best image size to post process

[stump4545]

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when post processing is it good practice to blow up the image to fill your screen (say 27in monitor" or is it good practice to work on an image at the size it is to be printed or displayed?

 

it seems to me that when working on an image full screen, imperfections are more apparent (missed focus a bit, noise, detail etc) stuff that wouldn't be obvious in a 4x6 or 8x12 print but at full screen on a 27in monitor they become issues.

 

is it best just to work on an image as big as your monitor allows or shrink to display size?

 

thanks for the help.

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[jaapv]

Depends on what you are doing. When controlling noise or sharpening it is best to work at 100 %, when doing levels and curves or tweaking color it is better to see the full image on your screen. Selections, it depends again, as large as is convenient, etc...

[sanyasi]

As has been said, working at less than 100% is a good place to start basic post processing because you see what is happening in context. But if I am using a brush to fix a particular problem, I go back and forth.

 

If I am doing landscape or seascape, where there is a lot of sky or water, I always inspect every inch of the photograph for dust spots before I print it. I've been burned before. Once you see that spot on the print, you never forget that it is there.

 

Sharpening and noise reduction should start with a 100% swatch, but you should look at other parts of the image that may not have had visible noise because that will help you see the impact of too much noise reduction or too much sharpening.

[algrove]

As has been said, working at less than 100% is a good place to start basic post processing because you see what is happening in context. But if I am using a brush to fix a particular problem, I go back and forth.

 

If I am doing landscape or seascape, where there is a lot of sky or water, I always inspect every inch of the photograph for dust spots before I print it. I've been burned before. Once you see that spot on the print, you never forget that it is there.

 

Sharpening and noise reduction should start with a 100% swatch, but you should look at other parts of the image that may not have had visible noise because that will help you see the impact of too much noise reduction or too much sharpening.

 

+1

[sanyasi]

I go back and forth. I make tonal adjustments full screen. Then I do noise and sharpening at 100%, but also look at the whole image. When I do photos with lots of sky or water, I now review the entire image at 100% looking for dust spots.

 

I also sometimes go back through history to compare changes.

 

It is a dynamic process.

 

Jack Siegel