How Do I Make an Image for a Book?

[puppychew]

Hello - I am writing a book for the first time. There will be a real lot of photos, mostly of houses. Being able to see the details in the architecture is important but not so much for perfect color. In the section I am working on, I would like the images to be approximately 2x3 inches. The pictures were taken with a cell phone using a 4000 x 3000 resolution setting, resulting in a 9-megapixel image. In photoshop I am cropping them at 4000 x 3000. Why that size, I don't remember.

I'm unsure whether I should convert them into a smart object before changing the image size. What settings to use in the Image Size dialog box or if there is a special way I need to save the images other that file save as jpeg.

I would really appreciate any advice! Thanks!

 

[IamSam]

Here are some guidelines easily found on the internet.......




You can also look here.....

A simple guide to image publishing for books

If you are an author in need of a simple, comprehensive guide to the basics of image publishing, then look no further!

greenhillpublishing.com.au

Calculate Pixels, DPI, PPI, Inch, mm, cm - Online - Pixelcalculator

The best calculator for image processing, printing, and editing. Resolution (Pixel, Mpx) ↔ Pixel density (DPI, PPI) ↔ Picture size (mm, cm, in)

pixelcalculator.com

 

[IamSam]

I'm unsure whether I should convert them into a smart object before changing the image size.

I would convert your images into Smart Objects.

What settings to use in the Image Size dialog box

According to the calculator set to your image dimensions of 2in x 3in, your pixel size is 600px x 900px at 300ppi (which translates to dpi).

if there is a special way I need to save the images other that file save as jpeg.

TIFF would be best.

 

[puppychew]

Wow - thank you! When I open up the image in PS, do I need to convert the working space at that time?


Next after fixing the image in PS I crop it to 900 x 600

Then I adjust the image size to resolution of 300 which changes the width/height to 3750 x 2500. I then change that to 900 x 600 and hit OK.
Original image properties from phone was 4000 x 3000 72 dpi



When saving as a TIFF file there is an option for CMYK but I am unable to check it.



The next part - I changed to "Discard Layers"


I realy appreciate your help. Sorry if I may be asking dumb questions but I have been using PS for some time, but always in the same way, and never mess with the settings, so I am quite intimidated by all this. I just want to check that I do things correctly.

 

[IamSam]

You're very welcome!

 

[puppychew]

You're very welcome!

I just wanted to check - is what I have above correct even though I cannot change the color to CMYK?

 

[IamSam]

I cannot change the color to CMYK?

You change the mode here before you save........

 

[puppychew]

It seems that I lose quality and the image becomes quite pixilated when cropping the image. The photo was 4000 x 3000 cropped and reduced to 900 x 600. Making it a smart image before cropping did not help.

 

[puppychew]

I am assuming to select "Don't Merge"


I select "Don't Rasterize" - guessing that is best.



I don't understand this but I guess I select "OK"

Does this look correct?

 

[IamSam]

Sorry to be so late in answering. I've been very busy the past two days.

It seems that I lose quality and the image becomes quite pixilated when cropping the image. The photo was 4000 x 3000 cropped and reduced to 900 x 600. Making it a smart image before cropping did not help.

What method and settings are you using when downsizing/cropping the images?

Does this look correct?

Yes! I would do exactly the same!

 

[puppychew]

Hi - I am taking pictures of houses from across the street so I realize that a photo taken closer would be sharper. The image size is 4000 x 3000. To improve the sharpness I brought the photo into Topaz Gigapixel AI and increased the size to 24000 x 18000 px.

After making my adjustments in PS, I create a smart image. I next tighten up the image and crop it to 900 x 600. This shrinks the image to a postage stamp size. When I zoom in the image is pixalated but so much better by using the Topaz Gigapixel.

The size I need is 3x2 inches and maybe I am being overly critical by zooming into an image that will only be displayed 3x2 inches where the lack of sharpness in the details would not be seen.

After cropping, the image size dialog box shows 900x600 300 dpi. Before I had to change the dpi from 72 to 300 and the w x h from a very high number to 900x600 but strangely for some reason now nothing has to be changed. I then File-Save As a TIFF.

 

[IamSam]

I next tighten up the image and crop it to 900 x 600. This shrinks the image to a postage stamp size.

What method and settings are you using when downsizing/cropping the images?

 

[puppychew]

I just use the crop tool. I don't know of any other way.

 

[IamSam]

Sorry again. I thought I had responded to this!

I just use the crop tool. I don't know of any other way.

Don't use the Crop Tool!!

This is a house image...


This is the Crop Tool being used on the house image....


This is the house image cropped......


This is the original house image resized using IMAGE > IMAGE SIZE.......


It is first resized to the desired height of 600px (or you could resize to the desired width...........depending on how much room you have).


With the Crop Tool, then crop the width to 900px by dragging the either the left or right side transform handle.



No loss of sharpness or pixelation.