Frequently Asked Questions

Digital images:

Digital images on disk should be of good quality with sharp focus, good detail and high (on most cameras, a quality setting of high) resolution.

Preferred formats:

EPS, PNG, BMP, TIFF,TIF or RAW formats are preferred. JPG's or JPEG's are suitable only if they are not overly compressed or blurry. We ask that you don't "tweak" images by re-sizing, cropping, color correcting, adjusting the brightness/or contrast or sharpening and then send them to us for correction or enhancement. We need to start with the image in its original state. Every time a JPG is saved, it is further compressed. Compression removes pixels (data) from the image and produces a low quality image with compression artifacts.

Resolution of digital images:

The size of an image is expressed in pixels, both height and width. An example would be a 4" by 6" digital image that has a resolution of 300 pixels per inch: it will be 1200 pixels x 1800 pixels. When that image is converted to 72 pixels per inch and resampled to make it ready for the web, it will be 288 pixels x 432 pixels. The image at the top of this page is 1400 pixels by 180 pixels, the one on the left side is 315 pixels x 315 pixels.

Resizing:

If possible, don't resize or "down sample" your image unless it is a very large file size (more than 1MB).

We can make images smaller with minimal loss of quality. Making an image larger results in significant loss of quality because the pixels must be spread out or added to to create filler. If an image needs to be enlarged, providing a print photo will allow us to scan it to a larger size and resolution with better results.

Corrections and enhancements:

It is best not to try to make any corrections and enhancements, such as color, brightness, or cloning of portions before submitting your images. Again, it is preferable to leave the image in the original form.

Scanning Tips

photos, artwork:

• Scan your original photo at 400dpi (this is a good resolution for correction work).
• For very small photos or artwork in business cards or letterheads, scan at 600dpi or higher.
• Make sure your scan is the best quality for that photo or artwork.
• Save the scan image as a JPG file with the highest quality setting under your image options.
• Because the image is scanned at a high resolution, the final file size will be larger than most images you've uploaded or downloaded on the web.
• Remember, the higher the resolution, the higher the image quality will be.
• If you don't have access to a scanner or don't feel comfortable scanning, most print places such as Kinko's can scan an image for you.
• Artwork should be scanned professionally - it's tricky!
• Visit the links page for helpful information.

Negatives and Slides:

Use of a local mini lab for conversion is the best and least expensive option.

Sending Images:

preview for consult:

Email a JPG (for which there is no fee) at a resolution of 72dpi and explain what you want us to do. Within 24 hours you will receive a quote for the services you desire and an explanation of the results to expect.

Submitting images:

• Small files (less than 1MB) can be emailed
• Very large files can be FTP 'd to us. A folder name and password will be supplied for this.
• Originals, appropriately packaged, can be mailed. Please contact us for a mailing address and instructions.

Permissions:

Written permission from subjects to use their pictures must be obtained. Be mindful of copyrights and make sure permission is obtained before submitting images of an artist's work.

Pricing:

All pricing is based on a preliminary review of the image submitted and the requests for work to be done. This can vary between $15.00 and upward.

Payment:

Cash or check,

Other Questions:

Feel free to contact us regarding any questions you have.

Image Content:

We do not work on images which are pornographic in nature or politically incorrect. Please respect our choice.