Don't Want Jagged Edges (resizing photos)

[w7ptt]

Hello,

I am a professional photographer, and I wish to do a book of my personal work. I want to put together a Deluxe Hardcover Book with a Jacket. The size of book I want to print will be 15" x 11.5". Each page will have one photo on it, either horizontal or vertical.

When I print up my work as a regular photograph, I have a narrow black border around the image, then a nice white border. It gives the image a nice matted/framed look. For example lets say I am printing a photograph on 11x14" paper. The image is roughly 6.5" x 10", then approximately an 1/8th inch black border, then white border out to the edge of the paper (11" x 14"). The black border and white border is built into my image file (JPEG or TIFF). I have had good success with being able to take my files to any photolab and get them printed up.

Recently, I have a book printed up by Blurb.com. I must say the color balance looked good, the borders looked good, but I had jagged edges along straight lines (I have not had this problem on any prints I have had made). I found out that if I hovered my curser over their book making software it would give you the optimum size in pixels inside the layout window. I then took all of my photos and made sure the photos did not go beyond that size, and I then did not have any jagged edge problems. Blurb.com wants your image files at 300 dpi which is no problem.

Last night I downloaded the software that mypublisher uses. I am impressed with how nice the software interface appears. What I need to know is the following. I do not want my photos to do a full bleed out to the edge of the pages, so how do I not have my photo go out to the edge of the pages? No matter what size I made the photo, it would stretch it out to the edge of the page.

Let's say for example that the size of the page is 15" x 11". My file will then have an image that is 11" x 7.5", an approx 1/8th inch border, then white taking you out to 15" x 11". I want to be able to do this without any jagged edges appearing. Every time I would bring a photograph into the software, it would stretch it out to the edge of the page. I could shrink it down by using the minus magification tool, but that will result in weird jagged edges. Is there a way to find out the optimum pixel size for the container area in a photo page (one photo on a page either horizontal or vertical). Also need to know working area for the front jacket.

Also, is 200 dpi the highest resolution I should be using in this book? Will 300 dpi be ok or stick with 200 dpi? I want the best quality possible.

Thanks
Bill
w7ptt@aol.com

[mypublisher]

HI Bill - see below for my answers to your quesitons:

> Hello,
>
> I am a professional photographer, and I wish to do a
> book of my personal work. I want to put together a
> Deluxe Hardcover Book with a Jacket. The size of
> book I want to print will be 15" x 11.5". Each page
> will have one photo on it, either horizontal or
> vertical.
>
> When I print up my work as a regular photograph, I
> have a narrow black border around the image, then a
> nice white border. It gives the image a nice
> matted/framed look. For example lets say I am
> printing a photograph on 11x14" paper. The image is
> roughly 6.5" x 10", then approximately an 1/8th inch
> black border, then white border out to the edge of
> the paper (11" x 14"). The black border and white
> border is built into my image file (JPEG or TIFF). I
> have had good success with being able to take my
> files to any photolab and get them printed up.
>
> Recently, I have a book printed up by Blurb.com. I
> must say the color balance looked good, the borders
> looked good, but I had jagged edges along straight
> lines (I have not had this problem on any prints I
> have had made). I found out that if I hovered my
> curser over their book making software it would give
> you the optimum size in pixels inside the layout
> window. I then took all of my photos and made sure
> the photos did not go beyond that size, and I then
> did not have any jagged edge problems. Blurb.com
> wants your image files at 300 dpi which is no
> problem.
>
> Last night I downloaded the software that mypublisher
> uses. I am impressed with how nice the software
> interface appears. What I need to know is the
> following. I do not want my photos to do a full bleed
> out to the edge of the pages, so how do I not have my
> photo go out to the edge of the pages? No matter
> what size I made the photo, it would stretch it out
> to the edge of the page. DEFAULT, OUR SOFTWARE AUTOFITS IMAGES INTO THE MOLDS. YOU CAN SIMPLY USE THE ZOOM OUT OR ZOOM IN FEATURE TO GET THE PHOTO TO THE SIZE YOU WANT IT TO APPEAR. COMPLETE WITH THE PRELOADED BORDER YOU CREATED. USE PREVIEW TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN PRINTED.
>
> Let's say for example that the size of the page is
> 15" x 11". My file will then have an image that is
> 11" x 7.5", an approx 1/8th inch border, then white
> taking you out to 15" x 11". I want to be able to do
> this without any jagged edges appearing. Every time
> I would bring a photograph into the software, it
> would stretch it out to the edge of the page. I
> could shrink it down by using the minus magification
> tool, but that will result in weird jagged edges. Is
> there a way to find out the optimum pixel size for
> the container area in a photo page (one photo on a
> page either horizontal or vertical). Also need to
> know working area for the front jacket. - YOU SHOULD NOT SEE JAGGED EDGES. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS AS AN ISSUE BEFORE ON OUR BOOKS. OUR BOOK PAGES ARE 8.58 BY 11.08 INCHES THAT INCLUDES .04 ON ALL 4 SIDES FOR BLEED. PAGES AREA CUT TO 8.5 BY 11. YOU REALLY DON'T NEED TO BE CONCERNED WITH THE EXACT SIZE THOUGH, JUST USE ZOOM IN OR ZOOM OUT.
>
> Also, is 200 dpi the highest resolution I should be
> using in this book? Will 300 dpi be ok or stick with
> 200 dpi? I want the best quality possible. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THINGS IN 300 DPI USE THAT, IT WLL LOOK THE SAME.
>
> Thanks
> Bill
> w7ptt@aol.com