# Poster size print question



## annamaria (Jul 17, 2016)

Hi everyone,

I would like to print this picture for my dad larger than 11x14. He is 88 years old and can't see as well as he used to. I'm thinking of hanging it up in his bedroom.  Walgreens has the following poster print sizes: 11x14, 12x18, 16x20, 20x30, 24x36.  All the pics I have of that day are in jpeg, so no raw. I shot in jpeg that day because I only one sd card with me.   This shot was taken at 300 mm at F4.5.  I know it's probably a little soft. I may have to choose another sharper pic.  View attachment 124815   I have not edited this photo at all.  I know I will need to do some editing in Lightroom.  So my question is this:  What is the largest size I could safely send to print?


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## JustBen (Jul 17, 2016)

The attached file doesn't seem to work for me, so it is hard to judge the picture. But if your dad's eye sight is not too good anyway, i guess he will not see possible flaws or softness in the picture if you blow it uo bigger.
Can you re-upload the photo in original size?


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## annamaria (Jul 17, 2016)

JustBen said:


> The attached file doesn't seem to work for me, so it is hard to judge the picture. But if your dad's eye sight is not too good anyway, i guess he will not see possible flaws or softness in the picture if you blow it uo bigger.
> Can you re-upload the photo in original size?



 I tried but it was too large of a file, so I had to resize and export in Lightroom.


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## vintagesnaps (Jul 17, 2016)

It looks nice, I doubt people in general would notice anything if you don't point it out! lol

In general I've found that if a photo is a little soft, the larger it goes the worse it gets. Depends I guess on the frame size and available wall space, but I might think about not too huge with a larger mat and frame. Black and white mat/frame to me would bring out the horse's coloring. The contrast too might be enhanced in a B&W mat/frame so that might make it better for your dad to be able to see it better. This subject should work well.

In my area the drugstores are the worst place to go for prints. Maybe consider possibilities and do some pricing, especially if this isn't the most perfect image. To me 11x14 can be a good size with a mat of a larger size in a larger frame, and a 16x20 would be plenty big (but softness might be worse).

If you have had other photos of yours printed, how do they look from across the room? Maybe that would help you figure out the size. I actually think a little less grass would be better to have the horse fill the frame a little more, but that might just make it softer looking.


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## JustBen (Jul 17, 2016)

annamaria said:


> JustBen said:
> 
> 
> > The attached file doesn't seem to work for me, so it is hard to judge the picture. But if your dad's eye sight is not too good anyway, i guess he will not see possible flaws or softness in the picture if you blow it uo bigger.
> ...



Hm, if a jpeg is already too large of a file i would go to a different company. I cannot recommend any, but there are a lot online. And if they know what they are doing, they take TIFF or PSD files.


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## table1349 (Jul 17, 2016)

As crazy as this may sound at first, I am going to suggest something a little different. 
Design Your Own Wallpaper - DesignYourWall

A friend of mine did a wall mural for her mother of their old homestead.  It was done quite large.  Her mother lived in assisted living due to various ailments.  It was put up in her mothers bedroom and almost covered one wall.  Her mother loved to lay in bed at night and look at it before going to sleep.  She said it even helped her mother sleep better.  She thought that it may have helped her remember home at night.  She said it was one of the best things she had ever done.  

If this is familiar or beloved horse it is something you might want to consider.  Just a thought.


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## annamaria (Jul 17, 2016)

vintagesnaps said:


> It looks nice, I doubt people in general would notice anything if you don't point it out! lol
> 
> In general I've found that if a photo is a little soft, the larger it goes the worse it gets. Depends I guess on the frame size and available wall space, but I might think about not too huge with a larger mat and frame. Black and white mat/frame to me would bring out the horse's coloring. The contrast too might be enhanced in a B&W mat/frame so that might make it better for your dad to be able to see it better. This subject should work well.
> 
> ...



Thank you Sharon for your ideas and suggestions. I will take them into account.  I may have to pick another photo with more sharpness to it, not necessarily a horse.  I had a feeling that at larger print size it would be even softer.  I may go with an online printer service instead of Walgreens.  Oh and yea I won't mention the softness, lol.


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## annamaria (Jul 17, 2016)

JustBen said:


> annamaria said:
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> > JustBen said:
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Actually I was referring to uploading and posting on TPF.


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## annamaria (Jul 17, 2016)

gryphonslair99 said:


> As crazy as this may sound at first, I am going to suggest something a little different.
> Design Your Own Wallpaper - DesignYourWall
> 
> A friend of mine did a wall mural for her mother of their old homestead.  It was done quite large.  Her mother lived in assisted living due to various ailments.  It was put up in her mothers bedroom and almost covered one wall.  Her mother loved to lay in bed at night and look at it before going to sleep.  She said it even helped her mother sleep better.  She thought that it may have helped her remember home at night.  She said it was one of the best things she had ever done.
> ...



 No it's not a crazy idea at all, I think it's nice thought.  Thankfully my dad has not had to go to a home, he lives with my sister, he loves it there because it's out in the country.  I want something my dad can look at while in his bed. The horse is just a shot I took in Cades Cove from a very far distance. I may just pick another photo with many horses and landscape scene, or perhaps some type of bird not sure yet.  I will definitely look at the link you sent me.  Thank you


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## KmH (Jul 17, 2016)

annamaria said:


> What is the largest size I could safely send to print?


What is the image resolution (pixel dimensions) of the photo after any cropping?
Watch the aspect ratio. You likely have a 3:2 print but some print sizes are 5:4, or 7:5.

pixels / ppi = print size
Or we do a little algebra
Pixels (in inches) / print size = ppi
Image resolution (pixels) and print resolution (ppi - pixels per inch) determine print size.

In other words if the image is 3000 pixels wide and you want to make a 36 inch wide print:
3000 px/ 36" = 83.3 ppi - not enough to get a decent print.

A large print is usually looked at from a distance and the ppi value can be lower than for a desktop size print.
So some more algebra:
Print size x ppi = pixels

If you want a 36" wide print and want a minimum ppi of 125 you need a image that is at least 4500 pixels wide.


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## annamaria (Jul 17, 2016)

KmH said:


> annamaria said:
> 
> 
> > What is the largest size I could safely send to print?
> ...



Thanks kmh I can't check it tonight but will check the aspect ratio etc. tomorrow.  Maybe I should not print it any larger than say 11x14, don't know. I'm sure that a sharper photo shot in large raw would help.  The horse shot is probably too soft anyways.  I appreciate all your detailed explanations. 




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## Dave442 (Jul 18, 2016)

I have a number of 36" wide prints from my 10mp camera. They look great from a couple feet away.


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## annamaria (Jul 18, 2016)

Dave442 said:


> I have a number of 36" wide prints from my 10mp camera. They look great from a couple feet away.



Thanks Dave that's encouraging. 


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## waday (Jul 18, 2016)

Also, I'm not sure about Walgreens prices, but Staples just printed something for my wife for a bridal shower. It's a photo of the bride and groom from a cell phone (not sure which one, but I'm guessing iPhone 6 or 6s). It actually looks great, and it's probably 36" on the long side.

Not bad for $20.


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## annamaria (Jul 18, 2016)

waday said:


> Also, I'm not sure about Walgreens prices, but Staples just printed something for my wife for a bridal shower. It's a photo of the bride and groom from a cell phone (not sure which one, but I'm guessing iPhone 6 or 6s). It actually looks great, and it's probably 36" on the long side.
> 
> Not bad for $20.



Thanks for letting me know, that's more encouraging news.  I will definitely give them a call.  


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## waday (Jul 18, 2016)

annamaria said:


> waday said:
> 
> 
> > Also, I'm not sure about Walgreens prices, but Staples just printed something for my wife for a bridal shower. It's a photo of the bride and groom from a cell phone (not sure which one, but I'm guessing iPhone 6 or 6s). It actually looks great, and it's probably 36" on the long side.
> ...


Yeah, definitely see what they have to offer. Also, just to be clear, I'm talking cell phone shot printed from Staples. So, given that, the quality of the photo is great. It's all relative.


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## KmH (Jul 18, 2016)

IIRC Walgreens prints larger than 8x10 at an a central facility, not at the local Walgreens store.
Walgreens store prints are usually made using a Fuji Frontier C-print mini lab machine and so are not inkjet prints.

My 10 MP, Nikon D200 delivers a 3:2 aspect ratio image that has image resolution of 3872 × 2592 pixels.

To print 36" wide - 3872 px / 36" = 107.5 PPI.
100 PPI is often the lowest print resolution a print lab will do, so a print will have sufficient quality their reputation won't suffer.
I know that Mpix, the consumer outlet of Miller Professional imaging, had/has a 100 PPI minimum print resolution.


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## annamaria (Jul 18, 2016)

waday said:


> annamaria said:
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> > waday said:
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Of course iPhone 6 and beyond do take pretty good pics, it's great to know that a cell phone can give you some decent results, of course they say that the best camera is the one you have on you. 


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## annamaria (Jul 18, 2016)

KmH said:


> IIRC Walgreens prints larger than 8x10 at an a central facility, not at the local Walgreens store.
> Walgreens store prints are usually made using a Fuji Frontier C-print mini lab machine and so are not inkjet prints.
> 
> My 10 MP, Nikon D200 delivers a 3:2 aspect ratio image that has image resolution of 3872 × 2592 pixels.
> ...



Hi kmh I've been gone most of the day and have not had a chance to check my ratio yet.  I really do appreciate your further explanations.  It's a great help.  I will study the table u posted. You have quite a brain [emoji3] thanks again.  


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