Images and Resolution Settings
Introduction
You are being assessed on your ability to use codes and conventions in your media products. Many students mistakenly believe this simply refers to genre. However, you must also meet industry standards, especially when presenting your print productions.
If you are creating a magazine, you need to ensure your format follows the specifications typical of publishing industry. A British quad movie poster measures 30 x 40 inches so there is no point giving your teacher an A5 image to mark. Album covers for your musician’s latest release also need to be presented in the correct ratio.
Most importantly, you will lose marks if you submit inappropriately pixelated images in your final products because you have not encoded effective representations.
This quick guide will help ensure your images have the right resolution to achieve the top grades.
Resolution
Some of you might have terrific DSLR cameras and know the difference between shutter speed and focal length. However, this is a media studies course and many of you will be using your camera phones, so you need to make sure the basic settings are appropriate for the task. Blurry images will limit your marks.
If you are using an iPhone, for example, go to Settings and look for the Camera option. Check that the resolution, or the size and dimensions of the photographs, is set to the maximum quality. As a general rule, a bigger file size will result in a sharper image which you can then edit more effectively.
On iPhone 15 models, the main camera resolution is set to 24 MP by default, but you can switch to 48 MP if necessary.
Problems with Storage
Many phones will compress images when you are running out of memory space. Some will even compress attachments if your phone provider limits of the size of files you can share. If you are going to email the image to another account, make sure you select the actual size rather than a tiny thumbnail.
However, the best way to export images from your phone is to connect the device to your computer and follow the instructions to transfer files. This should keep the full resolution and avoid inappropriate pixelation.
Editing the Image
Instead of importing the image into Photoshop and editing the file directly, open a blank canvas with the correct settings. For instance, create an A3 document if you are designing a poster or A4 for a leaflet. You can check the resolution in the settings:
The industry standard for print products is 300dpi. You want to make sure your final piece is picture perfect.
You can develop your editing skills and your understanding of the technical requirements of print products with our easy-to-follow Photoshop exercises. There are tutorials on creating magazines, newspapers, and movie posters.
RGB vs CMYK
There are two key image modes available when you are using editing software to work with your photographs: RGB and CMYK.
RGB is a colour model that mixes different intensities of red, green, and blue light. This model is used for on-screen colour displays, such as computer monitors and mobile phones.
The CMYK mode is used in the print industry because they are physically mixing the four primary ink colours: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. CMYK printing has some limitations compared to RGB, especially in reproducing highly saturated colours and bright neon shades.
If you are developing a print product, we recommend designing with CMYK to keep the colours aligned. Use RGB for digital products.
To open the settings in Photoshop, go to Image > Mode and select the best option.
Canva defaults to RGB because it is a digital app. However, you can still use CMYK colours by inputting the hex codes in the colour palette. You can then download a pdf version of your product. Make sure you select CMYK from the Colour Profile dropdown.
Moving Image Resolution
If you are shooting footage, make sure you are filming in High Definition (1080p HD) with a solid frame per second rate – 30fps will do. Be aware, however, that a minute of footage will be over 100MB, and you might need somewhere else to store the files safely.
Try a higher frame rate of 60 fps for slow motion effects.
Conclusion
Check the resolution settings on your camera and editing software before you begin working on getting the right look and feel for your cross-media product. You do not want to be fixing pixelated images the night before the deadline.
Think carefully about how your images will be used in the actual product. If you are concerned about the best spot and angle to take your pictures, read our guide to the rule of thirds to help you get the best composition. Negative space is another important consideration because you will need to combine the image with other elements, such as headlines and captions.
One final tip: clean your lens properly, especially if you are using a camera on the back of your phone.
