Selling digital images......

[Rene`]

First of all let me say, I have never sold a digital image. I don't make a practice of burning CD's because I don't want people to take my images to a cheap processor and then try to pass if off as my quality. But, I have had a customer request 4 digital images to use on her computer desktop.

The question I have is how do I size it so that she can use it on her computer, facebook, my space --- whatever, without her being able to make good prints.

Based on what I was reading on Smugmug..... I think that I need to resize it to a width of 800 pixels and a height of 600 pixels. But should I use a resolution of 300 or 72 or does it matter?

Also, how much do people charge for low resolution images?

Thanks for any input!

[Angelo]

Hi Rene

Have you tried using our super-duper search feature? You'll find this topic has been discussed many times before with lots of good info waiting for you to read. :thumb

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[Toshido]

To make it nice for a desktop it would need to be rather high resolution. For example even my little 12.1" laptop has a desktop resolution of 1280 x 800. I think an image size anything other then the size of the desktop is virtually useless as a desktop image.

As for sizes to limit printing i have decided on limiting the "proof" digital files I provide to 4x6 at 200 dpi, giving them an 800 x 1200 pixel image.

Of course nothing will stop them from trying to print it larger than intended, and it would likely be "good enough" for them. Just read the reasons why prints are returned to smugmug, resolution is virtually unheard of. Also larger the print the lower the dpi requirments.


For a simple answer to your question though. You don't.... Any size you give will eiter too small to be usable or large enough to print.

Only solution I see is price it as such. Give her a file at the resolution of her desktop and charge her through the nose.

Also remember, virtually everyone owns a scanner now so price it rediculous and she could also buy a decent size print and scan it in to her computer anyways.