Prints

Gifts

Wedding

Explore

Pixels

Every photograph, in digital form, is made up of pixels.

Pixels are the smallest unit of information that makes up a picture. Usually round or square, they are typically arranged in a 2-dimensional grid.

The number of pixels in an image is called resolution. Resolution is the amount of pixels per length unit. If we are using the term to describe pixel count, we could express resolution as the width by the height, for example a monitor resolution of 1280×1024. This means there are 1280 pixels from one side to the other, and 1024 from top to bottom.

To achieve a print size in inches, divide the size in pixels by the desired print resolution. See chart >

photo pixels

Relating Pixels to a Jar of Skittles

The jar is full of vibrant colored skittles when filled. When skittles are removed (or eaten:) or the jar size is bigger than the original, clarity and brightness is lost. The skittles aren’t tight and full, thus they will expand to fill empty space.

Can’t I Add Skittles to create more Pixels?

No. Once an image is compressed, there is not turning back.  A low resolution photo, a photo from the web or instagram can be restrictive. Digital files can be destroyed, unable to read or corrupted very easily. Once a photo has been stripped of its pixels, we cannot add them back. #printyourpictures!

Luckily, when you upload and order prints at Persnickety, our online software will warn you when you have an image that is lower resolution than recommended. We also store your images in our cloud at their original resolution for FREE.

As always, we’re here to help! Email us at support@persnicketyprints.com for assistance.