 x 60 | 600 MB | 400 MB |
| Common Image Sizes at 300dpi | |||
| Image Size | Megapixels | "natural" print size | megabytes (uncompressed Tiffs) |
| 4064 x 2704 | 11.1 | 13.5 x 9 | 31 |
| 3088 x 2056 | 6.3 | 10.25 x 6.8 | 18 |
| 3008 x 1960 | 5.3 | 10 x 6.5 | 17 |
| 2048 x 1536 | 3.0 | 6.8 x 5.1 | 9 |
| 1600 x 1200 | 2.0 | 5.3 x 4 | 5.5 |
| 1280 x 960 | 1.2 | 4.25 x 3.2 | 3.5 |
| 640 x 480 | .3 | 2.1 x 1.6 | 1 |
Please Note, we have state of the art digital printers which can interpolate (or "res up") an image. We can make great prints at 150 DPI.
Also note that compressed and/or manipulated JPEG files may be large enough to print but can result in poor prints because of compression.
Giclée is French for "fine spray" and refers to our prints done on fine art papers with or without texture, and canvas. We use Epson Ultrachrome Inks, and our prints are archival to 90 years.
What is Gallery wrap/Canvas stretching?
A completed canvas print should be "stretched" on wood bars. The standard depth is one inch. You can have a deeper canvas at 2 3/8 inches as well. This creates the museum effect seen in galleries. You may choose to have your image visible (wrapped) on the sides or to you may have a white or black border on the sides. (if you have a family portrait that goes to the edge, you probably do not want to wrap the image) We would be happy to examine your file, and make a suggestion.
Full Frame: Your entire image. (When your image size does not match your paper size this means your print will have a border if you need it printed "full frame" to retain the entire image.)
Borderless or Full Bleed: No border on paper. (If your image size does not match your paper size your image will be cropped to fill the paper.)
Resolution: The resolution of a digital image is defined as the number of pixels it contains.
Compression: reduces space a file takes up but causes a loss of information. We suggest using minimum compression when setting your cameras
JPG: The most common type of file that is compressed to take up less space while generally only losing a minimal amount of quality. Usually, if a high-quality, low-compression JPEG setting is chosen on a digital camera, the loss of quality is not detectable to the eye. These files upload the quickest!
TIFF: TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a universal image format that is compatible with most image editing and viewing programs. It can be compressed in a lossless way, internally with LZW or Zip compression, or externally with programs like WinZip.
RAW: Unlike JPEG and TIFF, RAW is not an abbreviation but literally means "raw" as in "unprocessed". A RAW file contains the original image information as it comes off the sensor before in-camera processing so you can do that processing afterwards on your PC with special software
Aspect ratio:This is the relationship between the length and width of your image. For example: a 35mm negative has a ration of 1 : 1.5 so a 4x6 or an 8x12 is the correct shape.An 8x10 would crop because it is more "square."
DPI or PPI: dots or pixels per inch. DPI – Dots per inch: A measurement of the resolution of a digital photo or digital device, including digital cameras and printers. The higher the number, the greater the resolution.
This refers to the amount of pixels at the size you want. ie 250 dpi at a 4x6. With our state of the art equipment we can make quality prints at about 200 dpi. Please note, more is not better. Anything above 300 dpi results in your file being compressed. This is not advisable.
White balance: Normally our eyes compensate for lighting conditions with different color temperatures. A digital camera needs to find a reference point which represents white. It will then calculate all the other colors based on this white point. You must set this properly on your camera. Check your manual.
ICC Profile: A format developed by the ICC (International Colour Consortium) for a data file used to describe the colour behavior and characteristics of an input, display, or output device. We use the profile sRGB IEC61966-2.1. For Giclée prints we use the AdobeRGB 98 color profile.
Color Space: A three-dimensional representation of colors that can be contained within a specific color model. A color space is built upon the Hue, Saturation & Lightness values.
RGB :Red, Green and Blue. This is used for photo printing.
CMYK : Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. The four colors in the inksets of many inkjet printers.