Preparing Images for Digital Competition

The following sections will provide you with information and steps for preparing your images for digital competitions

• Recommended Settings
• Recommended Settings
• Export from Lightroom Classic
• Resizing an Image in Photoshop
• Adding a Border
• Convert to sRGB
• Additional Resources
• Image Upload Tutorial

Recommended Settings:

• File Format:
  • JPEG
• Dimensions / Image Resolution:
  • Images will be resized to match the viewing device (Television/Projector/Zoom Screen)
  • Maximum width of 3840 pixels
  • Maximum height of 2160 pixels
    
  • Note: DPI/PPI setting does not matter when specifying the actual pixels.
• File Size:
  • Files should not exceed 800 KB
• Color Profile:
  • sRGB
• Title:
  • Maximum of 35 characters
• Optional:
  • Include a border around your image to separate it from the black background

Export from Lightroom Classic:

1. Select your image and select Export from the File drop-down menu.
   (You can also select multiple images in the Library, Grid View mode and right-click to select Export)
2. Most settings can be left alone, or customized. The following settings are recommended:
   1. Export Location:
      - In this section, specify the location on your computer where you want to save the file.
   2. File Settings:
      - Image Format: JPEG
      - Quality: 80-100
      - Color Space: sRGB (It may read "sRGB IEC61966-2.1" or something similar)
   3. Image Sizing:
      - Resize to Fit: Long Edge
      - If your image is in Landscape, set to 1400 pixels. If Portrait, set to 1050
      - Resolution: (Leave this alone. It doesn't impact your image) 
   4. Watermarking
      - Make sure Watermark is NOT checked. 

Resizing an Image in Photoshop

1. From menu select Image/Image Size
2. Check “Constrain Proportions” and “Resample Image”
3. Enter Width as 3840 pixels  
4. If the height is greater than 2160 pixels change it to 2160 pixels which will also reduce the width
5. Click OK
6. If you send more pixels than these limits, you will only degrade your image because you will be forced to use a lower quality conversion to JPEG and the extra pixels will be ignored anyhow because this is the limit of our projection/display equipment.

Adding A Border

Consider adding a border to your image only if it improves the artistic composition. An image with a dark or black background may benefit since it will be displayed on a black screen. If you choose to use a border, consider using a color that complements the composition and does not detract from it.

Also consider the theme of the competition. For instance, borders are typically not preferred on nature photos. The lack of a border can sometimes emphasize the impact of the nature subject.

To add a border to your image in Photoshop:

1. Open your image and resize to the desired size
2. Select the entire image by clicking on Select/All or Press Ctrl+A (shortcut)
3. On the tool bar make the default color White (or whatever color you choose to best aid your composition)
4. From menu select Edit/Stroke
5. Enter the number of pixels for the Stroke width (Recommend only 1 or 2 px)
6. Color should be the default color you selected.
7. Check "Inside" for Location
8. Blending Mode should be Normal and Opacity 100%
9. Click on OK
10. Press Ctrl+D (shortcut) to remove the selection or deselect the current selection by clicking on Selection/Deselect.
11. To view the effect press the F key twice to view the image on a black background.

Converting an Image to sRGB

In Photoshop:

1. From the menu select Image/Mode/Convert to Profile.
2. If Source Space Profile is not sRGB then you should convert.
3. Set Destination Space Profile to sRGB (name is probably really sRGB IEC61966-2.1)
4. Engine should be Adobe (ACE).
5. Intent should be either Perceptual or Relative.
6. Black Point Compensation and Dither should both be checked.

Additional Resources

Wade Clutton, Bill Zimmermann and Don York provided the club with a presentation that much of this page was sourced from. Their original presentation is available here.

Image Upload tutorial

This Image Upload Tutorial was created by the Victoria Camera Club who graciously permitted us to use their tutorial on submitting images (Like us, they use a Visual Pursuits based website to manage their competitions).