Prepare your image for Print Competition
By Fred Marconi
Preparing your image for Print Competition.
I would suggest you use images taken only in a RAW format so you can use whatever imaging program you use to tweak the image the best you can. Use the 12 Elements of a Merit Image and Wootness to create and prepare your image. In summary below the elements, I will discuss in more detail point 8 and 9 of Wootness.
12 Elements of a Merit Image
1. Impact – is the sense one gets upon viewing an image for the first time. Compelling images evoke laughter, sadness, anger, pride, wonder or another intense emotion. There can be impact in any of these twelve elements.
2. Technical excellence- print or image quality.
3. Creativity- uniqueness of message or thought.
4. Style- how artist applies light or attention on the subject.
5. Composition- how visual elements are brought together.
6. Presentation- the finished look.
7. Color Balance- as it supplies harmony to the image.
8. Center of interest – rule of thirds etc.
9. Lighting- the use and control of light.
10. Subject Matter- appropriate to the story being told.
11. Technique- Approach used to create the image.
12. Story Telling- image ability to evoke imagination.
12 Elememts of Wootness
1. Don’t enter family members for the first years of print competition
2. Start with head and shoulder images only
3. Your subject’s background and clothing should be in key.
4. The lightest area of an image should be the subject’s face.
5. Print vs. Digital.
6. Size/Shape min 80 Sq. In max 480. 4000 pixels widest side.
7. Subject in the upper right power point. Rule of thirds.
8. Use white or black mat. For prints.
9. Use a small “stroke” of color to separate the main image from the presentation.
10. Titles A title designed to elicit an “aww” response.
11. Mounting – Applies to prints
12. Finishing. Do not water mark images.
Points 8 and 9 explained.
1. Open you image in photoshop
2. Make a duplicate layer
3. To Image > Canvas Size. In the box select a Canvas extension color either white or a specific important color of the image. On the new size both for width and height enter .025 (make sure you are set for INCHES) and hit OK. If line too wide or thin enter CTRL-Z to reset and decrease or increase the size by small amounts. Repeat until satisfied with the width of the line, This initial line should just be a hint.
4. Starting the mat. It is the same procedure as before but now this thickness should be .8 or 1 inch. This should be a white or black in color or a color that will make the print stand out. I find the dark colors preferable.
5. Second Stroke. Same procedure as 3 and this color should be the same in size and color as step #3. The thickness should be visible and just a jest, should not stand out.
6. Finishing the final creation of the Mat and this is an identical process and preferably of the same color as the mat in step #4 except the size could be 3 or 4 inches, whatever size makes your image stand out. This completes the process of creating your mat. You now have to resize your image to 4000 pixels, the longest side.
7. To size go to Image>Image Size and change the with or height accordingly. Make sure width and height are linked so when you change one the other is change automatically. Enter OK
8. Insure RGB color. Go to Image>Mode>RGB and you can select 8 bit or 16 bit. I select 16 bits for mine.
9. Save image. Go to FILE>Save As>Name image and select JPG form menu>OK>JPG Option 12 or whatever Quality option is suggested for competition and enter OK and save to your desired directory. Image is now ready to be entered into competition. Must clear that not always is the pixel size 4000 some structures have different requirements, but this does not change this sequence of steps only the size option. All other choices can are good to be used as explained with the dimensions explained in this communication.