As much as I agree with much of Brooks Jensen’s commentary on print size, I can’t deny there is some unmatched excitement when seeing some of your images printed very large. By large, I am referring to 20×30, 24×36, 30×45 (inches) and up.
Now and then, I get requests for prints at these sizes. In fact I just delivered a job for an art consultant client requiring three 30×45 prints for a corporate headquarters. Sometimes big open spaces require something big to fill them. More often than not, particularly for places like hospitals and offices – they want prints of these sizes.
Of course, big prints mean some pretty big file sizes. The image here was enlarged to 30×44 inches at 200 dpi, which resulted in a 233 MB files size. Even with decent cable internet, it takes awhile to upload this file to a lab. Processing is pretty much the same as you would with smaller print files, except you have to keep in mind that every bit of that image is going to be magnified a lot more than you are used to. So you have to be meticulous about dust spots or the slightest flaws – reviewing every inch at 100% magnification. The image has to be very sharp in its native state, otherwise focus errors become exaggerated. It also helps to have some computer horsepower in processing these large files.
Sharpening is also important because you are likely interpolating your file up from something that is much smaller in its native state. You are going to see some loss of sharpness, but much of that can be recovered through careful use of the tools available these days. Much more than many people think actually. I have become a fan of using PixelGenius’s Photokit Sharpener because of the various staging methods it offers and tools that really overcome interpolation induced softness. I will even add grain from time to time to give digital enlargements a more ‘natural’ feel.
So what if you are unsure if your image will look ok when blown up this big? An easy way to check is to enlarge it to the size you want, sharpen – and then crop out a section for output on whatever size inkjet printer you might have. It will give you a good idea if too much detail is lost, or if you are over or under sharpening.
Having accurate profiles from the lab you are sending to, and a calibrated monitor are absolutely critical if you are ‘pre-flighting’ the file yourself. Some labs will offer you some savings if you work up the entire file yourself (“pre-flight”) and all they have to do is print it. But in this case, mistakes are very expensive. Many of course will color correct, upsize, and sharpen the file for you for a premium, but you relinquish a bit of control. Most will offer you proofs upon request.
Getting the prints at your door is the moment of truth. If you did most of the work yourself, you have a hundred questions in your head. Did I color correct and saturate enough, sharpen enough, went too large?, etc, etc. I’ll be the first to admit that handling prints at these size can be quite stressful because they are extremely delicate. Usually they are shipped rolled at these sizes because shipping cost and packaging is quite ridiculous to ship them flat.
You need a very big, clean open space to unroll them to take a look. Cotton gloves are a must – and you must remember to never pick a print up by anything other than opposite corners. Doing otherwise will give you a nice crease to an expensive piece of work. I don’t like lifting them at all unless absolutely necessary. But I will unroll of course to check the print over and sign it. Rolling them back up is also a very delicate process to make sure edges don’t leave marks on the face of the print.
When everything goes right, you end up with some large pieces that have impact and draw a lot of attention. When I go to art shows, I see quite a few photographers offering these huge prints these days – big 40×60’s. I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into transporting them safely.
I think the people that usually buy these sizes have particular spaces in mind for them. Large great rooms, conference rooms, large hallways, waiting rooms all typically have large open walls. A small piece of art can simply be overpowered by the huge amount of space surrounding it.
While I don’t think a photograph has to be printed large to have a significant response from the viewer, in some situations, it is needed just to be noticed.
Once a computer can tell the difference between such things, you have to wonder where it will lead – robots with greater visual capabilities – perhaps even cameras that can warn you of compositional distractions like “Are you sure you want that twig poking in the frame?” or “Did you see that Coke can?” Imagine how it can simplify the laborious task of keywording if you can simply type “Red Trillium in bark” into your own database and have it find them without ever having to keyword the images.
