Photography is one moment of life that remains in memory for many years. Whatever happens, when you take a photograph in your hand, time seems to go back. Yes, you can’t return the past, but no one forbids you to remember!
Not a single person can imagine his life without photographs. Every important event should be captured on photographic paper. Even those who don't like taking photos for their own use can't refuse to have them on their documents. Sooner or later, everyone goes to a photo salon to take a passport photo or make a portfolio.
What are the sizes of photographs for printing?
Due to different purposes, there are several sizes of images, each of which performs a separate function. What are the sizes of photographs for printing? Since the popularity of this procedure is growing, there are, accordingly, quite a lot of formats. We are talking about small sizes - this is a passport photo in 3 by 4 format or a regular photo for a photo album 10 by 15 or 13 by 18.
Photography is not a vital thing. You can live without pictures, because all memories are stored in memory. But, thanks to advanced technology, we still have the opportunity to look at captured moments and remember the moments. It's amazing that such ideas appear in our heads.
To prolong a happy moment, they take a snapshot, be it a wedding or the birth of a child - everything is captured. Afterwards, you just need to print out the received photos and put them in your album. More recently, people used film, but now digital technologies have pushed it out of the sales market. The big advantage of progress is that the resulting image is visible immediately, that is, there is no need to wait and think about how the photo turned out.
Photos for documents
The most common type of photo is a passport photo, which has several requirements that must be met. One of the main ones is a 3 by 4 photograph. The size must comply with the standards, otherwise the documents will not be accepted for consideration.
When submitting a package of documents, government agencies require two photographs. This photo is taken within a few minutes and is completely ready for further use. In addition to the passport, photographs are often taken with student documents or a driver's license. A 3 by 4 photograph is printed, the size of which is identical to the passport version. Although it is worth considering that sometimes a 3.5 by 4.5 photo is accepted for a passport.
The photo salon knows all the regulations, so no need to worry. You just need to tell us which document you need to take a photo on. After all, photographers know what sizes photographs are available for printing. Professionals in their field have a full hand, dozens of people pass through them every day.
Amateur photos
Among the common types, amateur photography is also distinguished. These are simple photographs that depict both people and nature. The most popular format is a 10 by 15 photograph. A standard size in which the outline of a person or object is clearly visible. Ideal for decorating a photo album.
These are not all formats. But the question arises, what are the sizes of photographs for printing. There are quite a lot of them, for example, you can select an A4 landscape photograph, or, speaking in the language of a photographer, 21 by 30 centimeters. This size is used for large photographs, usually with the aim of creating a portfolio, since all the features of a person are clearly visible on it. Photography 13 by 18 is also in demand - this is a slightly smaller format. Typically used to frame a portrait.
How do pixels affect the quality of a photograph?
Pixels are the smallest unit of size, in other words, the number of dots in an image. When there are few such points, the picture turns out blurry, with unclear contours. A large number of pixels makes the photo bright and clear; it can be enlarged to almost any size, for example, in 21 by 30 format.
The quality of the photograph and its size depend on the maximum resolution. Today there are almost no devices left that take low-quality pictures. Since even the most ordinary phones have a camera with two pixels in their arsenal.
This indicator determines in what format the photo can be printed in the future. Although such a standard size as 10 by 15 works anyway. The fewer pixels, the worse the quality of the photo. If the most ordinary photograph can be easily framed in size 10 by 15, then, for example, it will not be possible to enlarge it, since the picture will not be clear.
If you want to take high-quality professional photography, you need to contact a photo salon. A photographer, like no one else, knows how to direct the light correctly and will help you choose a beautiful pose. A professional will adjust the photo to the required format and print it on photo paper.
How to print a photo of the required size?
There are also two options for printing a photo. Although now such a service is in less demand, since many people are just on the computer. But, you can see that these are completely different feelings. After all, when you hold a photograph in your hand, it’s as if you are getting closer to the depicted moment.
In order to hold a photo in your hand, you need to print it, and this can be done in two ways: at home or in a salon. At home, photos are most often printed in a standard size of 10 by 15. But photos of a larger format cannot always be made of high quality, because this depends on the size of the photo paper and the capabilities of the printer.
Why are there so many photo sizes?
The fact is that various events happen in life that you would like to remember for a long time. The most ordinary photo format cannot convey the entire atmosphere. When you take a larger photo, for example in a 21 by 30 format, you immediately become a participant in those happy moments.
Time tirelessly runs forward, but thanks to the photo, a person remains unchanged. So you can experiment and frame the photo in different formats, then see which photo will fit most harmoniously into an album or apartment interior.
For a novice user, the Photoshop program will seem like a magical tool that, with mysterious ease, can change any photo beyond recognition. But how!? Tell! How he does it? What is the mechanism? What happens inside the photograph that it changes in any way, as if it were a chameleon? Nothing complicated, you just need to know what digital photography consists of and what rules apply to it, then everything will fall into place.
Namely, this is the type of graphics that Photoshop works with; it consists of tiny elements - pixels, like any object made of the smallest particles - atoms.
Pixels- these are tiny square-shaped elements that contain information about color, brightness and transparency. The term comes from crossing two English words - picture (image) And element.
A digital image file consists of vertical and horizontal rows of pixels that fill its height and width, respectively. The more pixels an image contains, the more detail it can display. They are elusive to the human eye because they are negligible. You'll have to zoom in a lot to see them:
Pay attention to . The visible part of the image is marked with a red frame. I zoomed in to 1200% on the area where the panda's nose and mouth are. As you can see, the image consists of a set of colored squares. When enlarged, it looks like a patchwork quilt of square pieces.
By looking closely, you can understand the basic principles of image construction:
1. Pixels are square in shape and arranged in a grid in the image (think of a checkered notebook sheet).
2. Squares are always strictly one specific color; they cannot even be a gradient. Even if it seems to you that some square is shimmering in color, then this is nothing more than an optical illusion. Enlarge this area even more and you will see this.
3. A smooth transition between colors occurs due to gradually changing tones of adjacent pixels. Even the line of contact of contrasting colors can contain more than a dozen tones.
Image Resolution
The concept of image resolution is inextricably linked with pixels.
The resolution of a digital photograph is written as follows: 1920×1280. This notation means that the image is 1920 pixels wide and 1280 pixels high, that is, these numbers are nothing more than the number of those very small squares in one row and column.
By the way, if you multiply these two numbers - 1920x1280 (in my example it turns out 2,457,600 pixels), then we get the total number "shreds", of which a specific image is composed. This number can be reduced and written as 2.5 megapixels (MP). You came across such abbreviations when you got acquainted with the characteristics of a digital camera or, for example, the camera in a smartphone. Equipment manufacturers indicate the maximum value that their product is capable of. This means that the higher the MP number, the higher the resolution of future images can be.
So, the higher the resolution, the smaller the pixels, which means the quality and detail of the image increases. But a photograph with a higher resolution will also weigh more - such is the price of quality. Since each pixel stores certain information, as their number increases, more computer memory is required, which means their weight increases. For example, the photo with bears at the top of the article with a resolution of 655x510 weighs 58 KB, and a photo with a resolution of 5184x3456 will take up 6 MB.
Pixel sizes and printing
It is important to differentiate situations when we talk about pixel sizes and their impact on the quality of the photo.
Looking at images on a monitor screen, we see that the pixel sizes are always the same. The computer resolution size is considered 72 dpi.
Note
Please note that when you create a new document in Photoshop, the program offers you exactly this value by default:
When viewing large photographs on a computer, for example, 5184 × 3456, you can feel how detailed it is, there is no grain and no defects, it is bright and clear. But believe me, such a photo is again 72 dots per inch. Just for fun, let’s open the image properties:
A large photo will look great on a computer due to its scale. What is your screen resolution? Obviously not 5184x3456, but smaller. This means that the computer must reduce such a photograph so that it fits entirely on the computer screen. The pixels are compressed and their sizes are reduced, which means great image quality. If you were to view such a photo at its original size, you could easily see blur and fade in the image, as well as hard edges of contrasting details.
Pixel sizes are something that people mostly think about when it comes to printing a photo. Here 72 points may not be enough.
For example, I created a document measuring 655x400 pixels with a resolution of 72 pixels. Look at the column print size:
Photoshop has calculated that an image of 655x400 with a resolution of 72 pixels can be printed on paper measuring 9.097x5.556 inches (in centimeters this is 23.11x14.11)
655 pixels wide divided by 72 pixels per inch = 9.097 inches wide
400 pixels divided by 72 pixels per inch = 5.556 inches in height
It would seem, “Wow! What a big sheet of paper you can print on!” But in fact the photo will look something like this:
Blurred photo, no sharpness or clarity.
Printers are considered high-resolution devices, so in order for photos to print beautifully, you either need to print photos initially at a large size, like mine 5184x3456, or change the number of dots per inch in the range of 200 to 300.
I’ll take the same 655x400 image again, but change the number of pixels to 200, this is what Photoshop writes:
The print size has decreased by almost three times. Our image now prints 200 pixels onto 1 inch of paper.
What happens is that the image will be small, hardly fit into a standard 10 by 15 photograph, but it will be of high quality, clear and detailed.
It turns out that there is a certain minimum resolution for printing photographs. If the picture is initially small in size, as mine was, then there’s nothing to even think about good print quality.
What size should an image be in order to print it beautifully?
Let's say you came back from a vacation from Crimea, or took 100,500 photographs of a child and, of course, want to print something in a photo album (example 1), and make one of the most remarkable ones in the form of a painting on the wall (example 2). Let's figure out what size such photographs should be and whether modern cameras can achieve this.
Example 1
So, as a rule, a photo album contains photos of the size 10×15 cm(in inches this is 3.937×5.906). Now we’ll find out what the minimum photo size should be for everything to print beautifully. For calculations we take a resolution of 200 dpi.
200 pixels per inch x 3.937 inches wide = 787 pixels;
200 pixels per inch x 5.906 inches high = 1181 pixels.
That is, a photograph 10×15 cm = 787×1181 pixels, minimum (!)
And having learned the total number of pixels in this resolution (787 × 1181 = 929447 pixels), rounded to the nearest million, we get 1MP (megapixel). I have already written that the number of megapixels is the most important characteristic of modern cameras. The average number of MP in cameras and smartphones reaches approximately 8 MP.
This means that current technology will easily make it possible to take photographs that are immediately suitable for printing images in 10×15 cm.
Example 2
Now let’s look at the case when you have chosen a photograph and want to hang it on the wall in a frame measuring, say, 30x40 cm (I took the frame size from the IKEA store catalog), I’ll immediately convert it to inches: 11.811x15.748. For this size of photo, I would take the maximum resolution size: 300 dpi, this is already considered professional and the highest quality print (just what you need for a large framed picture). And now the calculations:
300 pixels per inch x 11.811 inches wide = 3543 pixels;
300 pixels per inch x 15.748 inches high = 4724 pixels.
Therefore, your photo must be at least 3543x4724 pixels. We multiply the values and get 16,737,132 pixels or 17 MP!
Thus, to print a photo into a frame, you will need a powerful camera. In this range are already being considered. And this is an expensive and serious type of technology.
In general, you should now be able to understand at least a little how the Photoshop program works and how all these photo editing shenanigans are achieved. Having learned about pixels, their properties and capabilities, this process should no longer seem like magic.
If you notice an error in the text, select it and press Ctrl + Enter. Thank you!
Let's get acquainted with some terms that are used in the world of digital photography.
Linear photo size is the width and height of the printed photograph in millimeters. The linear size of a photograph can be obtained by measuring it with a regular ruler. For example, the linear size of a 9x13 photograph is 89x127 mm.
Pixels- these are the points that make up the image. Just as a mosaic is made up of pieces, a digital photograph is made up of pixels. The more pixels, the finer details can be seen in the image.
Size in pixels is the width and height in pixels of a digital image. For example, digital cameras take pictures of standard sizes 640x480, 1600x1200, etc., and the number of pixels displayed on a computer monitor is 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024.
Permission is a number that relates the size of the image in pixels and the linear dimensions of the print. It is measured in the number of pixels (dots) per inch (1 inch = 25.4 mm) - dpi (dots per inch). The recommended resolution for printing high-quality photographs is 300 dpi. Practice shows that the minimum acceptable resolution for printing photographs is 150 dpi.
In most cases, you print photos of standard format 9x13, 10x15, 13x18, 15x20, etc. Each format corresponds to strictly defined linear dimensions. For each format, you can calculate the recommended dimensions of the source image in pixels so that the resulting print has a resolution of 300 dpi or more.
For example, the linear dimensions of the 9x13 format are 89x127 mm. Multiply the height of the photo (87 mm) by the resolution (300 dpi) and divide by the number of millimeters in one inch (25.4 mm), the result will be the number of pixels of the original image in height
89*300/25.4=1027 pixels.
Same for width
127*300/25.4=1500 pixels.
Thus, for any image whose size is larger than 1027x1500 pixels, when printed on a 9x13 format, the resolution will be greater than 300 dpi. In practice, it often happens that a photograph with a resolution of 150 dpi looks no worse than the exact same one, but with a resolution of 300 dpi, it depends on what is shown in the photograph and from what distance it will be viewed.
When placing an order online, the system automatically determines which formats are recommended for printing the uploaded photo. If you have chosen a format other than the recommended one, then a corresponding message is issued, and The administration is not responsible for the low quality of the printed photograph.
Table of standard formats and corresponding linear dimensions.
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Photo format |
Linear dimensions for digital printing |
Photo size in pixels (for printing 300 dpi) |
- inkjet or less commonly laser. We also all know that there are certain popular photo sizes. But what are the standard photo sizes for printing? Let's put them in a table in which we list all the sizes of photographs for printing.
Quite often, when we decide to print our photographs, we encounter a problem and ask ourselves: what size should they be? Of course, most modern digital cameras automatically select the required photo resolution, but it also happens that you need to print photos downloaded from the Internet or captured on your phone, what to do in this case?
First, let's answer the question - why should you know (and accordingly adhere to) standard photo sizes for printing? The point is that having come up with standard photo sizes, photographic paper began to be made in the same size. Therefore, the correct ratio of height and width of the photograph is very important. Otherwise, the photos will end up stretched both in height and width. The resolution of the image is also important - it affects the quality (sharpness) of the image when printed.
The sizes of photographs for printing are shown in the table
Where there is a standard or format, this is the aspect ratio that it is advisable to adhere to so that you do not have to crop or stretch the photo. The second column contains the photo sizes in centimeters, the third in pixels, I think this is understandable.
Standard sizes The photos have dimensions of 10.2 x 15.2 cm (highlighted in the table) - these are the usual album photos that we are used to seeing.
What to do if the photo has different dimensions?
Let's say you compared the sizes of photographs for printing, the table of which was presented above, and found out that your photo has different sizes, what should you do in this case? If the aspect ratio is different, then simply increasing or decreasing the centimeters will not do. You will have to crop the image to the desired format.
How to quickly crop a photo to the desired size?
There are two main ways.
The first way is to use the simplest image editing program. Almost all versions of the Windows operating system have Paint program in the "Standard Programs" tab. Having opened a photo file in this program, you need to drag the border of the picture on the right or bottom and thus crop the photo to the desired size in pixels. The image size in pixels is shown at the bottom of the program window.
The second way is to use specialized image editing programs. Most often used Photoshop program- she is the most popular and the most professional. I note that we need to precisely adjust the photo to the desired format (depending on the version of the program, the location of this button may change - just squeak it on the toolbar).
Hello!!!
In the 20th century, photographers had no questions about the format of the image being created. Back then it was possible to develop a photograph of any size. Now there are several formats that are most popular. This is explained by the prevalence of standard photo albums; in them, photographs of a non-standard format do not look very attractive.
What are the sizes of digital photos?
An ordinary photograph printed on photo paper has only physical dimensions. Digital photography has many more different properties. Theoretically, you can print almost any image. But if this process occurs at a pixel density of less than 300 dpi, then some artifacts will appear on the printed photo. Therefore, there are some restrictions, which will be discussed below.
Photo sizes in pixels
The most important parameter is the size (resolution) of the digital image. Computer programs display photo sizes in pixels. To print a standard photo, you need a resolution of at least 1795 x 1205 pixels. Any digital camera can now take a picture of this size. Even in mobile phones, it is very rare to find cameras that cannot save photos in this resolution.
Photo dimensions in cm (centimeters)
A standard format is one that has physical dimensions of 10 x 15 cm. For printing memorable photographs, a larger format is usually chosen. Standard photo sizes also include 15 x 20 cm, 20 x 30 cm and 30 x 45 cm. Printing these photos will require high resolution images. Typically, a compact, system or SLR camera is used for shooting in this case.
Aspect Ratio
An equally important parameter is the aspect ratio. This property shows how much longer one side is than the other. The standard aspect ratio is 3:2. Most matrices installed in modern cameras have the same parameter. Sometimes other ratios are provided in the camera menu. When you select them, a banal cropping of the edges of the image occurs. In this case, the resolution is reduced to one or another value.
Often photographers choose an aspect ratio of 16:9. It's called widescreen. Now many monitors and TVs have the same parameter. On them, such pictures are displayed in full screen. But the sizes of photographs for printing also change. The width of the printed image must be increased. When choosing a standard print format, you will have to crop off a fairly decent part of the image.
Photo paper
The emergence of new standards is dictated by photo paper manufacturers. No photo lab will print a photo of an unusual size for free, since this will require cutting the finished photo. And this already applies to additional services.
Small photo sizes
Several popular formats were mentioned above. And in the table below you will find more accurate information about what photo sizes are available. But this is not the most complete list. Recently, people have been regularly printing pictures on A4 photo sheets. For such photographs, appropriate frames have been produced for quite some time. You can also order their production from framing workshops.
Miniature photographs are now extremely rarely printed. The size of a small photograph can be 9 x 13 cm. If you need a photo for your wallet, you will have to print it yourself on a printer or make a custom order at a photo salon. For photograph sizes, cm is not always used as the primary unit of measurement. Photos for documents (driver's license, passport, etc.) are measured in millimeters, since in this case greater accuracy is important.
Large format printing: photo sizes
Recently, large format printing has gained great popularity. This is the name of the service for printing large-sized images with an aspect ratio of 3:2 or any other. Typically, this service is required for printing banners with vector graphics for advertising or greeting purposes.
Photo sizes rarely allow for printing in such large formats. From the table above you can see that to produce a high quality 40 x 60 cm print you will need a frame with a resolution of 4000 x 6000 pixels. Only cameras with a 24-megapixel matrix can provide such a photograph.
Conclusion
It is advisable to always have the above tables at hand. With their help, you can quickly find out to what values you can reduce the size of the photo if necessary.
