Tips for Using Photographs in Your Poster Designs

Large format poster printing is often used for professional advertising, but sometimes it is fun to bring the idea home. Whether you want to create a fun poster from last summer’s vacation or beautiful artwork from the scenic views or you need to create a promotional piece for your small business, poster printing can be specialized for any size or quality or need. Here are a few suggested tips for using photographs in any poster design.

Go BIG

For poster printing formats, bigger is better when it comes to images. Use close up, full size images. The image should stand out, not get lost in a busy background. Use a subtle but high contrast background color to help the object of the image stand out. Keep the background simple and in the background.

Resolution

High resolution is the key to a sharp, clear image when it comes to poster printing. For larger posters, it may be necessary to use photo-merging software to stitch several photos together. There are several free programs on the market like Hugin or Picasa that you can try . Or you can purchase a program like Adobe Photoshop to use.

Use Quality

In addition to size and resolution, consider the quality of the images you choose for a poster printing project. If it's going to be blown up to poster proportions, choose images worthy of the spotlight. Avoid blurry or washed out photos. Likewise, photos with red-eyes should be reconsidered. If a photo of inferior quality must be used, make use of editing software to remove red eyes and help balance exposure and contrast.

For added fun and impact in your poster design, conduct some experimentation with the temperature, tint, and saturation features of the photo editing software. These settings can be used to create mood or draw attention with unusual coloring.

Add Some Graphics

Combining photos with graphic art can create a compelling design for professional or home poster printing projects. For instance, a single photo can be surrounded by swirls or another appealing texture. Just be sure to not clutter up your design with too many extra graphics, otherwise they may take away from the intended focal point of your poster.

Carefully consider the photographs you choose for your poster printing. The first element that viewers notice are the images in a poster, so whether your piece is simply inspirational or promotional make sure your poster gets noticed with images that capture attention and that are relevant to the purpose. And most of all, choose an image that is memorable so that your message is remembered long after viewers have passed by.