Big Picture - September 2018 - 6

NEWS

Through the Lens:
A Large-Format
Photographer Offers Tips

BIG PICTURE

September 2018

BY BILLY ELKINS

6

As a professional photographer, my client requests run the gamut. Some
days, I'm called upon to shoot products that will be used in an online
catalog. And other days, I'm asked to create images that will span 80 feet
long by 20 feet high.
How do I jump from one to the other? How do I ensure the images I
create can be used within that vast size range? And what are some simple
tips to make this possible?
Honestly, it can be overwhelming trying to decide the settings and
sizes that will best capture the image. So, to be on the safe side, I use the
largest size I can within my camera. Inevitably, the one time you decide
to capture using a smaller option, say for a postcard, the client will ask for
a vehicle wrap.
Remember, all printers have specifications for the type of printing
they provide. Traditional offset printers prefer images to be 300 dpi at 100
percent of the printed image size. Wide-format printers have a range of
resolutions they work with depending on the viewing distance of the final
print or installation. Again, they may say they prefer images to be 150 dpi
at 100 percent of the printed size (for posters or large photo displays) all
the way down to 50 dpi, or lower, at 100 percent of the print size (for
vehicle wraps, wall installations, or billboards). It's important to understand that having just one part of that equation isn't enough information.
Which leads me to the most important tip I can offer: communication.
Asking the client about the single use the image will have and talking
directly with the print service provider who will be providing final prints
allows me to capture exactly what I need. If I know there's a possibility
that an image will be used larger than traditional printing, I will approach
the photography differently. I'll not only bracket (capture varying
exposures of an image), but I'll also create overlapping images, almost
like a panorama, so that I have much more resolution to allow for
enlargement. When I know the final output and use, the final size, and the
preferred resolution requirements ahead of time, I can be sure to capture
everything I need in the beginning.



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - September 2018

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20200607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20190607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20180607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20170607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20160607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201603
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201509
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201503
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201408
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_mediainksourcebook1314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_sourcebook1314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201309
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/bp_201209
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