So, I just got a call from a magazine editor that I've been talking to about some submissions. He asked for finished files on CD/DVD, but to "include all your Photoshop layers" so that he can take away my sharpening and do his own as a last step after "he'd finished any corrections". Now, I know he's converting to CMYK for print, but outside of that, there shouldn't be any other corrections in my opinion, as I intend to submit the finished product.

Anyways, here's the deal... I don't work with layers in Photoshop (I know I shoud). So, I told him that I can't un-sharpen them and he offered to let me just submit original, straight-out-of-camera files, which I'd also rather not do.

Now, I haven't had a whole lot of stuff published but I've had enough to think this leaving the sharpening off a bit odd. I'm considering just sending them sharpened as-is and just seeing if they call me on it. Maybe they've gotten a good deal of crazy over-sharpened stuff in the past?

I'm just curious what you guys think, don't really have a question, just want some other opinions about it as a whole.

- Scott

Originally Posted by Stime187

I'm considering just sending them sharpened as-is and just seeing if they call me on it. Maybe they've gotten a good deal of crazy over-sharpened stuff in the past?

That's what I'd do. Their issue is they don't want (as you said) over sharpened shots. Also sharpening should be the last step, otherwise things can get funky, so if he's doing anything to your files they want it to be sharpened after and they want to be in control of the amount. The issue with untouched files is what if they're not as good as you? Then you're images will look like crap which is unfair. I'd send them what you consider "done" and see what they say. Maybe do all your other PP, and skip the sharpening then send that as at least you have everything the way you want it and they get to sharpen it their special way...

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

That's what I'd do. Their issue is they don't want (as you said) over sharpened shots. Also sharpening should be the last step, otherwise things can get funky, so if he's doing anything to your files they want it to be sharpened after and they want to be in control of the amount. The issue with untouched files is what if they're not as good as you? Then you're images will look like crap which is unfair. I'd send them what you consider "done" and see what they say. Maybe do all your other PP, and skip the sharpening then send that as at least you have everything the way you want it and they get to sharpen it their special way...

Yeah, I don't want to send untouched because while I do work very hard to get the image right in-camera, I also process to my taste/eye and that in my opinion, should be left to me, the artist/photographer.

And, I would just go through and re-process them, but assuming I spend 5-10 minutes or so on each image, if I went through and re-processed a 20-shot submission minus sharpening, I'd still be looking at a few hours worth of work.

Plus, this just doesn't seem like standard practice as I've never ran into it before nor have I ever heard of it.

- Scott

Several online printers will tell you to send in non sharpened, non interpolated files if you're going to print large... They know what works best with their printers so it's much better to let them handle it...

But if it's 20 images, yeah, go ahead and send them in as is and see what they say. Unless you've oversharpened them (which I doubt) you'll have no issues.

Well, I thought I might give the editor a call back and see if we could discuss it.

Pretty much I just got more of the impression that they just didn't have their **** together and at that point, I just didn't feel comfortable sending them anything, especially considering the pay wasn't that great ($15-$50/image, $100/cover). So I just told them forget it.

- Scott

What magazine?

Nature Photographer. Supposedly, it costs $79/year to be a contributor, and I'm not sure if I should say this, but they sent me an email and pretty much told me I could submit without paying any fee.

- Scott

A bit late maybe, but if you're sending in full-resolution images you shouldn't be using a lot of unsharp mask anyway. If you shoot RAW I can see doing a bit of sharpening to match what the camera would do upon converting to jpg, but the idea is that sharpening is to counteract the compression algorithms of resizing and jpg conversion.