4x6 print sizes

[jlauren]

Hi there,

Andy sent me to this section of the forum as I wasn't sure where to ask this question:

I'd like to provide my clients with dvds featuring low-resolution files so they can make prints only up to a 4x6 size, in hopes that they'll visit my Smugmug site and their client gallery to purchase enlargements.
Can you please tell me what size I should resize the images to for this specific purpose (assuming clients will take their images to generic labs like Walmart or perhaps even a professional lab) Thanks so much!

Jlauren

[ChatKat]

If you give them 4x6 files, they will try to print them bigger and then it will look poorly on you. I'd just point them to your smugmug site for ordering. The prints are nice, customer service excellent and you can select the lab, the paper and sizes and price them so that you can earn what they are worth. You also can edit/crop etc. before the order ships

[jlauren]

If you give them 4x6 files, they will try to print them bigger and then it will look poorly on you. I'd just point them to your smugmug site for ordering. The prints are nice, customer service excellent and you can select the lab, the paper and sizes and price them so that you can earn what they are worth. You also can edit/crop etc. before the order ships


This is a good tip to keep in mind for future shoots...thanks so much. The only thing is, a photo dvd/cd WAS promised for several shoots and I need to stick to that promise....

[Toshido]

I plan on doing similar. I am offering a roughly 1 mpix file. Basically it comes out to 800x1200 file which prints as a 4x6 at 200dpi.
I feel this is more then adequate for digital purposes, facebook, e-mails, etc... and still allows for 4x6 prints.

Reason for this to me though is that I have a power user account with smugmug so all my print sales will be going through me. I simply do not want to bother with 4x6 prints. I am figuring that quality differences in print will show more in larger prints and 4x6 prints are practically disposable now adays. i give them to my 4 year old to play with.

So I only have to deal with 5x7 and larger prints to reduce my headache nad I feel most customers would want a digital file for electronically sharing.

[Cygnus Studios]

ChatKat is correct. If you give them 4x6 files, they will print 8x10 and the photos will look horrible.
They will blame the photographer and hire a different one for the next shoot.

[schmoo]

If you give them 4x6 files, they will try to print them bigger and then it will look poorly on you. I'd just point them to your smugmug site for ordering. The prints are nice, customer service excellent and you can select the lab, the paper and sizes and price them so that you can earn what they are worth. You also can edit/crop etc. before the order ships

This is pretty good advice, admittedly not one that I'd even thought of at first. :thumb

Don't forget you can also customize your pricing in Smug so that you only offer 4x6's in the gallery... and they'll be great, sharp 4x6's to boot!