Expert: LizaL - 5/2/2006

Question
-------------------------
Wow! Lisa,

Your answer was very informative!  Thank you for taking the time to help me.  I spoke with the lab today at Robert's camera here in Indianapolis and they said they will try their best not to cut-off the image.  I'll get them back later today---so we'll see!

Also, I took the time to visit your site.  I did not know that you also did web design?  Are you very expensive?  I have been trying to find a creative director to build a photography and fine art site for my business PyroBlue and have not had much luck.  I was considering livebook.com, but they charge $1000 for you to set up your own site!  Is this the norm? I thought for sure that I could get a simple, creative, and professional site set up to showcase about 30 images (photos, and painting scans) for much less ($500 or under).  Do I just not understand the web design market?  I think I would only need a few pages---maybe a flash intro before you enter the site, a page dedicated to my paintings, and a page dedicated to my photography (travel, fashion, people, and urban categories).  Could your company help me with this?  Or could you maybe recommend some companies that do good work that would be in my range?  And if I'm out of spec. regarding price, please let me know! I don't want to approach anyone else if I'm underminding what they should be paid---I'm just a college student on a budget!  Please let me know,

Again, thanks for your help!










Followup To
Question -
Hi Lizal,

I recently did a photoshoot with my new SLR camera.  I downloaded the images to my laptop and retouched them with Adobe Photoshop 7.0.  I cropped the images using the tool from the marquee.  I cropped based on my preference---since I did a fashion shoot, I cropped so that I did not cut off any of the models limbs.

However, I have had an issue with prints.  I did not plan to print anything over a 11"x14", but I keep getting different results from different printers. Some labs are cutting off my photos! I know this may be their fault for not adjusting the photo before print, but how can I crop to my planned printing size in Photoshop 7.0 so I won't have this issue?

Please help!
Answer -
Hi Don,

I honestly can't think of how YOU could go wrong using the cropping tool, and cropping where you think the photo should be cropped. It's hard for me to re-create this, of course, since I'm not in the same situation as you are, and having my photos lab printed. But having worked extensively with Photoshop, as well as several photographers over the years, I just can't think of what you could be doing wrong with your crops.

That said, I have seen instances where a lab has done an incorrect crop on a photo. So my guess here is that it's the lab's mistake, not yours.

You mentioned using different printers/labs. My advice to you would be to find one good lab you can trust, and stick with them. It might be a process in itself to find a lab you like and feel comfortable with, but if I were you, I'd find one and stick to them. One photographer I've worked with has used the same lab for over 20 years, and they have a great rapport.

Another thing you should do is print the images on your desktop printer, at a reduced size, and outline in RED where you want the crop. This can be a color or a black-and-white proof; but you should have something concrete you can take to the printer to physically show them where you want your crop.

And as long as you have the image cropped where you want it, the lab should comply.

BTW -- I doubt this pertains to anything you're doing, because as I said, I believe the lab is causing your problem, in this case. But this link has kind of neat trick using the cropping tool, and a way to automatically figure out the degree of rotation you should use for straightening an image. Who knows, you might use it some time! This also looks like a pretty good photography blog.

http://www.photocritic.org/2005/straightening-an-image-in-photoshop/

Hope this helps --

Lisa

Answer
Hi again Don!

Well, I'm glad I could help you. One rule of thumb I've always gone by is that when you're talking to a printer -- and this goes for photo labs too -- don't ever be afraid to spell EVERYTHING out as clearly as possible, even if it means sounding redundant, or (literally) drawing them a picture.

In my very first job, I didn't do this on a particular layout I was submitting to our inhouse printer. I didn't ask enough questions of my boss, totally misunderstood some vital information, and instead of going back and asking for clarification, I laid out the job, and it wound up being printed wrong... all 5000 of them (if I remember right, I think they were brochures). So I'm never embarrassed to spell it out, make it clear, and if I don't understand something, I speak right up and say so. Much easier to do this in the beginning than to look stupid in the end!

About your Web site -- yes, I do Web design, although my own site is horribly outdated and as such, is missing some of my latest designs. But please email me at lizal@little-works. com and we can discuss this further. I'll send you my rates, you can tell me what you have in mind and we'll go from there! Don't worry -- I understand "college students on a budget." I taught them for 10 years!

Lisa