Photzy

PRINTING & SHARING IMAGES IN LIGHTROOM

Quick Guide
Written by Kent DuFault

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 Photzy recently received this email from one of our Recommended Reading: If you do not have
followers: a copy of the Fundamental Editing premium
guide yet, you may check it out here.
“I recently purchased your Fundamental Editing
guide and spent much time reading and taking
notes. What You Will Learn in this Guide
When I began to use it this past weekend, I ran ·· The differences between ppi and dpi
into a stumbling block. It shows /refers to the ppi/
dpi at the bottom center of the frame which is a ·· How to identify the pixel count of an image file in
good thing to monitor for resolution in creating Lightroom
print-worthy photos. I am working in Lightroom
and do not see that ppi/dpi reference and cannot ·· How to determine how many pixels are needed for
figure out what my resolution is. given size photographic prints

I did work on some photos (minimal cropping) and ·· Some ideas on how to safely share your photographs
when I went to upload to a site to print, I received online
a warning that they were of low resolution. ·· How to make a borderless print on your home printer
I am new to this and would appreciate any insight using Lightroom
you can provide. Also, I’m trying to figure out what ·· How to properly size an image for a photographic print
is the best process in sharing decent resolution using Lightroom
photos – export or print or direct email? When
I use the print module it will not allow me to ·· How to export an image in Lightroom in preparation
eliminate a white border around the photo.” for sending it to a photo lab

I am going to do my best to answer these questions Identifying the file size – ppi/dpi – is easy. Let’s tackle
here in this Quick Guide. that one first.

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 DPI AND PPI

What is ppi/dpi? Recommended Reading: For those that

want to know more, this is a good explanation
These two terms are often (and mistakenly) used of ppi versus dpi over at Image Science.
interchangeably. PPI stands for pixels per inch in a
digital image file. DPI stands for dots per inch when a
printer is printing an image.

It’s unfortunate, but the printing aspect of digital

photography is one of the most convoluted (and
difficult to grasp) aspects of our medium.

For the most part, you need to be concerned about

pixels per inch (ppi) and not worry about dots per
inch (dpi).

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 Identifying the ppi of your image file in Lightroom

Image 001

1. Highlight the photograph in the “Library” module

2. On the right-hand side of the workspace, scroll down to the Metadata window
3. You will see two headings: Dimensions and Cropped

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 Image 002

4. Dimensions is the original pixel count of the file as it was imported into the program

5. Cropped is the pixel count that is left once you have cropped the image in the
Develop module

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 Image 003a

In the Develop module, I’m going to crop my image to an 8x10 inch format.

After cropping the picture, if I go back to the Library module and highlight my picture, I
can now see where the pixel count has been reduced.

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 Image 003b

If you were attempting to send this picture file to a (more on that in a minute), and your file is of
photo lab, then this is where you would check the pixel decent quality, then proceed to order the print
count. You would need to take the following steps: 5. If you are at the lowest recommended resolution
(or lower), then make the determination if the
1. Check the pixel count
2. Determine your print size print is possible by using the file quality and the
3. Check your pixel count with your photo lab’s end use for the photograph as a guide. In most
recommended resolution cases, you are probably better off going to a
4. If you are well within the limits for your chosen smaller print size rather than trying to make do
photo size, your image file is appropriately sized with an under-sized file.

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 CHOOSING THE IMAGE
RESOLUTION

Now that we know where to identify

the pixel count and how to put that
information to use, let’s talk about our
reader’s next problem.

They attempted to upload their file, and

they then received a warning that their
file was too low in resolution.

This is murky water. Without knowing

what the file size was, and what the
print size was that they were trying to
order, I can’t advise them specifically.
For example, the file resolution might
have been fine for an 8x10 inch print but
under-sized for a 16x20 inch print. So,
let’s talk in generalities about those two
issues.

Here are two charts from two different

online photo labs giving resolution
recommendations for specific photo
print sizes.

Image 004 - Mpix

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 Image 005 – Shutterfly

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 The first thing that you will notice is that However, there is a secondary issue when
the numbers, and the breakdown of those it comes to resolution and print size.
numbers between the two charts, varies
widely. That issue is the quality of the original
photo file.
This is the other murky aspect of getting
prints made at a photo lab. The results You can get a gorgeous 16x20 inch
will vary widely based on the photo lab’s photographic print from a file resolution
own equipment. of 1600x2000 if your original is sharp, well
exposed, and has minimal noise. On the
other hand, you can get a lousy 16x20
Key Lesson: It’s a good idea to
inch print from a 4000x5000 pixel file if it
research different photo labs. Pick
was poorly shot.
one that you’re comfortable with
and then stick with them. Over A number of years ago, I worked for a
time, you will become used to how digital portrait studio – this was when
they produce your work, and you’ll digital photography was just taking off.
get better results. We were using Canon 10D cameras.
They were 6 megapixels. We routinely
When our reader got the “Low sold 24x30 inch wall portraits that were
Resolution” warning, the software was produced with these cameras, and they
simply stating a fact that the pixel count looked great. Remember, the quality of
was low for the image size. your shot makes a big difference!

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 SHARING IMAGES

Next, our reader asked about sharing I also post family photographs on
their photographs. What is the best Facebook. I keep the privacy setting to
route? family only. I know many people don’t
like the Facebook policy on photographs,
This particular question is one that I will which essentially says they own anything
have the least specific answer for. There that you upload. However, I’m of the
are just too many options! thinking, “Hey, Facebook, if you want
Here are my particular choices on sharing: a picture of me with my feet up and
drinking a beer, have at it!”
I use Flickr and set the Privacy setting to
“Family & Friends” (see page 12). They can For my professional work, which needs
then see the images and download them if to be transferred between myself and a
they wish, but the general public can’t. client without any possibility of someone
else seeing them, downloading them, or
I can also adjust the settings based on using them in any manner, I use Dropbox.
who I wish to see them, and possibly give
access to them.

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 Image 006

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 PRINTING WITHOUT
A WHITE BORDER

Now, to address one of the murkiest

of our reader’s multipoint questions –
Why can’t they print their image file
on their home printer without a white
border?

I cropped my image file to 8.5x11 inches,

which should fit (basically) borderless on
the U.S. letter-sized paper in my printer.

A little disclaimer here: I don’t use

Lightroom for printing my photographs
Image 007 on my home printer. So I had to do some
learning myself to answer this question.
Lightroom does some things amazingly
well, and others are quite convoluted.

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 In my first attempt, I set the “Border”
setting to “None” in my printer’s software
and printed from within Lightroom.

Image 008

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 This is what I ended up with! It definitely
has a border!

Image 009

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 Next, I tried the “Fill Entire Paper” setting
in my printer’s software while printing
from Lightroom.

Image 010

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 This changed the borders. But there was
still a border!

Okay, now I started digging in. There

had to be a way to accomplish this task,
and there is. Although, it is amazing that
anyone can figure it out without spending
an afternoon working on it!

Image 011

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 Step One
1 Open your image in the “Print” module
and select the “Page Setup…” button in
the lower-left corner of the workspace.
Inside the Page Setup window, click the
“Paper Size” dropdown menu. Navigate
to the correct paper size (that you have
in your printer) and select a borderless
option. Some printers may have more
options. Mine simply says borderless.

Image 012

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 Step Two
2 In the “Layout” window on the right-hand
side of the workspace, make sure the
“Margins” sliders are all set to “0” (they
do not default to 0, so you must set them
to this setting!).

Image 013

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 Step Three
3 Make sure that the “Cell Size” sliders are
pushed all the way to the right (100%).
At this point, your preview should appear
borderless.

If it still has a little white border on one

side (which mine did), then check the
“Zoom to Fill” box.

You may not see the white line disappear

in the Preview window (I didn’t), but it will
print without that little extra white line.

Image 014

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 After completing the previous steps, I was
able to get a borderless print.

Image 015

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 PHOTO LAB PRINTING TIPS

What if you want to send the image to a photo lab for printing? How do you do that?

Image 016

In order to send your image file to a photo lab from When you go to print your image at a photo lab,
Lightroom, you must perform an “Export.” you need to have some understanding about aspect
ratios.
You can perform an export from any of the modules.
You will find it under the “File” dropdown menu. Recommended Reading: Aspect Ratios – A
Free Guide

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 An aspect ratio is the length and width
of an object. If you size your print to
(let’s say for demonstration) 5x7 inches
in Lightroom, and then you export that
file followed by sending it to a photo lab
for an 8x10 inch borderless print, your
print is going to come back with some
of the image gone. The reason is the
aspect ratios are different. A 5x7 inch size
doesn’t fit neatly into an 8x10 inch size.
The result is, something has to go!

Key Lesson: Before you export

and send your file to a photo lab,
make sure that your image size is
correct. Unfortunately, there is no
image size setting in Lightroom like
there is in Photoshop. Use the Crop
Image 017
Tool in the Develop module to set
your image size. Are you ordering
an 8x10 print? Set the Crop Tool to
8x10 inches. Are you ordering a
24x30 inch print? Use the “Custom
Settings” option on the Crop Tool
and set it to 24x30. Get the
picture? Put in the dimensions of
whatever size print you are
ordering.

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 In an effort to help you along with
understanding aspect ratios and printing,
take a look at Image 017 (on the previous
page).

The “Preview Window” shows my full file

size as it came out of the camera. I want
to prepare my image to export and make
a 5x7 inch print. In the Develop module,
I selected the Crop Tool and set it to 5x7
inches.

I didn’t want to crop my image (per se); I

just wanted to resize it to 5x7 inches. So,
I dragged the crop box until it would not
get any larger.

The two left-facing red arrows indicate

the areas that are going to be lost in the
crop. They are going to be lost because
a 5x7 inch ratio is not the same as my
camera’s image ratio. I can drag my
image up and down in an effort to set the
lost image area to whatever side I want.
For example, I could put the lost image
area all at the bottom if I wanted to keep
the roof of the bridge in the shot.

Once you open the Export box, there are

two areas of main concern: “File Settings”
and “Image Sizing.”

Image 018

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 File Settings Important Note: One final word on
Make sure the “Image Format” is set to “JPEG” – ordering prints from photo labs: do not sharpen
all photo labs currently use .jpeg or .tif image files. your images or apply very light sharpening. The
The .jpeg is just easier to work with. Make sure the equipment that a photo lab uses applies
“Quality” slider is set all the way to “100.” Make sharpening to the file. If you sharpen it (a lot),
sure the “Color Space” is set to “sRGB.” Some and then they sharpen it, you will likely get an
photographers might try and tell you to use one of awful looking print that is filled with artifacts.
the other settings, but don’t listen to them. Currently, Recommended Reading: If you would like
ALL photo labs use the sRGB color space. to learn the fundamentals of editing photos in
Lightroom, Photoshop, or Elements, grab a
Image Sizing copy of the Fundamental Editing premium
The only setting you should concern yourself with is guide.
the resolution. Leave it at 240 ppi. Some photo labs
may have some verbiage on their website saying
the files should be set at 300 ppi. Ignore that. The
equipment that the photo labs use automatically
adjusts the file ppi to their requirements. If your
image file is under-sized, you may be tempted at
this point to up the resolution. Don’t do it. Small
adjustments can sometimes squeeze by unnoticed,
but most of the time there will be a noticeable loss
of image quality if you try and raise the resolution
artificially.

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 Self Check Quiz

1. What is the difference between dpi and 7. True or False: In order to print a borderless
ppi? print from your home printer, you must
use the printer settings and NOT the
2. In which module can you find the ppi of an Lightroom settings.
image using Lightroom?
8. What is an aspect ratio?
3. True or False: When you crop an image,
the ppi stays the same. It’s the dpi that 9. If I try to print an 8x10 inch print from an
changes. image file that is sized to 5x7 inches, what
is going to happen?
4. True or False: It’s impossible to create
a print larger than 8x10 inches from a 10. True or False: If I send my image file to a
6-megapixel camera. professional photo lab, I can use any color
space setting that I want to.
5. When ordering a print from a photo lab,
there are two concerns: image resolution
and image ___________.

6. If you upload your image files to Flickr and

you wish to limit who can see them, what
setting would you change?

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 About the Author

IF YOU’D LIKE TO CONTINUE

LEARNING AND IMPROVING
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY PLEASE
VISIT PHOTZY.COM

Kent DuFault is a professional photographer and author.

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kentdufault/
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