Top Tips for Getting Professional Prints of Your Photos

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I remember the days of shooting on film and having to physically deliver them to the photo lab for developing.

It seems like such a long time ago, particularly given how far cameras and photo printing have come.

I mean, if I wanted to, I could use the printer on my desk to make small prints that are every bit as good of quality as I could get from going to a place like Walgreens.

But another area that's advanced rapidly is the professional printing space.

Not only have technologies become more and more sophisticated such that the prints produced are better than ever, but so too have things like the substrates on which images can be printed.

Now, printing on paper seems so old school with things like acrylic and metal prints taking the photography world by storm.

With all the possibilities for getting prints made of your photos, the question is, what can you do to ensure those photos are the best quality?

Watch the Resolution

As far as photo printing has come, there's still one major obstacle even the best printers can't overcome - resolution.

If you want the best results, you have to ensure that the images you want to be printed are a high enough resolution for the size of the print that you want.

To maximize your image's resolution, aim for 150ppi. That's optimal for a full resolution print in the neighborhood of 24x36, although you could probably go to 30x40 and still get gorgeous results.

Mind Your File Type and Size

Some printing companies are a little restrictive regarding the types of files they can work with, so you need to double-check their requirements on this issue.

For example, some printers only work with .JPG or .TIFF files. Others, like Artbeat Studios, can also work with .PNG and even .PSD files, too.

Additionally, you have to keep an eye on the size of the file you try to upload to a printer's website.

Again, some printers are more restrictive than others - some require files to be less than 50MB.

Others allow you to go up to 100MB, giving much more leeway when uploading your images.

Get the Color Profile Right

When outputting your image, you need to make sure it's in RGB.

What's more, the workspace needs to be set to Adobe RGB 1998.

To change the workspace in Photoshop, simply go to Edit > color settings. Then it's a matter of saving your file and checking the "Embed Profile" box.

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Inquire About Custom Sizes

Some printing companies require you to squeeze your images into predetermined sizes. While that makes it easier on them, it means that you have to do more work deciding which parts of the photo to include in the print and which ones to crop out.

But some printing companies, like Artbeat Studios, offer custom-sized prints so you don't have to try to fit your photos into a standard format. That means you can include the entire photo in the print!

It's easy to do so, too. Just size the image to your liking in Photoshop or Lightroom, and then when you upload it to their website, simply choose the "Actual Size" option.

Of course, if your image is already in a standard format, you can go that route too!

Learn more about resizing your images and preparing them for printing in the video above by Artbeat Studios.

Get Advice About the Right Media

One of the great things about photography today is that there are so many different types of prints that you can get.

There's dozens of types of photo papers, canvas, metal, acrylic, wood, and so forth that you can choose from.

What's more, there's dozens of online printing companies that you can use to get your prints made.

That means you have to sift through a ton of different options to find what will work best for your images...

Or, you can partner with Artbeat Studios, and they'll advise you on the best media to use for printing your images.

Just email them a low-resolution version of the image you want to print, and they'll offer their expert recommendations for the course of action you should follow.

Not only does that make it more likely that you'll get the highest-quality print, but that also saves you time from having to try to figure out what media is best all on your own.

I'd Like to Offer a Little Advice of My Own as Well...

If you're thinking about getting a large print made, you really can't go wrong with HD Metal Prints from Artbeat Studios.

I mean, WOW. These things are attention-grabbers for sure! The one I'm holding in the image above is a whopping 36x48!

What stands out most is the colors in these prints. Artbeat studios color checks all prints on color calibrated monitors, that way the image is spot on before it's printed.

The results, as you can see, are vibrant, contrasty, and breathtaking.

What's more, HD Metal Prints are built to last. The image is heat infused into a specially coated ChromaluxeTM aluminum sheet which results in a print that's water-resistant, UV-resistant, and even scratch-resistant, too.

If you have portraits or landscape photos to print, I'd recommend opting for the white metal surface as that results in highly detailed and vivid prints. If you have a black and white photo, go with the silver surface as it turns all the white tones in the image into gorgeous silver tones that give the shot additional contrast.

If you want a print that has tons of depth, opt for a glossy finish that adds a dramatic shine to the print. If you want something more subdued, choose a matte finish.

Look into customizing the print on the back as well.

By that, I mean look at the different wall mounts, hanger styles, and mounting options, like whether the image has a flush mount - which gives it more body - or a recessed mount, which gives it a floating appearance on the wall.

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The point here is that getting a high-quality professional print made requires more than simply Googling "photo printers" and choosing the first one on the list.

Not only does the quality of your prints depend on the quality of the photo you take, but it also depends on the people responsible for printing and mounting the image.

For my money, Artbeat Studios is one of the best in the business. They use cutting-edge technologies, offer top-shelf products, and are always at the ready to help you make critical decisions so you get the very best print.

What's not to like about that?!