I’ve been shooting professionally for over twenty years, and I can tell you this: your editing skills mean nothing if your prints look like garbage. I’ve seen talented photographers lose clients because they didn’t understand color space, resolution, or basic file preparation. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s where money gets made or lost.

Start with the Right Color Space

This is non-negotiable. Shoot in Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB, but deliver everything for print in sRGB or the specific color profile your lab requires. Most labs use ISO Coated v2 or similar CMYK profiles, and they’ll tell you exactly what they need when you establish an account with them.

I learned this the hard way when a client’s wedding album came back with flat, muddy tones because I’d sent files in an incompatible color space. The lab corrected it for free—once—but I never made that mistake again. Get your lab’s ICC profile. Embed it in your files. Done.

Resolution Matters, But Not How You Think

Forget the myth that you need 300 DPI for everything. The real question is: what’s the print size and viewing distance? A 20x30 poster viewed from across a room looks sharp at 150 DPI. An 8x10 album print viewed at arm’s length needs 300 DPI. A massive canvas print for a wall looks fine at 72 DPI if the image is sharp to begin with.

I standardize my workflow at 300 DPI for prints under 16x20 inches, and 200 DPI for larger work. This keeps file sizes manageable while maintaining quality. Upsizing is a waste of time—if you don’t have the resolution from your camera, the print will suffer.

Sharpening Is a Final Step, Not Optional

Your exported print files need edge enhancement, not the heavy-handed sharpening you might use for Instagram. I use Unsharp Mask with conservative settings: Amount 0.8, Radius 1.5, Threshold 3. This adds subtle definition without halos or artifacts.

Do this after resizing to your final print dimensions and in your final color space. Sharpening should be the last thing before export—not before color grading or cropping.

Build a Repeatable Export Template

In Lightroom, I’ve created export presets for every scenario: “Print_8x10_300dpi_sRGB,” “Print_Canvas_200dpi_AdobeRGB,” and so on. This takes ten minutes to set up and saves me hours of work and prevents mistakes.

Your template should include:

  • File naming convention (I use Client_Name_Date_Sequence)
  • Color space (usually sRGB for standard prints)
  • Resolution and dimensions
  • JPEG quality (I use 95-98, never max)
  • Sharpening amount

Proofing Before You Deliver

Always order a small test print before committing to a full job. A 4x6 or 5x7 sample costs fifteen dollars and catches color, tone, and contrast issues before you’ve spent hundreds on a full album or canvas order.

I keep a small lightbox in my office for inspecting prints alongside my monitor. Color-critical work gets inspected under daylight-balanced lighting. Your monitor can lie—print doesn’t.

Document Your Process

Create a simple one-page guide for your studio that includes your color profile, DPI standards, and export settings. This matters if you ever hire an assistant or need to onboard someone. I’ve lost too many hours re-explaining the same technical details.

Print prep isn’t creative work, but it’s professional work. Get it right consistently, and your clients will notice. Get it wrong, and they’ll notice that too.