Preparing Images For Digital Projection
These instructions cover the preparation of images for digital projection at Maldon Camera Club. I have covered the procedure using Photoshop Elements, though Photoshop CS is similar. Other software has similar functionality.
Prepare the image
The first step is to prepare your image in your normal way, as if for printing. When you are happy with what you have save the file, you may want to print it one day. Remember that for projection images often benefit from being slightly darker and more contrasty than for printing.
1)Ensure that the colour profile is s-RGB. This will give the projector the best chance to get the colours right. Select Image – Convert Colour Profile – Apply s-RGB Profile
2)Adjust the image size to 72ppi, 1024 pixels maximum width and 768 pixels maximum height. Select Image – Resize – Image Size
You should get a pop-up box like this:
With Resample Image ticked change the resolution to 72 pixels / inch.
With Constrain Proportions ticked, change the pixel dimensions to a maximum height of 768 pixels and a maximum width of 1024 pixels. Do not worry about document size, as it has no effect on the projected image.
Press OK
Save the image
The image should now be saved as a JPEG at maximum quality.
Press File, Save as…. The file name needs to be in the format:-
Title by Author’s name eg Sailing Barge by Peter Slight. The projection software will pick up anything before the word “by” as the title and anything after “by” as Author’s name. Try to avoid the use of the word “by” in the title as this may confuse the software. Any other form of image file name will result in your image being submitted without title or author.
Submit the image
Images should be submitted to the dpi Competition Secretary at least a week before the competition, preferably by email but other methods can be used.
Submit by email to
Please do not use personal email addresses for dpi submissions.
The above address can be picked up by the club laptop and so hopefully avoids images being lost when transferring between computers.
Please try to adhere to these instructions. Although a larger image size or higher resolution may give a slightly bigger image on the screen it would give an unfair advantage over other members who are sticking to the above requirements. Nobody is likely to get disqualified, but it is against the spirit of the monthly competitions to give yourself an unfair advantage.
Likewise, please ensure that images are submitted as jpegs, other file formats may work but take longer to download over the web and take longer to appear on the projection screen, thus winding up both the projectionist and the judge.
I hope this all makes sense, if not then please ask for clarification.
Phil Watkins
26/05/2015