File Size & File Preparation Guidelines

File Preparation:

• Accepted file formats are JPG, TIFF, and PNG, but JPG is preferred.

• 8-bit RGB files only

• Embedded color space should be either sRGB or Adobe RGB.

  • Other color spaces can be embedded, but our processes may not be able to reproduce all the colors within larger gamuts, such as ProPhoto RGB.

• If you are ordering multiple print sizes from the same image, only one copy of that image is required, so long as it is a sufficiently high resolution for the largest size you wish to order.

• If you have done any retouching work on the image in Photoshop, make sure that all layers are flattened before saving your final copy.

• For large orders, such as individual proof prints or proof books, we recommend exporting them at the size of the print or the size of the section on the proof sheet. This will reduce the time required to upload the order, as you would not be sending files larger than needed for that product.

• Our printers will render each image at the optimum resolution for the print size. However, this will not improve the quality of low-resolution files.

File Formats:

JPG

• 8 bits per channel

• Baseline Standard encoding (Progressive encoding will cause problems with the image in ROES, and possibly in our system)

PNG

• 8 bits per channel

TIFF

• 8 bits per channel

• No layers

• No alpha channels

• Image Compression: NONE, LZW, or ZIP

• Pixel Order: Interleaved

Naming Your Files:

Do not use special characters when naming your image files. Use of Special Characters will require filenames to be changed before we can process the order. This will delay the production time, and possibly incur extra charges for the renaming service. Special characters include the following: ~ ` ^ : & * ( ) | ' " , ? © [ ] < >

Monitor Calibration:

In order to insure that the colors on your monitor match the colors in the prints you receive from Bay Photo, it is best to have a properly calibrated and profiled monitor. You can try some evaluation prints without calibrating your monitor but you will get more consistent and repeatable results if you do calibrate.

Photoshop Settings

Additionally, you need to make sure that you are embedding an ICC profile into the files you send to BAY PHOTO. We recommend that you use either sRGB or Adobe RGB (1998) as a working colorspace.
Below are the directions for proper setup of your Photoshop Color Settings:

• Open Photoshop and go to Edit > Color Settings in the menu bar. If you are using Photoshop CS3 or earlier on a Mac, the menu location is Photoshop > Color Settings.

• Go to Working Spaces and for RGB Files select either "sRGB IEC61966-2.1" or "Adobe RGB (1998)"

• Under Color Management Policies next to RGB select “Convert to Working RGB"

• Next to Profile Mismatches check “Ask When Opening” and “Ask When Pasting”

Whenever you open a file that is in a color space other than your working space, Photoshop will prompt you to convert to the working color space. If you would rather not be prompted when opening a file with a different imbedded profile than your working space, you can uncheck the “Ask When Opening” box and the “Ask When Pasting” boxes next to Profile Mismatches. Photoshop will then apply your working space to files that are in a different color space or with a missing profile.
VERY IMPORTANT: When you save your files, make sure to check the “Embed Color Profile” checkbox in the Save dialog box or your working profile will not be embedded and we will not know the colorspace of your files leading to inaccurate color.

Recommended File Size

Digital Cameras measure their resolution in pixels. These pixels are NOT measured per inch, but are a total count of how many pixels were used to capture the entire image. If you take a digital photo at 1600x1200 pixels, the total pixel count of the captured image will be 1,920,000 pixels. Whether you print this 1600x1200 image as a 8"x10" photo or an 16"x20" photo, the original file will still have 1,920,000 pixels.
Photos intended for print should be taken at the highest [pixel] resolution possible for the best print quality. Lower resolution photos printed at larger sizes may stretch the pixels beyond the point where they look clear and sharp however it is amazing how large you can print a small file that is sharp and properly exposed. View your files at 100% in an image application such as Photoshop, this will give you an excellent representation of how the file will print.

Print Size Minimum Image Resolution

*File sizes are full image sizes not compressed jpeg size. In other words your jpeg size will be smaller than the file sizes listed above. To view and display the file sizes listed above, open the JPEG in an image application such as Photoshop to check the Image Size.

What is an image histogram?

A histogram is a very powerful measuring tool that graphically represents the data within an image file. Having an understanding of a histogram will enhance your camera’s exposure which determines the pixel values of your image. Having properly exposed images is the #1 thing to improve color management.