Choose photo sizes before you print your album

Separate shape from resolution

Aspect ratio describes the shape: a 4 × 6-inch photograph has a 2:3 ratio. Pixel dimensions describe how much image data you have. Changing a file’s DPI label alone does not create more detail or change its shape.

Work backward from the print size

For a 300-pixels-per-inch planning target, multiply each print dimension in inches by 300. A 4 × 6 print needs 1,200 × 1,800 pixels; 5 × 7 needs 1,500 × 2,100; 8 × 10 needs 2,400 × 3,000. These are planning examples, not guarantees of print quality. Follow your printer’s specific guidance.

Watch for cropping

A 2:3 photo will not fill a 4:5 space without cropping or borders. Decide which matters more: using the whole frame or filling the page. Keep faces and important details away from trim edges and book folds, and use the print provider’s own layout specifications.

Keep the highest-quality original

Work with copies. Repeatedly opening and exporting a JPEG can lose detail, and enlarging a small file does not restore information that is not there. SkyAlbum’s resizer makes smaller display copies without upscaling; it is not a print-resolution enhancement tool.

Use a contact sheet for selection

A contact sheet is a useful way to choose and sequence photographs before laying out a book. The individual thumbnails on it are not a substitute for sending full-quality source images to a printer. Keep your final selection, originals, and caption notes together.

Review a proof before ordering

Check the provider’s preview for crops, text size, page order, and margins. Where available, a physical proof can help assess color and brightness because paper and screens show images differently. Confirm the file requirements with the service that will actually print the book.

Put the ideas into practice

Explore the free photo tools or download an album outline to start your own story.