Having an image printed on canvas can instantly elevate its depth and interest, especially when you choose an oversized canvas to hang somewhere prominent on a wall. But the wrong image, or an image that has poor quality or resolution isn’t going to give you the same effect.
Thankfully, there are many ways both in taking the picture and in the editing of it afterward, that you can improve the image in ways that will in turn improve the quality of the canvas print. If you intend to showcase your work on canvas, make sure you pay attention to these three tips before you begin to ensure you get the best possible quality when you’re done.
High Resolution Photo
Whether you choose to use a DSLR or you simply use the camera feature on your smartphone, the resolution of the picture that you take plays a big role in how well your finished image will look on canvas. Resolution, or the number of pixels per square inch, can vary depending on a variety of factors including how much light there was when you took the photo, the type of camera or app you’re using, the F-stop and aperture of the camera, and how well you focus the lens
In most cases, smartphone cameras tend to take the image in a high resolution, while most DSLR cameras shooting in manual mode will do the same. If you like to play with the settings on your camera, make sure that you take into account things like lighting and distance to get the highest resolution possible.
When sending your image from your phone or camera to the computer, be sure to use the full image size. Many email programs will ask if you want to use a lower resolution image to save space, but this will mean that you lose image quality. Always use a full-sized image throughout the process.
Take Your Photo in Focus
This may sound simple, but sometimes when you’re viewing an image on a small phone screen, you may not notice that it’s slightly out of focus. Unfortunately, if the image isn’t in focus blowing it up onto a large canvas is going to amplify this, bringing any blurry areas or flaws right to the foreground.
If you’re unsure about whether or not the image is in focus, try looking at it on a larger screen first. You may also want to wait to snap the photo until the camera screen has had time to focus on the subject. While some candid shots do require you to snap quickly, the more time you can give to the camera, the more likely the shot will be focused in the end.
Using tripods and other stabilizing equipment can also help, particularly if you are shooting fast moving items or shooting at night.
Fill the Frame
Printed images are often matted and framed, which will take up some of the empty space around your subject. But a canvas isn’t usually framed; the image goes right up to the edges and sometimes over them. This means that any empty space in your frame takes up more visual room than you may want it to.
If the image you’re working with doesn’t completely fill the frame, you can adjust this in a photo editing program later, by trimming down the image slightly. Otherwise, take care to frame the shot so that it completely fills the frame, and think about how you want the finished, printed image to look once it’s hanging on your wall.
Get a Better Canvas Print Quality
Canvas prints can elevate any subject from ordinary into something truly special. Take the time to make sure your image is the best quality possible before printing to get the best possible results in the end.