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FAQ's |
Frequently Asked Questions:Most information about this site or about Fauxfilm and our printing will be found below. If you cannot find the answer here, please contact us and we will be happy to help.
This page will update regularly so please check back.
What format I should save the images?We have found that for final printing (after all adjustments have been made and you are ready to send the finished photos to us) – a JPG saved at the highest settings is preferred. At most sizes, there really is no visible difference printing from a high quality JPG or a TIFF.
For colour accuracy please ensure your file has been converted to the print & paper profile. Also, there is no need to size up your file in Photoshop, leave it in its original state - it will be quicker to upload and we have specialised hardware and software which will size up your file automatically prior to printing. We can handle the output sharpening after resizing, so there is no need for you to perform this step.
What size / type image can I send to Fauxfilm?
Currently using our online facility we will only accept JPG images for
upload. This is due to the size and upload times. If you have an
account and are logged in, you can upload up to 30MB each file. If you
are not logged in there is a 10MB file size limit.
If you wish to send bigger files or differnt formats, please contact
us, we can set up a direct account into our FTP server for you, or you
can send us the files on CD.
Understanding Colour Profiles
Each media, or paper/canvas etc has different characteristics, or look, when they are printed on. All printing equipment have different characteristics also. When you combine printers with different papers you will get different results in terms of colour and toning of an image. Of course this would be unsuitable for professional photographers if they are trying to capture an exact colour, and it is recreated differently when printed then what they saw on thier screen. So to ensure colour and tone accuracy, we profile all our printers and papers and publish the results on our website in the form of an ICC profile.These ICC profiles are used inside professional imaging software such as Adobe Photoshop. If you have a calibrated monitor - using the profiles, you can see exactly how your photo is going to turn out. If you are not using profiles, or if all of the above is new to you, then PLEASE don't concern yourself - These are for use for photographers who demand exact reproduction of colours for exhibitions etc. Many of our clients simply do not use them, and their prints are perfect.You can find our colour profiles at the bottom of our Product Page.
How quickly can I expect my order?
We run different media jobs (paper types) on different days depending on demand. You can expect most prints to be printed and despatched within 2 working days of your completed order. With some Fine Art papers we amalgamate the jobs, so usually 3-4 days lead-time on these jobs. Mounting jobs could take 5 days for despatch, stretched canvas, please allow 10 days. Actual delivery times depend on the courier service we use, but generally you should see 2 days for delivery. Of course please let us know if there is anything urgent, we will do our best to accommodate.
What resolution should I save my photo for the best quality?Many, many factors determine overall output quality of a print - - Original capture sharpness, including focus, subject movement, sensor ISO settings and lens quality - Any artificial image sharpening at the capture stage - Any post processing effects and quality - Any cropping off the original capture: thus reducing overall pixel dimensions - Digital noise artifacts - colours and spots caused by underexposure and high ISO - Compression artifacts - if shooting in JPEG then every time it is saved it gets compressed - Output sharpening - Output media (what you are printing on) - and of course resolution or pixel countA original 300ppi image will provide very sharp prints, but if that pixel count is 'false' - that is, a lower res image upscaled just to provide the 300ppi resolution, then these added pixels will limit the sharpness.On a 150 x 100cm size on canvas, you can get away with as low as 150 or even 120 ppi - the natural viewing distance of a large print is further away so less printing resolution is required. (Think about a billboard - looks great from the road, but if you walk up close then you can even see the individual pixel, this is like 5-10 ppi!)We have specialist equipment at Fauxfilm to enlarge a photograph for print and set the correct output sharpening - you will recieve exceptional results leaving us to do the upscaling. Simply send us the photo as is and leave us to do the rest!Does Fauxfilm adjust colour or brightness or anything before printing?No! At least, not unless we are instructed to. There is nothing worse than spending hours perfecting a photo for printing, getting all the colours and tones correct, only to have your printer decide what it 'should' look like. We at Fauxfilm adhere to the school of thought that says that you probably want, and will get, exactly what's in your files. For example, if your file is dark, that probably means that you wanted it dark. Or if your file is low in contrast, that probably means that that's the way you want it. Don't rely on us to second-guess what you want.On the other hand, if you want some adjustments or colour corrections, we are happy to provide this service.Where is your phone number, how can I reach you?
We used to have a published phone number. We found the main thing it was used for was talking to salespeople selling the latest 'this and that'. This consumed a lot of our time (time that could be spent perfecting your prints!), answering calls and such that we would need almost a full time receptionist.
We felt that we could reduce unnecessary costs by restricting our public phone number, and pass these cost savings on to our clients: you!
If you do wish to speak to us, we have no problem with this, please leave your phone number using our contact page and we will call you back!Should I have an account with you?
There are many benefits to you for registering on our website;
- Easy ordering - your billing and shipping details are saved securely meaning you don't need to enter in your details every time.
- Easy uploading - Using our fast Flash10 based upload engine you can select multiple files for simultaneous upload saving you time.
- Order progress - log in and check our progress with your print job at any time.
- Newsletter and Special Offers - Opt in for our newsletter, get the latest news on our new products, techniques and special offers.
- Registration is free - Simply click the 'Client Log On' button in the top-right of our website to start registration process.
My upload seems slow, how can I improve it?The fastest method of uploading to our site is to use our Flash10 based upload engine. If you do not have Flash player v10 installed you will be uploading using our legacy system which is a little slower. The Flash10 uploader will be faster and will also allow you to upload multiple files at once. Please visit http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ to install the latest version.How can I upload more than one file at a time?If you create an account with us you will be able to select multiple files for upload rather than wait for each one to upload separately.
When you click Browse to find your files, hold down the CTRL key and click different files to select multiple files.
- You will need to be logged in to perform this function.
- You will need to have Flash 10 installed to upload more than one file at a time. Please see our FAQ "My upload seems slow, how can I improve it?" for further details.
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