How to Prepare Family Photos for Large Prints and Canvas

Check the resolution

Print quality depends on pixels. A common rule is 300 pixels per inch for sharp prints. A 20 by 30 inch print at 300 pixels per inch needs about 6000 by 9000 pixels. Very large prints that are seen from a distance, such as canvas, often look fine at a lower number, around 150 pixels per inch.

If your file has fewer pixels, it can be enlarged, but enlarging cannot create detail that was never there. It is better to start from the original file.

Plan the crop

Photo sizes have different shapes. A 4 by 6 inch print, an 8 by 10 inch print and a square canvas all need different crops. If you crop only at the end, you can cut off heads or hands.

Tell us the final size and how the print will be framed. We can crop with the space for a frame or a canvas wrap in mind.

Color and brightness

A screen is bright and a print is not. A photo that looks perfect on a monitor can look too dark on paper. Skin tones are the most sensitive part: a small shift can look unwell in print.

We prepare the file with print in mind, adjusting brightness and color so skin looks natural on paper.

Sharpening for print

Sharpening for a screen and for print are different. A print needs a slightly different amount depending on its size and the material. Too much sharpening makes edges look rough and skin look hard.

We sharpen for the size and surface you choose.

Which files to use

Send RAW files if you have them, or the full-size original JPEG. Do not use pictures sent through chat apps or taken from social media, as these are small and compressed.

We deliver high-resolution files, 300 DPI masters, ready for your print lab.

Family and event retouching →