PI12 = How to get edited photo to be developed correctly?

[gem]

PROBLEM:
=======
I want to edit some digital photos PRIOR to photo lab development, eg. add border, remove an object etc...........Following lab development pics are developed incorrectly, eg. 2 out of 4 sides of border cut off, part of pic missing etc.

How do I ensure that my photo order is correct for development?

------------------------------------------
My laptop ----> Sony Vaio PCG K23

My camera-----> Kodak CX 7300 3:2 Mega pixels http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/cx7300.html

SEQUENCE:
=======
- download photos using Kodak software
- transfer photos to WinXP Home "My Pictures"
- edit pics using PI 12 - NO Templates used, personally custom edit the photo
- Save edited version as new image JPG
- use PI 12 Print Review to ensure pic fits within the 4 x 6 area
- then go to my local photo lab website to place Online Photo Order
- directly upload pics to their online order site
- pics are always developed differently.... areas cut off, etc.


STEPS TAKEN without Success:
====================
- resized both individually & batch using preset 4 x6
- resized both indivdiually & batch custom sized at 3 1/2 x 5, thinking it would be developed smaller, result = pic stretched, and border not shown
- adjusted individually & batch pxels 1800 x 1200, then 800 x 600, then 600 x 400
- followed lab suggestion to use preset 4 x 6 at different resolutions included: 600, 1200, 1600, 2400, 3200
- followed lab suggestion to order "Border" for additional area for pic to be developed


STEPS TAKEN with SUCCESS:
===================
- by using PI 12 - Print Review features - Fit to Available Space, Centre Horizontally, Centre Vertically
- then
- printing photo on my home printer
- pic comes out as I wanted...


However, it is cheaper to print photos at lab versus at home ...
current project of family gathering 300 pics + with nearly 100 hours of editing, have all returned from photo lab incorrectly:(


**NOTICED:
- when I preview pics on photo lab order website, pics appear to fit in their printing area, but once developed are cutoff..
- .also I've noticed that my pics are always toooo big, to use their edit adjustment feature --->zoom out, so can't reduce my pic size there


QUESTIONS:
========
1. WHat am I doing wrong?
2. How do I get my edited digital photo to be developed correctly at 4 x6?
3. Would Fixed Ratio Feature be problem? Use it? or NOt?
4. Can P1 12 Print Review layout settings be saved-when I use those features can I save that adjusted image within Print Review? then I can order that saved edited image?


PhotoLab unfamiliar with PhotoImpact... I tried searching your data base for similar info

Responses/comments very appreciated...

Thank you,
Gem[/img]

[heinz-oz]

The symptoms you describe are due to the wrong aspect ratio. You need to know which paper format you want these images printed on and crop accordingly. The common paper formats, i.e. 6 x 4; 7 x 5; 10 x 8 and 18 x 13 are all different aspect ratios.

In PI you can select a crop ratio, lock the aspect and then select what you want on your picture. After cropping, the image will print completely on your paper of choice.

[gem]

GOSH that's terrific response time!

Thanks for the info....
I'm in learning curve and will let you know how this turns out
Thank you,

Gem
Canada

[heinz-oz]

PROBLEM:
=======
I want to edit some digital photos PRIOR to photo lab development, eg. add border, remove an object etc...........Following lab development pics are developed incorrectly, eg. 2 out of 4 sides of border cut off, part of pic missing etc.

How do I ensure that my photo order is correct for development?

------------------------------------------
My laptop ----> Sony Vaio PCG K23

My camera-----> Kodak CX 7300 3:2 Mega pixels http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/cx7300.html

SEQUENCE:
=======
- download photos using Kodak software
- transfer photos to WinXP Home "My Pictures"
- edit pics using PI 12 - NO Templates used, personally custom edit the photo
- Save edited version as new image JPG
- use PI 12 Print Review to ensure pic fits within the 4 x 6 area
- then go to my local photo lab website to place Online Photo Order
- directly upload pics to their online order site
- pics are always developed differently.... areas cut off, etc.


STEPS TAKEN without Success:
====================
- resized both individually & batch using preset 4 x6 how exactly did you do that?
- resized both indivdiually & batch custom sized at 3 1/2 x 5, thinking it would be developed smaller, result = pic stretched, and border not shown
- adjusted individually & batch pxels 1800 x 1200, then 800 x 600, then 600 x 400
- followed lab suggestion to use preset 4 x 6 at different resolutions included: 600, 1200, 1600, 2400, 3200 an image does not have any measurements in inches or cm, only pixels. How big the image will print depends on how many of these pixels you squeeze into an inch or cm.
- followed lab suggestion to order "Border" for additional area for pic to be developed


STEPS TAKEN with SUCCESS:
===================
- by using PI 12 - Print Review features - Fit to Available Space, Centre Horizontally, Centre Vertically
- then
- printing photo on my home printer
- pic comes out as I wanted... because printing is done from within PI. Some of these settings are not saved with your image.


However, it is cheaper to print photos at lab versus at home ...
current project of family gathering 300 pics + with nearly 100 hours of editing, have all returned from photo lab incorrectly:(


**NOTICED:
- when I preview pics on photo lab order website, pics appear to fit in their printing area, but once developed are cutoff..
- .also I've noticed that my pics are always toooo big, to use their edit adjustment feature --->zoom out, so can't reduce my pic size there zooming only has an effect for the display on the screen. It does not effect the image itself.


QUESTIONS:
========
1. WHat am I doing wrong? Many things because you don't know. Not your fault.
2. How do I get my edited digital photo to be developed correctly at 4 x6?Crop the image to the correct aspect in PI. Note: If you crop for 6 x 4 and then print on 7 x 5 you will have the same problem again. It is important to crop for the correct ratio or select the correct paper size for the original image aspect ratio. My EOS 350D has the correct aspect ratio for 6 x 4" but my S45 has an aspect ratio of 4:3, great for a TV but not to print on paper. I invariably have to crop these.
3. Would Fixed Ratio Feature be problem? Use it? or NOt?Don't understand what the question is?
4. Can P1 12 Print Review layout settings be saved-when I use those features can I save that adjusted image within Print Review? then I can order that saved edited image?No.


PhotoLab unfamiliar with PhotoImpact... I tried searching your data base for similar info

Responses/comments very appreciated...

Thank you,
Gem[/img]

I answered some of your questions in red above. What are the source image dimensions in pixels x pixels?

[gem]

Gosh Heinz...

.... thank you for all info you have provided.!!..Been full day of trying to understand ratio etc. (math challenged).. On elementary level...my camera photos are too big, do not fit into 4 x 6; so they need to be cropped....and I sure do like the "locked" crop feature...

Challenge is:
----> I've already edited, cropped, adjusted, developed photos...now I'm editing the edited... I'm really cognizant in trying to salvage as much as I can in this patch work, due to the many hours already spent on this project. Anyhows, I think I've got a few figured out nicely.. I've now ordered dozen as a TEST RUN.... will pick them up tomorrow, hopefully they turn out as great as they looked when I ordered them online...

I really appreciate time taken to answer my questions...despite the challenges, frustrations, I'm ending this day knowing more than when I started.

THANK YOU !!!.... You are my hero ~~
gem
West Coast CDA

[gem]

By the way,

you may already have this info, but the following link was sent to me today----- guideline chart for various aspect ratios..

http://home.comcast.net/~igpl/Aspect.html

Looks informative....but first I need to learn the language
thanks again!
gem

[heinz-oz]

It's really quite simple, aspect ratio is the relationship of the width of an image to the hight of it. A 6 x 4 aspect means nothing else as that the with of the image is 6 units (any unit will do) and the corresponding hight is 4 times that same unit.

You are incorrect in stating that your source images are too big to fit on 6 x 4 paper. If you print these with a border, the border width will be different vertically and horizontally. If I'm not mistaken, your cameras images are of a 4 x 3 aspect or image width divided by the image hight = 1.33. That means you will have to crop each image regardless of which standard paper you want to print on. There is no photo paper with that aspect ratio.

Normally, you would not worry about that because, often, you don't notice if the sides or the top and bottom of your image is not all there on your print. It becomes painfully obvious because you add a frame to it. Only a fraction of that missing and a blind man could feel that with his cane, sorry about the punt.

Thanks for the link. I find that more confusing than enlightening because of the jargon used. If you know which paper you are going to be using for the print, set the crop aspect in PI to that and lock the ratio. Drag the selector across the image to make a selection. You will notice that the hight of the selection changes when you drag one of the side handles. That is because the ratio is locked. It's very easy to select just what you want in your image and click ok to crop. The image is now of the correct aspect ratio to fit your selected paper.

One more thing. When opening an image in PI, the very first step should be Ctrl+D, this will duplicate the image. Close the original and save the duplicate under a different name in UFO format. Regardless of how many changes you make to that image and save, the UFO format is lossless and doesn't cause you any loss of quality. Your original is also safe. After you have finished with your image you can "Save As.. >jpeg" or any other format your printer will accept and also save the UFO if you have sufficient space on your HDD. The UFO format preserves all the objects on your image and can easily be modified if need be. The jpeg is automatically merging all objects into one image.

Hope that helps. Feel free to ask more questions if something is not quite clear.

[gem]

***Good News***

Picked up the Test Photo Batch from photolab...very pleased with image quality, very very slight cut off on frames, artist notices

You have been a "life jacket" of info & support...
========================
THANK you!!!
========================

[heinz-oz]

Don't mention it, you are welcome Glad to have been able to help and you were a worthy recipient of that help. Good luck.