Hello
I am trying to establish 'how big' I can get away with enlarging several images. The images vary, in that some have been radically cropped (and as such are only around 2000 pixels wide) where as others are 'full size' tifs created straight from the RAW file and are nearer 4000 pixels wide in their current form.
I am looking to offer print sizes to clients (ideally) up to 39 x 28", but before I offer such a service I need to make a judgement on the 'maximum' enlargement that individual images can handle. Clearly some will lose significant detail at this size and would benefit from a smaller maximum print size, where as others may well reproduce satisfactorily at a larger size.
I've been following this discussion
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=45150.0 with interest, but I would appreciate any tips and advice re how I can make a judgement when viewing enlarged images in Lightroom and/or PS, as to whether, once printed, they are likely to be 'acceptable'.
Is it just a case of enlarging the image, then viewing at 100% magnification to establish how much detail and sharpness has been lost, or is there another, more effective way. Obviously, sending a load of test prints off would help, but printing at this size is expensive, so this really isn't an option. Unless perhaps I pick an image that is likely to be as 'bad' as they get and see how that copes, on the basis that everything else will likely cope better?
Any help would be appreciated.
Many thanks,
Si