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Archive 2009 · InDesign Questions

head2heel
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p.1 #1 · InDesign Questions

I am working on a sample album in InDesign. I've used it before but not for something as photo-quality intensive as a wedding album. My question is: when you import your high res images and resize in InDesign, does that result in quality loss? Also, most of my high res images are at 240 ppi. Should I export the ID file at the 300 ppi default or reduce to 240? Do you have your transparency blend space as RGB (default is CMYK for me)?

Dec 02, 2009 at 06:02 AM

Ryan Britton
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p.1 #2 · InDesign Questions

head2heel wrote:
when you import your high res images and resize in InDesign, does that result in quality loss?

Only if you scale the image from within InDesign much higher than its actual pixel dimensions. I tend to end up with most of my images scaled down a bit, so it's not a problem.

Also, most of my high res images are at 240 ppi. Should I export the ID file at the 300 ppi default or reduce to 240?

I export at 72 dpi for on-screen proofs and 300 dpi for printing. The dpi you're exporting at should be whatever it is your printer expects.

Do you have your transparency blend space as RGB (default is CMYK for me)?

RGB here.

Dec 02, 2009 at 06:13 AM

head2heel
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p.1 #3 · InDesign Questions

Thanks!

Dec 02, 2009 at 06:14 AM

head2heel
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p.1 #4 · InDesign Questions

Sorry, one more: if my images are @ 240, would it be bad to export from InDesign @ 300?

Dec 02, 2009 at 07:50 AM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #5 · InDesign Questions

head2heel wrote:
Sorry, one more: if my images are @ 240, would it be bad to export from InDesign @ 300?

It wouldn't be bad necessarily, but it would have to upsize them a bit.

I would recommend:
a) Saving your RAWs at 300 dpi from now on, it's the standard for printing
b) Anytime you exceed 100% of a file's size, make the change in Photoshop as it renders the upsizing MUCH better.
c) Create some PS actions that make upsizing the photo extremely fast.

Dec 02, 2009 at 12:47 PM

sharpeshots
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p.1 #6 · InDesign Questions

Not sure about some companies require, but when producing publications/print work etc, color space should be CMYK.

Dec 02, 2009 at 01:42 PM

Ryan Britton
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p.1 #7 · InDesign Questions

sharpeshots wrote:
Not sure about some companies require, but when producing publications/print work etc, color space should be CMYK.

This depends on the printer itself in my experience. Unless you're working with a higher-end printer that works directly in CMYK, they're going to convert your CMYK document to RGB, which the printer is then going to convert back to CMYK internally when it does the actual printing. It's MUCH better for the quality to skip those extra conversions.

No company I currently deal with for albums or prints works in anything but RGB, so those are the files they get. Also, I don't necessarily know what I'm doing always when it comes to CMYK and ink quantities, so I'd much rather let the printer do the job with its image processor anyway.

Dec 02, 2009 at 03:41 PM

genoph
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p.1 #8 · InDesign Questions

Depends on your printer, your album, and your skill. An album will most likely be printed in CMYK printing. It's not the top quality available, but it looks pretty sharp. If you know how colours interact in this colour space, than work in CMYK and proof in Overlay mode, you will see something like what your final product is like. Otherwise, don't worry about it. Most printers probably expect you to ship in RGB and do the color correction for you for CMYK conversion. Unless you're working with a color calibrated monitor and output printing, you'll probably be okay with just working in RGB.

Dec 02, 2009 at 08:33 PM

head2heel
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p.1 #9 · InDesign Questions

Noticing that after I export as JPEG, the file is in RGB mode regardless of whether I have transparency blend mode and proof setup as CMYK or RGB. Should I just leave it at defaults if I will be exporting JPEGs?

Dec 02, 2009 at 08:51 PM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #10 · InDesign Questions

head2heel wrote:
Noticing that after I export as JPEG, the file is in RGB mode regardless of whether I have transparency blend mode and proof setup as CMYK or RGB. Should I just leave it at defaults if I will be exporting JPEGs?

That's because it's just exporting the photos. If they're already in RGB in won't convert them. If you need to, convert them in PS.

Dec 02, 2009 at 09:00 PM

head2heel
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p.1 #11 · InDesign Questions

^ Thanks, I think I got it. My worst fear is that they'll come back with green-skinned people or something.

Dec 02, 2009 at 09:12 PM

jefferies1
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p.1 #12 · InDesign Questions

If your printer ask for CMYK make sure to know which Version. It is a whole list and depends on the equipment they are using and need to match. My printers ask to leave it RGB and allow them to do the conversion.

Dec 03, 2009 at 11:31 PM

superthumbs
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p.1 #13 · InDesign Questions

You can almost always get printer profiles from the printer. Many even have different profiles for each paper type they print on, at least they should. This can alter your black point by quite a lot and leave things looking flat or way too saturated. If you can, ask for the profiles, load them, and see what it will look like using the proof setup option in Photoshop. If you check the "Simulate black ink" box, you will probably find that a little more contrast will help the photo out.

Make sure you convert to CMYK in Photoshop (if conversion is necessary) using
Edit > Convert to profile > then choose the appropriate profile from the drop down. This will create a better conversion than simply changing the color mode.

Also, cropping or correctly re-sampling the photo in Photoshop, then placing it in InDesign is the prefered method of sizing photos by most printers. Altering the size in InDesign can create larger than necessary file sizes and lead to slower print times.

Dec 04, 2009 at 12:58 AM

SAREBEL
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p.1 #14 · InDesign Questions

Sorry to hijack an old thread, but I am having an export issue with ID. I looked at my info today on a 20x10 album. I export at 300dpi and when I do I see in bridge the dimension is something like 1x3. I am not sure why, is there something I have to reset in the preferances? When I look at the document all the sizing is right, this only happens when I export the images. Forgive me if this is a simple fix, but I am a noob with in Design. this is actually my first album designed with it. thanks.

Jim

Aug 25, 2010 at 10:34 PM


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