Are the Photos On My Smartphone Good Enough to Print?

When it comes to printing photos from your phone, it can be helpful to visualize print quality as a vibrant dance between Megapixels, resolution calculations, and the size of your smartphone’s image sensor (the component that lets light in). Determining print quality is more complex than it sounds. This is why knowing about aspect ratios and pixel-to-cm conversions can give you peace of mind when fine art printing quality photographs.

Aspect Ratios

When an image on your phone or computer appears cropped compared to a preview of your printed photo, it might be misleading. Aspect ratios explain this. A rectangular image’s height-to-width ratio is referred to as its aspect ratio.

The common aspect ratios for smartphone cameras are 4:3, 16:9, and square (1:1). The ratio of the paper size you select and the ratio your smartphone’s camera shoots in need to match for your photo to stay the same size when printed as fine art. For instance, a 60 x 40 cm print size has a 3:2 ratio; if your camera captures images in a 4:3 ratio, you will need to crop your picture.

One good way to create a beautiful print is by adding a white border for a good aspect ratio.

Print-Worthy Tips to Keep in Mind

  • Make Use of Natural Lighting: Proper lighting has a significant impact. It truly will be your greatest ally in your quest to take the highest-quality picture.
  • Steer Clear Of Digital Zoom: did you know that using a mobile phone to zoom will reduce the quality of the image? Instead, take a closer look at your artwork!
  • Know Your Device: You should familiarize yourself with the specifications of your smartphone before using its camera. The camera capabilities of various devices vary; therefore, understanding the limitations can help you maximize the potential of your images.

And when it comes to printing your photos, always employ a reliable print service. Even if you’ve done everything correctly, you risk receiving print renditions that aren’t up to par if you don’t use a dependable print service when printing your work. At PrinTribe, we take great care to ensure that your work is done with quality and precision, exactly as intended.