Right DPI and Size to have picture on the web ?

gerfoto

New member
Hello,

I would like to know the right size to upload photos into flickr or Facebook so they are not printable ?

Right now i am watermarking the photos, DPI Height/Width 72 and Pixel Height: Approx: 2,900 and Pixel Width: Approx: 4,300

I am wondering about the Pixel size.

Thoughts..!

Thanks for your help,
G
 

WayneF

Senior Member
There is no good answer to the question. Other than, if you do not want your image to be stolen, then do not put it on the web.

Your image size of 4300x2900 pixels will show (as large as) 4300x2900 pixels.
Most monitors are not larger than say 1920x1080 or 1680x1050 pixels, so this is much larger than needed to show on the web.
The only reason for the larger images would be to print them. Video screens are not that large. Video applications (web browsers and photo editors) resample a temp copy of the big images smaller to be able to show them on the smaller video screen.

4300x2900 pixels would print 14.3x9.7 inches at 300 dpi (and half again larger at 200 dpi)

So if you do not want them printed, don't do that. Instead resample and upload smaller images, more web screen size.
For example, THIS web site does not like them to be larger than 1024 pixels wide.

Setting them to say 72 dpi does absolutely nothing except to change that one number. Anyone can change it back, same as you changed it.
If they are still 4300x2900 pixels, anyone can still print them at 300 dpi.
Any one can upload it to Walmart and specify to print it 8x10 inches (at whatever dpi it computes that size).

Your only defense is to upload smaller image size (pixels), too small to print. Like maybe 1024 pixels width.

But even 1024 pixels will still print 6 inches size at 170 dpi.
 
Last edited:

WayneF

Senior Member
What if I make them 1200 by 1200 at 72dpi?

The 72 dpi has no effect, and does not matter, least of all to the thief. Any one can change it, same way you changed it.

The image "Size" is 1200x1200 pixels.

1200x1200 pixels will pint 4x4 inches at 300 dpi, or 8x8 inches at 150 dpi, etc. The thiefs choice. :)
 

J-see

Senior Member
What if I make them 1200 by 1200 at 72dpi?

I fear there's little one can do to avoid that besides posting very, very small pictures. In a program like PS you can enlarge 1200 to 2400 and still have a reasonable good print quality. Alien Skin has a plugin called blow-up that even does a better job.
 

WayneF

Senior Member
Well, publishing them out on the web is by far the worst try to protect it. :)

If they can get it, they can print it. If the image is simply too small to print, it would discourage them.
 

J-see

Senior Member
Really? So there's no way to protect your photos of being printed?

They can't even prevent movies and music from being copied. If it's out there, someone might make use of it. There's little one can do besides fill half the shot with some copyright or logo. But even that needs to be part of the image to work.
 

gerfoto

New member
How 500px or other stock photography sites do it? I see a photo right now and I can get rid of the watermark easily. So how they protect their photos?
 

J-see

Senior Member
How 500px or other stock photography sites do it? I see a photo right now and I can get rid of the watermark easily. So how they protect their photos?

They can't. All they can do is when finding out, try to prevent it from being used. Depending who uses it for what and where he is located, that ranges from easy to impossible.
 

J-see

Senior Member
Hmm wow, I guess I am going to size them 800x600 72dpi

I personally don't bother. I normally have 1200 max for the longest side and that's it. If someone grabs a shot to do whatever with it, I wouldn't even know.

What I don't know, doesn't bother me.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Welcome to the universe in 2014 on the internet. Morals were checked at the door on 29 October 1969... <--date first two intranets were connected...
 

J-see

Senior Member
I never download music but am not going to deny I do watch the occasional movie. If they'd one day turn the tables on me by using one of my shots for their personal pleasure (not that I'm that good) what can I do but suck it up?

What goes around comes around.
 
Top