Photo Sizes / Ratios for self-cropping

[cosake]

Hi -

Can anyone please tell me what the sizes / ratios (4:3, etc.) are for the photo spots to drop pictures into ? I have pictures taken by different digital cameras at different resolutions and some of them don't fit quite right into the photo spots and then I have to resize them and make them smaller in MyPublisher, and then one photo on the page doesn't look the same as others. I would like to correct and crop them myself in advance in my editing software to the right size / ratio to fit in the portrait and landscape spots.

Thanks for any help !

[irusan]

I would strongly suggest not resizing your images to fit the aspect ratio of a page.

When I build a book, I don't actually concern myself with the ratio of the MyPublisher page. I am concerned with the final size of the page (like 11.25" wide by 8.75" high). If I know the final printed page size, I know how large a file size I need (a small 75kb JPG will never look good at full size). I also know what settings I need to use when creating a custom layout in Photoshop.

If you change the aspect ratio of the image to match the page in MyPublisher, you will get a skewed image that looks terrible. You always want to resize proportionally so that you keep the 3:2 aspect of the image.

For example, if I start with a square and resize it proportionally, I will still have a square (smaller or larger, but still a square) because I changed the size both horizontally and vertically by the same amount.

But, if I don't resize it proportionally, then my square becomes a rectangle. Not a big deal going from square to rectangle, but the same issue applies to the subject of your photograph.

HTH,

Rob

[mypublisher]

Here are the exact specs but PLEASE ensure you leave an extra 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch on all sides to allow for a small margin of error during production. Also don't place images that are important too close to the center/binding of the book.

For any of the full-bleed layouts with 1 Photo per Page, we recommend the following image settings:
Deluxe Hardcover

Landscape (horizontal) with the image resolution set at 180 dpi
14.63 inches wide
11.3 inches high
2633 pixels wide
2034 pixels high

Portrait (vertical) with image resolution set at 180 dpi
8.475 inches wide
11.3 inches high
2066 pixels wide
2034 pixels high


Classic Hardcover and Paperback PocketBooks
Landscape (horizontal) with the image resolution set at 180 dpi
11.3 inches wide
8.5 inches high
2040 pixels wide
1530 pixels high

Portrait (vertical) with image resolution set at 180 dpi
6.387 inches wide
8.5 inches high
1148 pixels wide
1530 pixels high

[cosake]

Hi --

Thank you for the quick reply on this. However, I was looking for the ratios of the individual picture spots on the templates; such as two portrait and one landscape space on the page to drop my pictures into -- not necessarily the full-bleed image size for one photo per page.

Also, I'm confused about the DPI setting that you mention. The DPI is a setting of the printer / printer driver and is not information retained/saved as part of my digital image -- I cannot force any of my images have a specific DPI.

Do you instead mean PPI ? Right now my individual pics are at 300 PPI; however if I digital scrap them myself into full-bleed images, they will be at 200 PPI. The last two books I submitted to MyPublisher had all pictures at 300 PPI and they printed just wonderfully.

Thank you.

[mypublisher]

DPI is if you are scanning a photo. Yes, it's for print. I can't give you the size for each individual picture spots, because there are so many of them. 300ppi will print nicely, you are correct. 200ppi should work out ok as well in a classic hardcover.

Sincerely,
MyPublisher

[cosake]

Thank you for the info -- now I understand. I won't be scanning images for this particular project.