Better quality photos

[alphaboo]

I know that most of the images here tend to be found gold but a few must be photos taken by the posters. I know that Canada girl stuff are photos that they take and post and are done excellently and can be enlarged without detail lose.

I wish I had photos to post but my young and wild days were pre-digital and I have no photo record.--SIGH--. I used a manual 35 mm canon slr then. I now use a manual 35 mm nikon slr and a digital nikon point and shoot and a digital d500 nikon slr. Techniques vary for each but there are common rules for all to ensure good resolution that can withstand enlargement.

Is there anyway we can tell people unschooled in or new to digital photography how to take photos that will stand up to enlargement without becoming a blur. Maybe help in posting them so the can be enlarged without losing too much detail or how to take the photograph so when it is enlarged past a 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 image is doesn't end up looking like a bunch of blurry squares. On so many photos if you just click on them they lose too much detail. Some aren't even viewable as posted.

As i said most of the stuff here is stuff we find but on those occasions when we do get lucky enough to take the photo it would be nice for photogs to understand how to take a good quality photo that can be enlarged without losing detail and without having to read a book that's geared to serious digital photographers who use digital slrs.

Should this be a new forum or do most members feel there is no need for it?

[Klondike]

Originally Posted by alphaboo

I know that most of the images here tend to be found gold but a few must be photos taken by the posters. I know that Canada girl stuff are photos that they take and post and are done excellently and can be enlarged without detail lose.

I wish I had photos to post but my young and wild days were pre-digital and I have no photo record.--SIGH--. I used a manual 35 mm canon slr then. I now use a manual 35 mm nikon slr and a digital nikon point and shoot and a digital d500 nikon slr. Techniques vary for each but there are common rules for all to ensure good resolution that can withstand enlargement.

Is there anyway we can tell people unschooled in or new to digital photography how to take photos that will stand up to enlargement without becoming a blur. Maybe help in posting them so the can be enlarged without losing too much detail or how to take the photograph so when it is enlarged past a 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 image is doesn't end up looking like a bunch of blurry squares. On so many photos if you just click on them they lose too much detail. Some aren't even viewable as posted.

As i said most of the stuff here is stuff we find but on those occasions when we do get lucky enough to take the photo it would be nice for photogs to understand how to take a good quality photo that can be enlarged without losing detail and without having to read a book that's geared to serious digital photographers who use digital slrs.

Should this be a new forum or do most members feel there is no need for it?

To talk about taking photos that can "withstand enlargement" is like asking for money that grows on trees. I think I know what you are talking about, but your question is framed in such a way that it seems you expect digital photography to be able to do magical things that it really can't. There is nothing really magical about the process. You buy a decent digital camera and set it to take large pics. You point that camera and click the shutter. Then you upload those pics. Often these pics will APPEAR to be able to withstand a considerable amount of enlargement on your computer because your browser or software is not displaying them at full size when you first open them. But once you ARE viewing them at full size, the quality will degrade just like any other pic as you continue to enlarge past that point. But again, there is nothing magical in digital photography on the issue of enlargement. The "magic" is in the fact that your monitor may be tricking you into thinking these pics can withstand considerable enlargement. In reality, you've just taken and uploaded a very big pic that your browser or software first downsizes so that it can get it all on your monitor. So just buy the camera and set the pic size to "large" and the rest should take care of itself. Really, there isn't a lot of in depth reading you need to do. I have not had any problems in this area as I moved into digital - just followed basic instructions on taking, importing and uploading photos. Hope that helps.

KLondike

[Klondike]

I didn't read your post carefully enough to realize it was not you wanting to learn how to do this, but you wanting to know how we can teach others. My advice is the same of course, but sorry that it was directed to you as if you were the one not "in the know".

Klondike

[dro]

Like Klondike said, take the largest size possible that the camera allows. But before you do that, check the settings on your camera. Some cameras have adjustments for .jpeg compression. Raw would be the best to save the file as but is not internet friendly so .jpeg format is favored. Doesn't matter if you shoot .jpeg, Raw and convert to .jpeg or edit .jpeg photos, make sure the output settings of the camera and the software you are using saves the file with no additional compression or as little compression as possible. Manually check all the settings before saving. Compression is not your friend if your looking for quality.

[dro]

Originally Posted by NorthernBoy

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will keep that in mind. Can you tell by the pictures taken what was wrong with the camera settings when the picture was snapped?
NB

You can see the camera settings in the EXIF data. In windows, right click on the picture and select properties then details and it should list the EXIF data.

[alphaboo]

I say thank you to Klondike for his comments. I also do agree that a large amount of material is found gold.

I also hope that I did not come across as condescending, I worked with film for many years and it took me some trial and error and a bit of reading to get the best res photos out of a digital camera. Plus I ignore most of the bells and whistles the camera has. I don't expect posters to use a flash when the sun is behind their subject the first time they use a camera, it takes time to learn things like that, I am just happy that there are photos being taken and posted here in the first place.

Maybe I'll get some good losing bikini tops at the beach this summer because I don't go to the wild bars I used to. At least my GF doesn't complain about this site. Plus I think she is a little bit tempted to show off. Maybe a towel photo to start off with.

Thanks

I also included an example of a photo than can take a lot of enlarging. Just for something to look at.

It also helps me if I click on the photo while in OCC to enlarge and then save it. There are different techniques for saving photos so they will have the most detail. I have no idea if you can do this with video clips.

[happyshagger]

That picture hardly takes any enlarging before you can see the squares, because it is very low resolution. I like the girls though, so maybe they are just making my eyes go funny....

[oguy]

Originally Posted by dro

Like Klondike said, take the largest size possible that the camera allows.

If you want pictures that will withstand enlargement, the first step is to buy a digital camera with a high pixel count.
These days even the cheapest digital cameras seem to be 3 megapixels. Many cameras are 5 or 10 megapixels.
I started digital photography with a Sony Mavica, which was about 0.3 Megapixel.

[alphaboo]

when I open this in preview I can fill my 20" screen and only start to lose detail in the blond's hair. Can this be a Mac (which I have) vs PC problem?

I click on the photo to get it full size, drag it to my desktop and open it with preview. I can then get this to fill my whole screen with very little lose of detail, mostly pixels are starting to appear in the blond's hair.

Are you viewing the photo on your TV? (just joking).