Pat,
It would help if you were able to tell us more about the files you are printing.
Start by telling us what resolution and size you images are and what kind of printer you have tried.
The pics are just normal snapshots. Soem scanned in with an HP scanjet 5470c scanner. 5×7. The others are from a digital camera, not sure what it is as it belongs to my daughter in Va. I’m in AZ. I’ve tried several printers, Canon BJ, Xerox Phaser 8200 DX, Tektronix Phaser, 850DP. Not to mention Blk & white. I know very little about all of this. I am using PS 7.0
That still doesn’t tell us the size and resolution of the files, but chances are the resolution is too low.
Go to Image -> Image Size
and tell us the Width, Height and Resolution of the image
Width 7.2 "
height 4.8"
resolution 300 pixels/inch
Thank you for your help!!
Don’t know if it makes a differance or not but my monitor is an 18" Dell flat Panel with the res. set at 1280 x 1024, True colors (32 bit)
OK, so it doesn’t seem to be the resolution (I’m assuming you or anyone else didn’t resize the image)
Can you define the "grainy" look more precisely or post an example somewhere?
Where could I post an example? You really can’t tell too much until you print it out. I do know that in the example that they have in the help files, it looks more like th 72 ppi when you zoom into it.
Where could I post an example?
Do you have web space somewhere? if yes, then do it there.
You really can’t tell too much until you print it out
Then scan a print and post both the original file and the scan. (just a swatch of each will do if the files are big)
Is it an inkjet printer? If so, have you cleaned the heads recently? You may just have a plugged up jet or two.
I wonder if perhaps Pat is seeing the dot pattern of his printer and is calling it grain?
I’ve tried various printers. It may be the dot pattern but I’m not sure what that is. I do know that when I look in the help files, about size & resolution, there is a picture of part of a bicycle. One at 72-ppi & 300-ppi, my pictures look more like the 72 when I zoom into them. I don’t really have a space on the web but could email one to someone it one of you would like. One is only 399k in .jpg.
my pictures look more like the 72 when I zoom into them
And how far are you zooming in? you should view your images at 100%.
I just tried at 100%. The faces don’t look as good as they should. I did try to zoom in more, that’s when they looked real bad. I can send you a pic., if you like.
Pat,
Zoom at 33%: each pixels on the screen represents nine pixels in the image (3×3 pixels)
Zoom at 50%: each pixels on the screen represents four pixels in the image (2×2 pixels)
Zoom at 100%: each pixel on the screen represents one pixels in the image (1×1 pixel)
Zoom at 200%: four pixels (2×2 pixels) on the screen represent one pixel in the image
Zoom at 300%: nine pixels (3×3 pixels) on the screen represent one pixel in the image
Eventually, you take so many screen pixels to draw a single image pixel that your eye can make out nice big square pixels everywhere. This happens no matter what the resolution of the file is.
Now, if you see pixels on you prints, it means that the file has too low a resolution for optimum output. Increasing the resolution in Photoshop won’t help, the best thing to do its to rescan the image.
That would be O.K. but it came from a digital. Should I have her re-send it?
Rene’s suggestions are good. Coming from a digital shouldn’t have anything to do with it.
That would be O.K. but it came from a digital. Should I have her re-send it?
Not unless the person lowered the resolution before sending it.
If they can’t reshoot (which is quite likely, I know) then you’ll have to live with it pretty much the way it is now.
You may want to try and increase the resolution in PS as it will do a better job than most printer drivers.
