# Enlarging Photos For Recipe Threads



## Margi Cintrano (Jul 1, 2012)

Buonasera,

Now, that I have managed my 1st two photos, they are quite small ... 

Is there a technical way on your end to enlargen them ? 

* UK USA Red, White & Blue Trifle

I shall have to do this on my end via my computer and scanner with the Vet ? 

Thanks alot for your assistance in advance,
Margi.


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## Andy M. (Jul 1, 2012)

The original photo has to be higher resolution.  The original photo size (measured in bytes) determines photo size.  What are you using to take pictures?  Camera?  Cell phone?


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jul 1, 2012)

Minor correction: Picture size is determined by number of pixels. For example, Andy's avatar is 120 x 120 pixels. To get a decent sized picture you might start out with 640 pixels wide x 480 pixels tall, which would be 4 times taller than Andy's avatar, and about 5 times wider.

You should shoot your pictures in at least this high a resolution, although most cameras are set to record in dozens or hundreds times larger. Then you use editing software to shrink and possibly crop your photos to a smaller size, perhaps the size I suggested.

Also, I think the forum software will take a large picture that you upload, and then display it on the forum as a thumbnail, and then forum members/visitors can click on the picture and see the higher resolution version. (That's the way most forums work. I don't know here because I haven't posted any pictures.)


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## Andy M. (Jul 1, 2012)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Minor correction: Picture size is determined by number of pixels...
> 
> Also, I think the forum software will take a large picture that you upload, and then display it on the forum as a thumbnail, and then forum members/visitors can click on the picture and see the higher resolution version. (That's the way most forums work. I don't know here because I haven't posted any pictures.)



Greg, isn't there a direct relationship between pixels and bytes (kilo-, mega- etc).  So more pixels = more bytes and vice versa?

I never resize pictures.  My photos are around 4-5 megapixels and the site software does indeed resize them to a appropriate size for display in a post.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jul 1, 2012)

Actually Andy there's an indirect relationship between pixels and file size, because most image formats (e.g. JPG or JPEG) can be compressed to varying sizes. Less compression = more fidelity, more compression decreases file size at the cost of fidelity. This is for the same vertical and horizontal pixel size (resolution), but different file sizes. You can easily compress files using most image editing software.

However we agree that Margi should try uploading full resolution pictures.


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## Andy M. (Jul 1, 2012)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Actually Andy there's an indirect relationship between pixels and file size, because most image formats (e.g. JPG or JPEG) can be compressed to varying sizes. Less compression = more fidelity, more compression decreases file size at the cost of fidelity. This is for the same vertical and horizontal pixel size (resolution), but different file sizes. You can easily compress files using most image editing software.
> 
> However we agree that Margi should try uploading full resolution pictures.



To clarify, when you take a picture then download it to your computer and save it, it's not compressed unless I choose to compress it.  Right?  So wouldn't there be a direct relationship between pixels and bytes unless photos are compressed?


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## taxlady (Jul 1, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> To clarify, when you take a picture then download it to your computer and save it, it's not compressed unless I choose to compress it.  Right?  So wouldn't there be a direct relationship between pixels and bytes unless photos are compressed?


I think jpeg automatically compresses some. E.g., 15 black pixels in a row are not stored as 15 black pixels, but by some algorithm that equals 15 black pixels. So pix with big areas of the exact same colour take less space.


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## Dawgluver (Jul 1, 2012)

You guys are making my head hurt.  Nice thing about iPhone/iPad is they figure out all this for you!


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## Andy M. (Jul 1, 2012)

taxlady said:


> I think jpeg automatically compresses some. E.g., 15 black pixels in a row are not stored as 15 black pixels, but by some algorithm that equals 15 black pixels. So pix with big areas of the exact same colour take less space.




OK.  Let's keep it simple for the old guy.

If I take a pic with a 5 megapixel camera, then take the same pic with a 12 megapixel camera.  The two photos' file sizes are going to be progressively larger.  I know this because it's what I see on my iPhoto library of pics.

Pics I took on a 5.1 mp camera range in file size from 1.7 to 3.8 mb.  Pics I took on my 12 mp camera range in file size from 4.5 - 5.5 mp.


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## taxlady (Jul 1, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> OK.  Let's keep it simple for the old guy.
> 
> If I take a pic with a 5 megapixel camera, then take the same pic with a 12 megapixel camera.  The two photos' file sizes are going to be progressively larger.  I know this because it's what I see on my iPhoto library of pics.
> 
> Pics I took on a 5.1 mp camera range in file size from 1.7 to 3.8 mb.  Pics I took on my 12 mp camera range in file size from 4.5 - 5.5 mp.


Yup. The variation in file size for the same size of picture is due to the differences in compression. The pix with the biggest areas of the same colour will make the smallest files size.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jul 1, 2012)

I wish I had never entered this topic. I appear pedantic as I try to wrestle with explaining technology I barely understand to people who may be less technical than me. Yet at the same time I often enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for technology and science with those who have not gone into it as much as I have.

To start off, your picture as taken on the sensor in the camera is compressed before you ever see it. Our eyes are far more sensitive to green than any other color (our eyes peak at green). Digital camera sensors are divided into red, green and blue sensors (RGB) but they are arrayed as RGBGRGBGRGB, in other words red-blue-green-blue with twice as many greens as reds or blues. As I understand it our eyes peak in acuity in the green region, so it requires more accent on green than on red or blue to create the fine image of the picture, but of course you need the green and red to differentiate the colors. As I understand it the camera calculates two versions of the image, a grey scale bit map of the image detail, and an RGB color image of the colors, and then combines them to produce the image that is saved to the camera's memory.

If I remember correctly the most detail is saved in a TIF image, then BMP (bit map) and then after that JPG and so on. As you progress up the scale the images get less detailed and smaller, more compressed.

As I type this it is all from my memory so I hope I haven't got the facts wrong. You would have to save an image in raw format, RGBG-RGBG-RGBG format to have it not compressed. I'm not sure if cameras even have this available as a user format.

All JPG files are compressed to some degree, and the protocol can be adjusted to almost any desired degree. JPEG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Andy M. (Jul 2, 2012)

Greg and others, thanks for trying to explain what I thought was a simple statement.  At this time of day, I'm in no shape to understand your explanations.   I'm sufficiently confused to say let's drop the discussion and give the thread back to the 
OP.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jul 2, 2012)

If you can understand my explanation then you're doing better than me! 

Best advice to Margi: shoot it with your usual camera settings, then upload it to the forum. If you're already doing that and it's not working then explain exactly what you're doing, and what you're shooting with.

Hey, Andy, I thought it was simple too, but the more you dig into it the more narly it gets.


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## Margi Cintrano (Jul 2, 2012)

*Thanks to Greg, Andy & Tax Lady*

A quick note to let you all know, how much I appreciate your assistance and instructions on enlargening my photos ... I got it ... I see the the appropriate size of the pixel measurements ... 

I am going to be able to use my camera Benq ( German brand ) as soon as the factory repairs the Compartment Closure which holds the batteries ...

At moment, my photos are scanned on pendrive USB from my Cellular Samsung Galaxy 2012 Model. 

Well, I think I have it ... I shall give it a whirl today or tomorrow and we shall all see ...

Grazie, Ciao,
Happy 4th, 

Margi.


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