Picture Perfect

Are you putting together a flyer for your business, but somehow the photos aren’t quite right? It can be tricky to get photos to look professional and attractive in your layout. Here are some tips that can help you.

• When placing photos into your document, if they need to be resized, click on the photo, hold down the shift key, and drag a corner of the photo to make it smaller. This allows the photo to change size proportionately, so you don’t get a “squished” or “stretched” look.

• Photos can be resized smaller in dimension without worrying about losing too much image quality, however sizing a photo “up” can create a dotty look, because the program is trying to “fill in” information that isn’t there. Therefore, only make your photos smaller in a document. If you need a larger photo, and the original file isn’t large enough, retake the photo for the best printed quality. Compare the quality in the resized photos below:

• Check the resolution of your photos and use high resolution — 300 dpi — for print, and low resolution — 72 dpi — for email or web. Print requires the higher resolution to print smooth colors for definition, while monitors can use low resolution to display vibrant photos. Low resolution photos also download faster so that your web pages load more quickly, and are much more likely to pass through email than high resolution images.
• If you do a lot of work with photos, consider using image editing software. Adobe Photoshop is a professional quality image editor that you can purchase and use to color correct, add lighting, enhance photos with artistic filters, and do much more with. If you use a PC and only occasionally work with photos, or are working with your personal photo collection, you may want to consider Microsoft’s Window’s Live Photo Gallery.

Now you’re ready to wrap the type around your photos and complete your layout. These little tips will help it to appear clean, crisp and visually appealing.

Maribeth Conard is owner of Conard Creative Group LLC, a small design house with a lot of muscle. She has been in advertising design since 1991 and has won awards for her graphic design and fine art pieces.

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