Using Your Digital Files
When you purchase the digital files from your photoshoot, you’ll receive both a Digital Bundle download link and a USB with all the high-quality, full-resolution JPEG files. These have been formatted so that they are ready for you to print, share and display to your heart’s content!
This guide will teach you how to back up your precious images, and where to print them.
BACKING UP
I recommend that you always have a minimum of three copies of your important data, like these photographs. USBs can and do fail over time, so you want to make sure you’re not just relying on the USB!
Download your photos directly onto your computer, via the Digital Bundle download link. Clicking the grey Download button will save a zip folder with your photos onto your computer
To save space on your computer, move that folder onto a backup external harddrive
Back up online with Dropbox, Google Drive or iCloud. This will allow you to access your photos from anywhere.
SHARING YOUR PHOTOS
Your USB includes two folders - Printing/Full-Res Folder and Web/Social Media Folder
PRINTING FOLDER
These files are full-resolution, 240dpi. Without getting too technical, this basically means that there is lots of detail in the file, making it ideal for printing at any size. It also means these are LARGE files. They will load very slowly online and take up lots of space on your phone.
WEB-SIZE FOLDER
The files in the Web-size folder have been specially downsized so that they’ll load quickly, won’t take up heaps of space, but still look great when you share them online. These are the ones I recommend keeping on your devices and using when you share on Instagram, Facebook etc.
I would love it if you could avoid cropping out the Ragamuffin logo when you do so - thank you!
PRINTING YOUR PHOTOS
I have archived the digital files from your session myself, so if you would like me to organise printing for you I am always happy to do so. I work directly with the best professional photography printing team in Australia and anything that you order through Ragamuffin is guaranteed for life!
CAITLIN’S PLEA!
I do urge you to avoid “cheap” printers - the results are almost always disappointing and the products often fade or fall apart after a couple of years.
Plus, a lot of time and expertise goes into fine tuning the colours and bringing out the detail in your pet’s fur doing post-production. All that work is wasted when cheap printing results in garish hues and loss of detail!
PHOTO BOOKS
Blurb photobooks are printing locally and they offer several different sizes, plus they have relatively easy to use design software.
The standard photobook opens like a coffee table book, so be aware that you’ll lose some of the photo if it goes across the margin.
Mohawk Superfine Eggshell will give you a matte (not shiny) finish, more of a fine art feel
Mohawk Prophoto Pearl has a slight gloss, more like a regular printed photograph
Blurb has also started offering “Layflat” album margins. This is a more expensive finish, but it means that you won’t lose any of the image in the centre of the book and I think it is more of a keepsake product.
PRINTS, FRAMES + CANVASES
If you’re keen to DIY your printing, I recommend Atkins Retail Lab.
They are a professional photography printing lab that has a retail range open to the general public. You can order traditional photographic prints (and frame them yourself), high quality canvas prints or framed prints.
They have an online ordering system, or you can email or give them a call on 08 8431 6755. They are experts in printing and will be able to arrange everything
