Question for Alamy users

cats_123 (e2 Member)

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5 Dec 2012 - 8:37 AM

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Hi...there's probably a simple answer, and my maths was never that good, so I wonder if anyone can explain what the maximum sizes of a `cropped' image can be to meet Alamy's upload standards "uncrompessed size should be greater than 24mb (8bit)".

I'm ok uploading uncropped files but everytime I think I have a decent shot (that involves a crop) it won't reach the size constraints.

I use a Nikon D60 10.2mp

jeff

cats_123 (e2 Member)

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5 Dec 2012 - 9:41 AM

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Quote: I wish Alamy would re write this or at least de-jargon it, made me think twice when I joined (although I have not put a lot up there as yet). It refers to the uncompressed file size (or something like that), I get it from Photoshop when I open an image the files size is on the bottom left hand corner of the image window, my 15MP Canon 50D pumps out files at about 42MB and my old 12MB Canon 450D at about 35MB...

So you should still have a little Crop room with 10MB

I don't have PS so have to rely on either Picasa or LR4. Picasa gives file sizes...e.g. the last file I tried was 6mp in Picasa (dng) but when cropped and exported from LR back into Picasa becomes only 2.1mp (insufficient for Alamy).

LR doesn't seem to give file sizes, only file measurements so if the file is 3872x2592 should that = 10.03mp

cats_123 (e2 Member)

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5 Dec 2012 - 10:07 AM

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Quote: 10.03 isn't a file size, cats, it's an image size.**

You are correct that Alamy wants minimum file sizes.

I found, even with the old D80, that if I exported a full quality Jpeg, made from a D80 Raw file, from Lightroom without any constraints upon either image size or file size. then that was OK for Alamy, even with a wee bit of cropping.

** The point about image size and file size not being the same is that an image of a given size in pixels will not always translate to the same file size in Mb - to some extent it depends upon things like the tonal range, colour range and amount of detail in the image.

PS - Even if you cannot see a file size in Lightroom, as soon as you export your Jpeg, hovering the mouse over that Jpeg file in Windows Explorer will show you the size.

Thanks for the explanation...it looks as though I'll just have to be judicious about how much I crop or buy a camera with a bigger sensor!!!!

loweskid

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6 Dec 2012 - 2:10 AM

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Don't crop them, even if you think it makes a better image - leave it to the client to decide. Often publishers want blank space ("copy space") to add a title or the other stuff that adorns your average front cover (barcodes etc.), or wants it cropped to a certain size to fit the page layout.

+1 for AlamySizeCheck, highly recommended.

cats_123 (e2 Member)

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6 Dec 2012 - 6:01 AM

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Quote: A simple matter appears to have been made complex; assuming you are working in 8 bit if your file in Photoshop or whatever opens as 24Mb+ then it is big enough to submit to Alamy.

Peter.

simple if you know what you're doing ....I struggle to know whether my files are `big' enough before I try the upload....the sizecheck program I found is a great help (I don't have ps and my other software doesn't show me the 8bit sizes)

llareggub

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6 Dec 2012 - 7:35 AM

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Quote: A simple matter appears to have been made complex; assuming you are working in 8 bit if your file in Photoshop or whatever opens as 24Mb+ then it is big enough to submit to Alamy.

Peter.

It is indeed very simple, however it is a recurring question for new submitters on pretty much any forum that you visit, as such I think that Alamy have not made it as simple as it should be

boony

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10 Dec 2012 - 4:51 PM

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If it comes out at a size below Alamy minimum a little re size tweek could be used or am I missing something here? Much better advice is just leave the shot device native in size as stated above by lowskid.