Help! DPI question

[TootysMom]

I just completed my first assignment for a local mag and submitted the files to the editor and come to find out I saved all the images at 72dpi....I loaded them on photoshop, did minor editing and saved them - didn't resize or crop....can I open those files back up and re-save as 300dpi?????

Thanks!
Britney

[CaptainTom]

Do you have the original images without the PS editing ?
If you shot .jpg and saved as .jpg with the same file name you are toast.
If you shot RAW and converted to .jpg you should still have the RAW files and can re-edit and save as 300dpi .jpg.

moral of the story. Always save your original files on a different media than the one you will be editing from .

good luck.

[TootysMom]

Thanks Tom,

That's what I was afraid of....I have the original files, just going to have to go back and re-edit... Good lesson to learn!

[CaptainTom]

This is not the ONLY solution, but the only one that makes any sense.
If you are submitting to publications, I suggest you put the images on your hard drive immediately when you return, and put them on a CD immediately as well. You can then use the CF cards again with assurance that the originals are stored somewhere.
Do your edits from the hard drive RAW files, save as .jpgs, then copy the .jpegs on to a CD and you are covered if something fails.

[bondarnes]

I always save my edited files as full res .PSD files before cropping and saving as a .jpg.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

I always save my edited files as full res .PSD files before cropping and saving as a .jpg.

and, that allows you to go back and tweak the editing if you need to without having to re-do the whole process.

[DickVH]

When I first put my files on the hard drive, I make them write-protected. This protects them from ME. Please don't ask me how I learned that this is necessary.

[Daniel Bates]

Originally Posted by TootysMom

I just completed my first assignment for a local mag and submitted the files to the editor and come to find out I saved all the images at 72dpi....I loaded them on photoshop, did minor editing and saved them - didn't resize or crop....can I open those files back up and re-save as 300dpi?????

Thanks!
Britney

If you saved your original files at 72 dpi (or rather, 72 ppi - pixels per inch) without any resizing or cropping, then you will still have all the original pixels and will be able to resave at any ppi resolution you want. If, however, you resized / cropped them, then you lost pixels and won't be able to get them back again.

DPI / PPI refer to the number of pixels that you want to cram into a physical inch. For instance, 1 PPI would print one pixel per inch of a print (and that would be a very large, blocky print to be sure!). In contrast, 1,000 PPI puts one thousand pixels into one inch and gives you much higher resolution. These settings affect the size of the print but do not affect the size of the file; a 1000x2000 pixel file at 72 ppi is the same as a 1000x2000 pixel file at 300 ppi, though the 300 ppi file would come out as a rather smaller print.

[studiocygnet]

Check what Daniel is saying above, before you do your work over again. Go into image size in Photoshop, and under document size, see if it's a really big print size at 72dpi. Leave the resample image box unchecked, and just input 300dpi into the resolution box and see if it makes a normal size print. To keep it simple, put your width and height boxes in inches. If it ends up being a 1 inch print, your out of luck.

[TootysMom]

Thanks everyone for your input.

Daniel, you were correct, I was able to go back and change the resolution to 300dpi and all was well with the world again! LOL

Thanks!

[luis_relampago]

Always save full res PSD files for future edits. It takes space from your HD but is worth it. I save everything in 2 ways External HD and DVD's. I have a big file cabinet with all my DVD's and before the super MP cameras I use to do it on CD's I still have lot's of those in folder for each project. Thanks to my wife I have learned to be pretty cautious and organized.