How to best optimize your images for a photo book?

Your photos are the most important element of your photo book. You can use them as they were created by your camera, but you also have the option to rework them beforehand to achieve better results.

Regardless of the medium your photographs are intended for, the resolution is undoubtedly one of the most important elements in the graphic creation process when making a book.

Indeed, it refers to the number of points that make up the image and the higher this number, the more it offers significant details when printed.

It especially establishes a ratio between the definition of a photo and its actual size on a physical medium such as a keepsake album. It is essential to better understand what it is and determine the one that best suits the photographs that you intend for a keepsake book.

Dimensions, size, etc., what are the differences?

If the dimension corresponds to the width and height occupied by a photograph on the screen in terms of pixels and the size corresponds to the measurements of the same photograph printed on paper (expressed in inches or centimeters), the resolution, however, is the link between the size and the dimension, the number of pixels on the photograph which is expressed in ppp or dpi (we will use ppp in the rest of this article). Thus, the most precise photograph will be the one with the highest number of ppp and vice versa.

When you want to resize a photo using a software for example, changing the density in ppp alone is not enough, it is also important to pay attention to two other elements. Using certain photo retouching software, it is possible to view the width as well as the height that the photograph will have once printed, in addition to the precision of the photograph (density in ppp), which makes things easier.

It is worth noting that the dimension of a photo is the most important criterion when it is intended for display on the Internet or on a Smartphone, with other criteria being less visible.

However, for a sharp and high-quality print on the paper pages of your photo book, priority should be given to its density in ppp.

How to determine the characteristics of a photograph?

When creating your work on an online album creation site, blurry or pixelated photos can cause great disappointment. It is therefore important to check the number of ppp/dpi of a photograph that you would like to use in advance.

It is not complicated at all on a PC. Just right-click on the photograph from your computer and choose the "Properties" option. Then click on the "Details" tab and you will know everything you need to know about its characteristics.

The resolution of a photograph is calculated from its definition and its size according to the following formula: definition (width)/print dimension.

For an 8.5-inch wide sheet and a definition of 2550 pixels, the result is: 2550/8.5= 300 ppp.

To ensure your photos are suitable for all mediums, both on your computer and in your book, setting a maximum of 2000 pixels for your digital file would be appropriate.

Which one to choose for optimal rendering?

For a keepsake booklet, it is always important to work with high resolution images. This guarantees a better result.

If you are still at the shooting stage, simply set your camera to the maximum value. You will certainly take fewer photographs, but this will allow you to improve their sharpness afterwards.

When printing your photographs, the density in ppp to be favored. Here are some minimum values for different formats (they decrease with the size because the larger a print is, the more we must view it from a distance to appreciate it fully):

• 424 for a 10x15 format similar to a postcard.
• 283 for a 15x23 format, which is close to A5 size.
• 212 for sizes close to A4, that is 20x30.
• 141 for 30x45 formats such as A3.
• 71 for A1 formats, which are 60x90.
• 53 for A0 formats, of 80x120.

That being said, for better rendering of your photos, it will probably be necessary to make edits and modifications.