Whether you are looking to make your house feel more like a home by scattering photo prints of friends and family around, or you are a keen photographer who loves to get your favourite snaps printed, you may be faced with the frequently asked question: is bigger always better when it comes to photo prints?
When getting our favourite photographs printed, it can be tempting to get them blown up as big as possible. But it is important to keep in mind that not only may you lose some of the quality of a photograph by making it too big. However, with technology advancing as much as it has, it is now easier than ever before to get your photographs printed, and enlarged, without losing too much of the quality. Plus it is super affordable!
So we have put together everything you need to know about how big you should really go when it comes to photo prints and some tips that may help you find the perfect size!
What is resolution and how does it affect my photo prints?
When you hear about photo resolution, it refers to the level of detail in a printed image. Therefore, if you want your photo to look good then you ideally want a high resolution. The reason why going bigger isn’t always better is because depending on the resolution of the photo you may lose some of the quality the bigger you go. If you start to lose quality then you may notice the image starts to become fuzzy and indistinct.
This is especially true if you are looking at poster printing. Poster printing allows you to enjoy your favourite photographs, and the memories attached to them forever, by showing them off in a large format by framing them on the walls in your house.
You can even use poster printing as a way to make some additional home improvements and decorate your living space without it costing you a fortune. If you are fed up with looking at the same old blank walls, then adding a poster-size photo can transform the aesthetic of your home.
Viewing distance
Another factor you should take into consideration when it comes to finding the right size for your photo prints is the distance at which your photos will be viewed. While this may sound pretty obvious, it is something many people neglect to consider. For example, if you are looking to print photos to go in frames, then largely these images will be viewed from a short distance, meaning that you don’t need to worry too much about size.
However, if you are wanting to make a feature on a wall in the room of your home using a poster print, then bigger is going to look better. We recommend that for a poster print, you should look at a resolution no lower than around 150 DPI if it will be viewed from around 6ft. Remember that if you don’t stick to these guidelines then you may find that the quality of your poster is affected.
You should also consider viewing distance when it comes to deciding which picture you want to make into a poster. For example, if you have a low-quality photo then that would likely make for a better small photo print.
While big is not always better in terms of photo prints, it depends on how the photo will be used. In some cases, you may want to display your favourite photo in a large format that can be seen with ease from a distance. But in other cases, you may want a smaller print so you can keep the photos as keepsakes for yourself for years to come.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.