If I am making a project should I set the image size to a certain type and then change it later or stick to one image size? For example if I know I'm going to print the picture as 5x7 should I set the image size to 5x7? Does it effect the picture much if I resize it later say to 8x10 or 4x6?
Also how does the resolution effect the picture? Should I set the resolution higher than 300? How will that effect the picture?
All this stuff about pixils confuses us bears of tiny little brain.
Thanks
Steve

Hi Steve. First, leave the resolution at 300. If you think you are going to later want the image as an 8x10 then you at least want the image at that size. If your original image is larger than 8x10 I would leave it that size while editing . Your aspect ration for an 8x10 and 5x7 aren't going to be the same. When you are ready to print sizes you will want to just crop the image to that size and do a save as so as not to resize the original to be able to get a good 8x10 crop when and if you decide you want an 8x10 or not.

What kim said!

I leave the org along - and then crop what I need for the moment and do a save as and change the title to reflect the crop size (for example: 10-14-097 Reflection 5x7 ) that way if I do multiple crops I can easily select the size I want to print.

Howdy:

I subscribe to what Wag said "leave the original alone", I always make a copy of the original to work on and size that copy to the largest possible print size I will ever make of that particular image. Then down size if need to. IMHO is always better to downsize than to upsize an image.
Now when I take a picture I know what size the final image is going to be. For example flowers and small delicate things I never enlarge them larger than 11x11. Why? For the same reason that VW don't come in Cadillac size,LOL. To me the subject dictates the image size. For example even do a 4x5 negative will render and excellent 20x24 image when ever I printed that size negative I never went above 11x14. Actually all my exibit prints I always print them 11x11 or 11x14, but thats me. My suggestion is if your final print is 5x7 then work on a 5x7 copy of the original picture. This principle should be applied always to your printing. Work the image on the size it will be printed. This will also contribute to sharpen your previsualization. Just my 2 centavos.

Thanks Don, that was a question I also needed answered. great advice

This is not a great revelation, but it took me the longest to think of it
The real easy way to do this is keep your original sized, as from the camera. Open that file and click File > Duplicate. They will give you the default name which is Filename copy. I change "copy" to 5x7, 8x10, whatever, and then crop to that size.

I now have a new file sized for the printer and my original is undisturbed. I like doing the File>Duplicate at the front end of the edit process because it avoids me screwing up and saving to cropped file over my original. Yes, I have done that too many times to count.

Rusty

This is an alternative when you aren't sure how you want to crop. I find it easier to see the final product than using the crop "box".

1. Open your image, select the whole canvas (Ctrl+A) and copy (Ctrl+C).
2. Make a new document in the size you want (5x7, 8x10, etc.) and select the whole canvas (Ctrl+A). Use Shift+Ctrl+V to paste into this selection.
3. Transform (Crtl+T) to resize and move the image to where you like it. Commit by pressing Enter.

So if I go in and just change the image for example crop it and save it to a disk without changing anything then take it somewhere to print various sizes will I have any problems?

The best way is to crop to whatever size you want to print and be sure it is at 300dpi. If you want one photo at several different sizes you need to crop at all the different sizes or resize to that size. What camera are you using?

I have a Canon Rebel XTI and Elements 6. What would happen if I just left the numbers alone and just saved and took the disk to the printer and had various sizes done?