Get the picture?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, here they are—a thousand words to help you get the most from your images.

by Marty Kramer   

Screen colors and print colors are created differently

Computer screens use three colors (red, green, and blue) to create colors, while most printed colors are produced by combining four (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). You will often see RGB for monitor colors and CMYK for print. If the program you are using to prepare images gives you a choice, pick the right one for your final output. Do not convert images back and forth between RGB and CMYK, as each time you do, you risk losing quality.

GIF or JPEG?

When preparing images for the Web or e-mail, the two main choices are GIF (graphics interchange format) and JPEG (joint photographic experts group) formats.

The rule of thumb for deciding between them goes like this: Images with flat colors like logos and type work well as GIFs, while photographs and pictures with gradual color blends work best as JPEGs. The reason? GIFs max out at 256 colors, while JPEGs can accommodate millions of colors.

Resolve to understand resolution

Images are made up of pixels (screen) or dots (print). For Web-only or other screen-only uses, a resolution of 72 pixels per inch is usually as high as you need for the final image. Higher resolution creates a larger file and longer download time without providing much more clarity.

Images that will be printed should be saved at 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher for clarity.

When purchasing a digital camera, make sure you check the resolution. In fact, get out your calculator. The resolution will be listed as two numbers (X by Y). Multiply those two numbers to get the camera’s true resolution. Some manufacturers base their resolution on a digitally enhanced mode in order to qualify for a higher resolution.

To get print images approaching film quality, you will need three megapixels of resolution. A megapixel is 1 million pixels. So a camera with resolution of 1760 x 1168 is a two megapixel camera. Of course, the quality of your print will depend on the output ability of your printer.

Putting it on paper

With printers, higher resolution generally means sharper printing. But there are many variables like picture-enhancement technologies. Your best bet is to look at sample pages actually printed on a printer before making a decision.

If you plan to print high volumes of color materials, you should look beyond the price of the printer and figure out how much you will spend on consumables (ink, toner, etc.) and how much time it will take to complete large jobs.

You can turn out near-photo-quality images with an inkjet printer and photographic paper, but these results can run a dollar or more per page.

Monitor the quality of your screen

To reduce eye strain, you should look for a computer monitor that supports a refresh rate of 75 Hz or higher at a given resolution.

Another specification to consider is dot pitch, or the distance between "dots" on the screen. When deciding between two monitors of the same type, the smaller the dot pitch, the sharper the image on the screen. (Dot pitch gets a little complicated these days, as there are four types of dot masks, each of which measures dot pitch differently.)

Don’t forget that most displays have controls for setting brightness, contrast, color temperature, image size, shape, and location.

What type of display should you choose for your laptop? Most laptops these days come with active matrix LCD (liquid crystal displays) screens. Many desktop monitors now employ LCD technology, too–especially flat-panel monitors. Among LCD displays, active matrix screens are more colorful and faster than passive matrix displays. They also cost more. One drawback of active matrix screens is that you have to look at the display straight-on for best viewing. There are several technologies to mitigate this limitation. Again, look at several displays from different angles to compare quality.

Scanning your options for image input

Choosing a good scanner can confuse even those who understand the terminology. Rather than dive into the specs, choose a scanner the way you would choose a doctor. Ask your friends and colleagues if they like theirs, then try one of the recommendations. (You don’t even have to make sure it’s on your preferred provider list.)

If you insist on checking specs, you will be comparing resolution and bit depth–the higher the better for both qualities. But beware. Due to a lack of uniform measurement and exaggerated claims by some manufacturers, a scanner with better specs may not deliver the results you expect.

Ease of use should be another factor driving your scanner purchase. Some units feature preset or programmable one-touch buttons. Hit one button, and the scanner goes to color-photo mode; punch another, and you get a black and white copy. Don’t forget to consider the scanning software that comes with the scanner.

Pay attention to framing and composition

When taking photos, you just make sure your subject is in the view finder and press the shutter, right? That’s part of it. But for better pictures, look at the entire frame. It’s best to exclude clutter and distractions. In other words, you might not want the compost pile in the shot. A large tree in the foreground, though, might provide a "frame" over a house that would be a nice inclusion.

Also, learn the rule of thirds–a guide to creating interesting composition. Imagine your view finder with lines that divide the picture into thirds both horizontally and vertically. The points where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect present four areas where you may want to place the center of your interest. Even if you decide you can’t use one of these four points, you still can use the rule of thirds to help you create a nice composition. For example, horizon lines generally look best when positioned at the top or lower third.

If your framing or composition don’t come out quite as planned, use an image editor to crop, rotate, and otherwise achieve the results you had intended.

Photo illustration: Joel Mathews; photo © Comstock Images.

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