Digital online printing sites can be a great way to get your prints delivered straight to your home, but they do require a bit of preparation in order to get the best quality possible. The quality of the print you get depends on the image you use. There are a few things you can do to optimize the image file before sending it along for printing.
The first thing you need to do is upload or scan your picture to your computer's hard drive. This is simple if you have a digital photo, but will be a bit more complicated if you are using an actual print photo. In that case, you will need a good scanner to get the image onto your computer. If you only have a few pictures to scan, it may be more economical to take them down to copying service store and pay to use their scanners. Printing stores generally have higher-quality equipment than the average home user.
Now you need to open up your photo editing software. This can be either a standalone program or the photo editing tools offered on the site itself. Many sites give you a set of free tools you can use to touch up your photos before sending them on for printing. Each site's user interface will be different, so look around to find one that is easy to use and meets any specific editing needs you have.
Many digital cameras and scanners rotate your image so that it is upside down. You can easily fix this by using a rotate tool in photo editing software. Just click the rotate button until the picture is right side up. Red eye is another common issue with digital pictures. If you don't want the red eye effect to appear on photos, you'll need to do some correction. Today's editing software for photos usually comes with a feature that makes this very easy.
Be sure to save your image file in a format that is compatible with the online site you are using. For the best quality output, you need the best quality file for input. Use the .jpg or .gif extension with the highest possible quality offered by your software.
You may have other adjustments that need to be done to your photo before you send it for printing. With the number of free editing tools available, it is easy to adjust the color, hue or saturation. You can also use your own desktop photo editing software. Simply open your photo image, and look for the tool that will adjust these settings. There is usually some sort of slider bar that will let you adjust the desired settings. Continue to tweak and adjust until you are happy with the end product. After all, you can't change it once you have already sent it off to be printed. Avoid additional printing fees by checking everything ahead of time.
MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to create a free online photo album and quality digital photo printing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=MJ_Johnston
Friday, March 6, 2009
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