Magazine submissions

[Breezy]

What size should they be?
I asked the lady requesting them and she gave me the minimum Kbs but she said that was all she knew as she only writes the interview and has nothing to do with the images.
Any help?
TIA

[Tom]

Depends how big they print it.

I love the people that just say "I need it 300 dpi"
I send the full res 16.7MP shot, and they reply "thats only 72 dpi, I need 300."

[toverman]

If she gave you an answer in kilobytes, you need to ask someone else from the magazine!

[Breezy]

Thanks guys,
I would assume they would be fairly small as there are 3 photographers featured in a 3 page spread.
I will see who I can get in touch with.
Thanks again.
Thomas that is what I thought about doing lol

[Terry C]

I send a lot of stuff in to magazines. 300 dpi at 100% size is the default standard, i.e, if your image is going to be a 4X6 image on the page then the physical file should be 4X6 @ 300 dpi. This does not mean that you can take a 72 dpi image and up res it to 300 and it will work - it will not.

[Dobick]

Terry,
In your example, a 4x6 at 300 dpi will be 1800 pixels on the long edge. If I save it as a 24x36 inch file, if the long edge is 1800 pixels, it is the exact same size. dpi is printing instructions, and in this case the photographer is not the printer, the magazine is. If they are going to accept digital files, then they should know how to ask for them.

[Terry C]

Originally Posted by Dobick

Terry,
In your example, a 4x6 at 300 dpi will be 1800 pixels on the long edge. If I save it as a 24x36 inch file, if the long edge is 1800 pixels, it is the exact same size. dpi is printing instructions, and in this case the photographer is not the printer, the magazine is. If they are going to accept digital files, then they should know how to ask for them.

Your statement is factually correct but when that image that you saved as 36 inches long is reduced back to the printing size of 6" long image it will be at 300 dpi/ppi and not the 50ppi the image had become by being enlarged to 36 inches (you are correct dpi does not apply until the file goes to a printing device.) Many folks that ask for the photos don't know the terms and sometimes experience is the best teacher. I generally ask about how physically large the image will be printed and then provide them with a slightly larger image at 300 dpi/ppi that can be cropped if needed. This is something I deal with almost daily. Although it's really not the photographers responsibility, life is a lot easier if you go by the basic premise of 300 ppi at 100% size.

[janikphoto]

I always set my final submissions to 300ppi and between 6x9" and the maximum file size (often around 8.5x11 after cropping). If the mag asks for stuff to see on spec, I send a web-size image and wait for them to say "We'll take it" before sending a large file.

[Breezy]

Thanks guys.
Waiting to hear back.