📸 Pixel to Print – Part 4: Preparing Your Image for Print
There’s something magical about holding your own photograph in your hands—a moment you captured, now living and breathing on paper. Yet many great images remain trapped in our screens simply because printing feels intimidating. But with a few simple steps, anyone can confidently prepare their images for print.
“A picture is worth a thousand words; A fine art print so much more.” – Steve Denby
Whether you’re aiming to exhibit your work, enter a camera club competition, or just decorate your home, preparing your photo for print is a rewarding skill that connects you more deeply to your craft.
By now, you understand why printing your photographs matters. You’ve chosen the image you want to print and edited it to perfection. Now it’s time to move from pixels to paper—to prepare your photo for print in a way that does justice to your creative vision. This post will guide you through each step of the process, from resizing and sharpening to soft proofing and exporting, so your final print looks just as stunning as it does on screen.
Now, strap yourself in, I make no apologies but this is going to get a bit technical, but it’s information that you should try to understand:
Ensure Your Monitor is Correctly Calibrated.
We’ll cover this topic in more detail in a later post, but for now, just be aware that all digital monitors and displays differ greatly in how they present images, and you can tweak your own display to suit your personal preference. Most monitors, even straight out of the box, are tuned for general use—meaning they’re often too bright and overly saturated. This may look great for browsing or gaming, but it's not ideal for evaluating images for print.
Before you can trust what you see on screen, you need to ensure your monitor is displaying colors accurately. This is where monitor calibration and profiling come in. Calibration adjusts your display to a consistent standard (like white point, brightness, and gamma), while profiling creates a color profile that allows color-managed software to interpret your display’s color behavior correctly.
Is this step vital? Not strictly. You can certainly work around it by printing a test page, assessing the result, and adjusting accordingly. If you print regularly, you’ll soon get a feel for the tweaks you need to make. But is calibration recommended? Absolutely. Your prints will never exactly match the screen (due to differences in color gamuts and media), but calibration gets you much closer and makes editing and soft proofing more reliable. It turns your monitor into a more trustworthy preview of your printed output.
Note: What calibration won’t do is make an image look exactly the same across different devices. There are many outside factors—ambient light, screen type, display age, and even viewing angle. Even two calibrated displays can differ under varying conditions. This is one of the limitations of digital image viewing. Once your image leaves your controlled environment, it's subject to variables beyond your influence. This is one reason why printing your work remains the most consistent way to present it as intended.
Getting The Right Resolution and Size
For a sharp print, aim for 300 pixels per inch (ppi) at the desired print size - This is a common, known definition and is a given - for printing… 300PPI.
Example: Want an 8x10 print? Multiply 8 by 300 = 2400 pixels wide, and 10 by 300 = 3000 pixels tall.
A file sized for our club’s digital competitions—typically around 1920x1200 pixels—is great for screens but not suitable for printing at A4 or 8x10 size. At 300ppi, that image would only print clearly up to about 6.4" x 4" (1920 ÷ 300 = 6.4 inches, 1200 ÷ 300 = 4 inches) before quality begins to degrade.
Most modern cameras shoot at high enough resolution (a 24MP camera produces images around 6000x4000 pixels), which is plenty for printing larger sizes—but cropping heavily can reduce print quality, so plan your composition with printing in mind when possible.
What is resolution?
Think of a photo as a mosaic made of tiny dots called pixels. The more dots you have packed into every inch, the sharper your photo looks when printed. This is called PPI – Pixels Per Inch.
For high-quality prints, aim for 300 PPI.
That just means you want 300 little dots per inch of printed photo.
🛠️ Tip: Always keep your image in 300DPI - you can always create a lower quality (72DPI) copy for sharing online later, but once you’ve reduced it, you can’t go back.
📸 What size are my camera photos?
Most modern cameras give you plenty of pixels.
For example, a 24-megapixel camera creates images that are about 6000×4000 pixels — good enough for poster-size prints!
⚠️ Watch out for cropping:
If you cut away a lot of your photo (to zoom in on something), you're throwing away pixels — which might make your print look fuzzy.
🧮 How big does my photo need to be for printing?
Just do a little multiplication:
Want to print 8x10 inches?
Multiply:
8 inches × 300 = 2400 pixels wide
10 inches × 300 = 3000 pixels tall
So your file should be at least 2400×3000 pixels for a sharp print.
💻 What about printing from those files I create for competitions?
Photos you prepare for digital use—like our club competitions—are usually resized to something like 1920×1200 pixels. This size looks great on screens but isn’t big enough for high-quality printing, especially at sizes like A4 or A3.
Here’s why:
A 1920×1200 pixel image printed at 300 PPI (the quality needed for sharp prints)
= only 6.4 inches x 4 inches
(1920 ÷ 300 = 6.4" wide, 1200 ÷ 300 = 4" tall)
That’s much smaller than A4 (8.3" x 11.7") or A3 (11.7" x 16.5").
If you try to print that screen-sized image larger, it’ll start to look blurry or pixelated.
🗂️ What should you do?
To keep your options open:
Always keep your original, full-size edited photo (that’s what I do).
Or create a second version just for printing—save it at a size suitable for 300 PPI at your desired print dimensions.
That way, you're ready for both digital display and print, without needing to re-edit your image later.
Resolution vs. Print Size at 300 PPI
Match Your Aspect Ratio to Your Print Size
If you've ever printed a photo and been surprised by a missing part of the image—or noticed unwanted white borders—you've run into a problem with aspect ratio. But don't worry! It's easy to understand, and knowing a bit about it will help you take full control of how your photos look when printed or framed.
❓ What is Aspect Ratio?
Aspect ratio is simply the shape of your photo. It describes the relationship between how wide and how tall the image is.
It’s usually written as two numbers, like 3:2 or 4:5.
It’s not about inches or pixels—it’s about proportions. For example:
3:2 means the image is 1.5 times wider than it is tall. This is the native shape of most DSLR and mirrorless camera photos.
4:5 is a little more square - This is common for printing paper – for example 8x10 prints. It’s also the aspect ratio for camera club mounts.
A4 and A3 paper has an aspect ratio of about 1.41:1 – This is standard UK sized paper and is taller and narrower than both “standard” printing paper and camera photos. A4 is 210mm × 297mm and A3 is 297mm x 420mm
9:16 is a common size for TVs – commonly called “wide screen” or “HD Format” - 1920px x 1080px is a common size. (You may have seen the term 1080p – this is where that comes from)
10:16 is a slightly less common size but many people prefer it as it is slightly taller - infact this is what we use on our projector – 1920px x 1200px
🧠 Why Does This Matter?
Because the shape of your photo needs to match the shape of your paper or frame.
If it doesn’t, you’ll either:
Crop off parts of the photo (maybe the best parts!), or
Get white borders when the image doesn’t fill the page.
Think of it like buying clothes: if the size doesn't match, you either squeeze it in, stretch it, or leave space. None of those give a perfect fit.
It’s also really important if you buy pre-cut mounts (mats) for framing.
These mounts are made with a standard aperture (cutout.) If your photo doesn’t match, the mount will crop the image —and you may lose important details like a person’s head or the edge of a landscape.
You should be the one deciding what gets shown—not the paper or mount.
How to Make It Work
Here’s how to stay in control and get the print you want:
✅ Use the Crop Tool Intentionally
When editing your photo, choose a crop that matches your final print size.
Most editing programs (like Lightroom and Photoshop) let you:
Set custom aspect ratios, like 210:297 for A4 or 297:420 for A3
Preview how your image will look printed
🖨️ Crop to Match Paper If Printing at Home
If you want edge-to-edge prints (no borders), crop your image to match your paper size before printing. This avoids surprises and wasted ink/paper.
🖼️ If Framing with a Mount, Plan Ahead
If you’re using a pre-cut mount:
Check its opening size and aspect ratio
📏 Bottom Line
Matching your image’s aspect ratio to your chosen paper or mount size ensures that your photo prints exactly how you intended it to look.
It prevents:
Unwanted cropping
Ugly white borders
Losing control over your final image
Just a little planning during editing can make all the difference—so your photo looks polished, professional, and exactly how you imagined it.
Select the Best Paper for Your Image
We’ll talk more about paper choices in a following post, but just for now, accept that we’ll decide on a given paper to use then we can obtain the correct ICC Profile and apply the right amount of sharpening.
Top Tip: Think about having a small number of preferred papers that you use... Consider a glossy paper, a satin paper and a matte paper. You can then become familiar with those and set yourself up with ICC Profiles for your printer.
Glossy/Satin: Great for high-contrast, colourful images like landscapes or portraits.
Matte/Fine Art Rag: Ideal for black & white, subtle tones, or painterly feels.
🧪 Tip: Try sample packs from paper manufacturers to discover what suits your style.
Choose the Right ICC Profile
Each paper has its own "personality." Glossy papers punch, matte papers whisper. Profiles help your image speak clearly.
Every printer/paper combination handles colour and contrast differently. For example, a Canon printer using glossy paper will render colours more vibrantly than the same printer using a matte fine art paper. That’s because glossy surfaces reflect more light, while matte surfaces absorb it, affecting brightness, contrast, and saturation.
ICC profiles translate your image colours to what a printer/paper combination can reproduce. The profile ensures the colours in the digital file match what comes out of your printer. It does this by accounting for the unique characteristics of your printer, your chosen paper, and your ink set.
Notice, I intentionally say, the colours in the digital files match the print... I specifically do not say “The ICC profile ensures that the colours you see on screen match what comes out of your printer” The reason for this is that if your display is not effectively calibrated, then your computer may not show the correct information so will differ from the print.
Where to Find ICC Profiles
You don’t have to go digging through tech forums. Here’s where to look:
Paper Manufacturer’s Website – If you're using specialty paper (like Hahnemühle, Ilford, or Canson), go to the company’s website. Most have a "Downloads" or "ICC Profiles" section. You simply choose your printer model and the paper you're using.
Printer Manufacturer's Website – Brands like Epson, Canon, and HP often include ICC profiles for their own papers in the printer software. You can also find updates or extra profiles on their support pages.
Photo Labs and Print Services – If you're sending your image to a print lab, ask them if they provide an ICC profile. Many do—and using it lets you preview how your photo will look before it’s printed.
How to Install an ICC Profile (No Tech Skills Needed!)
Once you've downloaded the profile (it ends in .icc or .icm), here’s how to install it:
On Windows: Right-click the file.
Choose "Install Profile." That’s it!
On Mac: Copy the file.
Open Finder, then click Go > Go to Folder... and type:
/Library/ColorSync/Profiles/
(You can also use ~/Library/ColorSync/Profiles/ for user-only access.)
Paste the file in.
Once installed, your photo editing or printing software (like Photoshop or Lightroom) will be able to see the profile when you're ready to print or soft proof.
See Before You Print - Use Soft Proofing
Before you hit “print” on that perfect shot, there’s one important step that can save you frustration, paper, and ink: soft proofing.
Soft proofing is like a dress rehearsal for your photo. It shows you on your screen what your image will probably look like once it’s printed—colors, contrast, and all. Why? Because what you see on your bright, backlit screen often looks different when printed on matte paper with ink. Soft proofing helps you spot these differences ahead of time, so there are no nasty surprises when your print comes out dull, too dark, or slightly off-color.
All you need is a photo editing program like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop and the “ICC profile” for your printer and paper combo.
You can enable soft proofing in your editing software, load the correct ICC profile for your printer/paper, and preview the image in that color space. Tweak brightness, contrast, and saturation within the soft proof to match your vision. Don’t forget to toggle on the gamut warning to catch colors that won’t print accurately.
👀 Tip: Watch for colour shifts or loss of shadow detail. Tweak contrast or saturation if needed.
👀 ProTip: Soft proofing is most effective when your monitor is properly calibrated and you’re using the correct ICC profile for your print setup.
Whether you're printing at home or sending your photo to a lab, soft proofing bridges the gap between what you see and what you get.
Apply Final Sharpening
Even the sharpest digital images can appear a little softer when printed. This is normal—paper doesn’t display detail the same way a backlit screen does. To compensate, apply output sharpening specifically tailored for your final print size and medium.
What is Output Sharpening?
Output sharpening is the final sharpening step you apply after resizing your image to its print dimensions and resolution (typically 300ppi). Unlike earlier sharpening (which might correct lens softness or improve clarity for screen viewing), this step is designed to enhance edge definition in the printed version.
In Lightroom:
When using the Print module or the Export dialog, choose a sharpening preset under Output Sharpening. Options include:
Standard: A good default for most prints
Low: For very subtle sharpening (e.g., fine art prints)
High: For images that need extra crispness (e.g., detailed landscapes on glossy paper)
Select your Media Type (Glossy or Matte) to tailor the sharpening to how ink spreads on your chosen paper.
In Photoshop:
Use Unsharp Mask or Smart Sharpen. A typical starting point for Unsharp Mask might be:
Amount: 80–120%
Radius: 1.0–1.5 pixels
Threshold: 2–5 levels (higher threshold avoids sharpening noise or fine grain)
Or use Smart Sharpen for more control, especially with high-resolution images or if you're printing on textured paper.
🛠 Extra Tip: If you're resizing in Photoshop, sharpen after you scale your image to its final print size. Resizing first ensures sharpening is applied at the pixel level your printer will use, making it more accurate.
📏 Sharpening and Paper Type:
Glossy and Satin papers hold sharpness well—consider a higher sharpening amount.
Matte and Fine Art papers can absorb ink and soften details—sharpen moderately but avoid overdoing it, as it can cause halos.
🧪 Test Prints Matter: What looks perfect on screen may look different on paper. Run a small test print on your selected paper type if you're unsure—it’s worth the cost to dial in your settings.
🎯 Tip: Always sharpen as your final step after resizing.
Export in the Right File Format
If you are going to send your photo away for printing, then you’ll have to export the image to a file. Check with the print lab which is the prefered method.
JPEG: Best for most lab prints—small size, good quality. Use maximum quality setting.
TIFF: Use when printing at home or sending to a pro lab that requests it. It’s uncompressed and ideal for retaining detail.
💾 Tip: Use sRGB colour space unless your lab recommends AdobeRGB or another profile.
Always send the biggest file possible - refer to the table above for minimum sizes - these are mimimum sizes, you can send bigger, and always send 300DPI
🛠️ Action Step:
Take the image you selected from the previous post and:
Crop it to your intended print size and aspect ratio.
Resize it to 300ppi.
Apply output sharpening.
Soft proof with the correct ICC profile.
Export it as a JPEG (max quality) for lab printing, or TIFF if you're printing at home.
👀 Next Up: Home Printing vs. Lab Printing
In the next post, we’ll dive into printing at home versus using a professional lab. What’s more cost-effective? Which gives you better control? And when should you choose one over the other? Whether you’re considering buying a printer or just want to get the most out of your local print lab, we’ve got you covered.
Until then—get those pixels ready for paper!
