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Digital cameras are a great way to quickly
produce a quality photo prayer card. Be sure to use at least a 3.1
mega pixel camera on the highest resolution setting possible.
IMPORTANT FILE FORMAT
INFORMATION!
Most cameras save images as JPG files, with
a cryptic alpha-numeric file name. This
is the native file, and contains the maximum potential for output
clarity. (This is the preferred file to send us.)
The JPG file format by definition is compressed.
That means that it codes the file information in a way that minimizes
the file size. If you open your JPG file to view it on your computer
and then RESAVE or SAVE-AS to a new JPG filename, you will re-compress
the file by stripping out every other line of pixels - the tiny
dots that make up the photo. This dramatically reduces photo quality
each time you resave the file, whether you edit it or not (see
examples).
Digital files that may not be large enough to fill a full photo
size can often be used as an inset or cameo. This minimizes the
enlargement of the image and keeps clarity problems from being quite
so obvious.
Digital Limitations
Digital editing is not the cure-all miracle for photos. Heavy shadows,
out-of-focus, over-flashed and excessively contrasted photos are
often simply not salvageable. The time and cost involved in digitally
repairing such problems is usually prohibitive, and the results
are rarely worth the investment, compared to starting with a new
photo session.
The strengths of digital processing are most clearly seen when we
start with a clear, well-lit photo, and are able to add text in
color with 3-dimensional effects, a flag and/or a map in color,
or other special eye-catching effects. Be sure to check our Digital
Samples for ideas on the wide range
of possibilities available, then turn us loose to design a winning
card just for you!
Ready-to-Print Files
Ready-to-print files must be unflattened Adobe Photoshop files to
allow us the ability to move and resize or adjust pieces as needed
if your file is close but not quite usable as-is. We charge a flat
fee of $50 to fix files that are unusable.
Before creating your ready-to print file, please
check our Design Templates page to download
PSD files that will help you correctly set up your digital files.
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