Digital Prints

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Mastering Digital Printing
A Web Workflow
Because so many digital images end up on the Internet, here is a short workflow for preparing images for the Web. (My thanks to digital photographer
and artist web-designer Larry Berman at www.Larry Berman.com for these 10 basic Photoshop steps.)
1. Convert to an uncompressed format, preferably PSD.
2. Crop and do your image adjustments. Curves, levels, cloning out dust, and so on. (Larry works at 100%.)
3. Resize to 72 ppi at whatever your long-pixel dimension is going to be. Be consistent. If you are preparing a series of images for a website,
make them all the same long-pixel dimensions.
4. Add a single pixel stroke (Edit > Stroke in Photoshop). If the page is going to be black, make the stroke white; if the page is white, make
the stroke black. That will let the dark areas stand out from a black page or the light areas stand out from a white page. Choose “inside”
for the placement of the stroke, or it won’t show.
5. Add a drop shadow if desired. This only works on a white or light-colored background, and the shadow should be right and bottom.
6. Add your copyright as a text layer. If you have a website, use that URL as the copyright so you can be found later.
7. Select the background layer and add unsharp masking.
8. Save and use the long-pixel dimensions as part of the file name to differentiate it from the full-size image in step one.
9. Image > Mode > Convert to Profile > sRGB
10. File > Save For Web. (Larry uses a setting of 40 for a progressive JPEG.)
For each image, you now have a full-sized uncompressed file, a resized version with active layers uncompressed, and the JPEG for the Web.
This is a good web workflow, and the only
An example of a Larry Berman web
added suggestions I have are: (1) I also add
image complete with a white stroke
the compression setting to the file name, for
and a URL copyright.
example, nordstrom_300x_50q.jpg, and (2)
Courtesy of Larry Berman
instead of always using a consistent JPEG
www.LaryBerman.com
setting, and depending on the situation, I
sometimes try to hit a certain file size range.
I adjust the setting accordingly until I have
it. With experience, I can do it in one or
two tries.
I put them in the empty paper box they came in. This will keep them away from air
circulation and light, and in general, keep them safe and sound until I’m ready to move
to the final step: finishing, framing, and displaying—explained in more detail in the
next chapter.
After the final prints are safely stored away, I congratulate myself for making a great inkjet
print. You should do the same.
The workflow steps made above are meant to apply to anyone making his own inkjet
prints. What's the next step after printing? Finishing and displaying. To find out about
this post-printing step, turn the page.