Digital photos comprise thousands of dots called pixels. The human eye 'reads' these pixels and translates them into an image. To achieve optimum optical quality it is important to have the correct pixel count depending on the application. Every size of photo print and every type/size of video display demands certain pixel specifications to reproduce high quality images. Here we present a simple approach to resizing your photos to the pixel count needed (or requested).

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When you download your images from your camera they will be set to some predefined size and resolution. The camera manufacturers and the computer software accepting your images predefine many specifications including size and resolution. Simply stated, "one size fits all" is not applicable in the world of photography. In this brief guide we do not discuss the capabilities of different cameras and the complex world of sensors, processing, etc. Instead we look at how to adjust whatever appears on your computer screen so that the photo dimensions fit the application that you are going to use.

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Step 1.  Select the resolution

Most photos are printed (prints, books, posters, etc.) or are used to display on a video screen (e.g. web sites, streamed to a TV screen, your laptop, etc.). Photo print sizes and video screen sizes each demand a certain number of pixels to reproduce a high quality digital image. The image 'Resolution Chart' provided here lists the pixel count for many applications:

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Step 2.  Resize your photos

The steps to resize a photo vary with the post processing software used.  The   If you don't already use post processing software such as Photoshop, Lightroom, Topaz Studio 2, Capture One, etc., the following documents describe how to resize photos on PCs, Macs, and cellphones using free or included software:

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