Page Size (revisited) and Preview in MP

[jolson13]

I am making my first photobook in MP and I have spent literally hours pouring through the posts and help documents to be sure that I will be creating my pages correctly. There is so much (different) information regarding correct page sizes that my head is about to explode. I am working on a guest photo book for my wedding in 5 weeks and I need this book to come out correctly the first time! I am using Photoshop CS3 Extended to create my pages so I can create my own photo layouts. I am creating a Deluxe Hardcover book. I created a blank document in Photoshop measuring (in pixels) 2850w x 2225h at 200ppi - this was from a previous post from My Publisher. (even though the help documents state 2633 x 2034 (?!?) I have imported a couple of pages to see how they look - the pages where I didn't use borders around the photos look fine (nothing was cut off in the preview). The pages I created with bordered photos needed some serious adjusting to see the borders. Everything I have read states that I need to be concerned about losing 1/8inch to 1/4inch of my final result. How do you account/measure for this when creating this page in Photoshop? I am putting borders around some of my pictures and I do not want the borders to be cut off nor do I want excessive space that I could have used because I was trying to guestimate 1/8 - 1/4 inch. If the preview in MP looks good - can I rely on that, or are you telling me that even though the preview looks good, I can still plan on losing that much of my page? Since I have taken the time to read through countless posts and help documents, and I am still confused, your help would be greatly appreciated!

[Cruiser]

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[jolson13]

Thanks for the reply....Are those sizes for a deluxe hardcover or a classic book? I am making a Deluxe Hardcover.
It's unfortunate that My Publisher does not give you an accurate preview or at least include guides to show you where your picture will be cut off. That's what I was worried about. For my pages without any borders around the pics - nothing was cut off in the preview, but I did not use guides in Photoshop to account for the 1/2" and 1/8" so I am sure I would have lost information in the print out.

In Photoshop, I know where to set the ppi, but everyone keeps mentioning dpi. They are not the same thing - where can you specify in Photoshop the dpi for a template?

Appreciate your help!!!

[jolson13]

Sorry Cruiser, I see where you state that you use that size for either book. I'm not sure I understand how that works. If you use the classic size for the deluxe book, then I imagine the deluxe book will resize your image to fit. Don't you still risk losing information along the edges because it is resizing it? Also, what method is MP using to resize..? I used the size you recommended in another post (14.63" W x 11.3" H at 200 dpi) with the appropriate guides in Photoshop and I still had to "zoom out" on the pages in which I included images with borders. I can't understand why there is so much guess work involved, it seems there would be clear cut previews to let you know exactly what will print. Seems like I just have to cross my fingers and hope...or use something else.

[Cruiser]

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[Cruiser]

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[jolson13]

I appreicate you checking different sizes. To me - this is a very frustrating shortcoming of this software. You use the dimensions they provide, and it still doesn't work - so you end up "tweaking" it and hoping for the best - all the while knowing that your preview isn't going to be accurate anyway. This photo book is too important for me to "hope" for the best and unfortunately I don't have the time or the money to purchase one just to see.

Also - no one has yet to explain how you set dpi in Photoshop. I'm pretty familiar with that program and ppi is different than dpi. Nowhere can I find where to set dpi. Can you explain?

I may play around with it a little more - but unfortunately my final solution may be to use another program.

[Cruiser]

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[kmk_01kmk]

Thank you for that link - I'm going to bookmark it!

[kzook]

Is there a way for me to see Cruiser's responses? I have the same questions but can't read the answers as Cruiser's msgs are deleted. thanks!

[kmk_01kmk]

Here was the link she provided:
http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/mythdpi.html