Photo Guidelines and Specifications

Note: For your convenience, Business Card Source (BCS) keeps final customer photos on file for future orders. If we have already produced a product with the photo you desire to use, you do not need to resubmit it. On your order form, just indicate “Photo on File.” BCS accepts photos that meet the specifications listed below. We cannot guarantee color matches of photos (see color variability disclaimer).

Graphics (Logos) that you send us must be in CMYK color mode or variations in color will occur. You may send your logo / graphics in Photo Shop 6.0 or EPS, JPG, or TIFF format (do not flatten, convert text to curves or outlines). You may also send files in PDF, JPG, or TIFF format. You should convert all Adobe Illustrator files to exact sized PDFs (not 8 x 11). NOTE: ALL files must be CMYK color mode and at least 350 DPI resolution (lower resolutions will not print clearly).

Photo Size Minimum Requirements: (width x height) 1027 x 760 pixels or 4" x 5" at 350 dots per inch (dpi) - or big enough to fill your computer screen. The GREATER the picture size in Kbytes (hundreds or thousands of Kbytes), the better your final image will look.

All photos and images MUST be 350 dpi or greater to look good in printed output.

On a 3.1 (or greater) megapixel digital camera,
set your camera to a 1200 x 600 or better resolution.

On scanners, use a scan resolution of color, 350 dpi or greater.

Photo Naming Convention: last name.jpg (example: smith.jpg) with a Color Mode as: RGB or CMYK

We accept the following file formats: .TIF, .TIFF, .EPS, .PSD, .JPG, .PNG & .PDF
We do NOT accept .PUB files -- Save publisher files as a .PDF

The fast method to send your file(s):

Click HERE to send us your photos, images, or logos

Your e-mail should contain:
Subject Line: Your name and company abbreviation.
Body of E-mail: Individual name of person in photo, company name, company address, phone/fax number where you may be reached, e-mail address and the file name of your attachment.

Photos over 3 megs in size; If your email cannot send large attachments, AFTER you have placed an order, contact us by email, referencing your order number, for upload instructions.

IF BY MAIL: Please send (in a protected package) photos, floppy disk, or CDs to:

Business Card Source
6 Spring Drive
Cranberry Township, PA 16066-4078

TIPS for Photo Cropping: Photograph the subject or scan the photo in a portrait (vertical) position whenever possible. For standard images, frame the face in the viewfinder so there is a slight amount of room around the head to just below the tips of the collar. For better images, allow slightly more room around the head and down to a few inches below the tips of the collar. If more than one person is in the photo, arrange the individuals as close together as possible.

TIPS for Photo Cut-Outs: In order to remove backgrounds from a photo, the following are tips to make the process easier and cost-effective. Cut-Out service is an add-on service. If the following guidelines have not been followed, cut-out services will be rendered on a "designer time spent" fee scale.

All photographs should be taken against solid color backgrounds that do not match the color of the clothing being worn or the person's hair color. Fancy or variegated backgrounds make cut-outs difficult and time consuming which equals design expense that has to be passed on.

People with blond hair should never be photographed against green or blue backgrounds. At a pixel level, these backgrounds give the hair a greenish cast that is very difficult, time-consuming (and thereby expensive) to strip out.

Gray or white haired people should be photographed against a dark solid background that does not match their clothing colors. (Making it more difficult, time-consuming, and therefore more expensive to crop or cut-out.)

Dark haired people should be photographed against a light colored background that does not match their hair or clothing colors.

Red jackets, sun on the face, shiny faces, or heavy make-up causes problems in producing professional looking images in professional color printing. (For the best results, do not send us photos like this as it will degrade your entire job.)

Always take into consideration WHO your audience will be and what you are

trying to achieve in producing a full color business product that makes you look good.

You should expect to see a difference between the way the color of your image appears on your RGB computer monitor versus the color on a CYMK color professionally printed product. CMYK printing is exact color; meaning that any color variations or flaws in the original picture will appear in the final printed product. Also, be aware that often times things will print darker than they appear on a computer monitor. Among other things, this can be due to the fact that a computer monitor uses a subtractive light process (to achieve a black, light is subtracted from the color mix until it is zero) and a press uses an additive ink process (to make black, colors are added until they are 100%).

Currently, there is no color standard for the many different monitors, scanners, and printers on the market. In full color printing the accuracy of color reproduction is not guaranteed unless a Press Proof is obtained, and by placing an order with Business Card Source you agree to these terms. We will accept no responsibility for color variations between client submitted files and the final CMYK printed piece. Under no circumstances will a reprint, refund, or charge-back be honored for color variations that have occurred during the printing process if a Press Proof was not obtained. The vast majority of our clients choose to proceed without a Press Proof and achieve great results, but this in no means implies that you should do the same. Press proofs show true color; it does not correct poor color, bad lighting, or other original photo problems. It is always best to start with a great picture. As we accept client photos, it is the client's responsibility to provide us with photos that will produce good printed results. If a client insists on using a poor image we will not be responsible for poor CYMK print results.

Be aware that photos that have been scanned by consumer scanners can have some pretty radical shifts in color and/or brightness. Specifically, they usually turn out dark and red. This can become even worse when the photo was on glossy textured paper (which interferes with how a scanner preceives the lights and darks of a photo). The best scenario is a digital photo that has been taken by a digital camera at its highest setting.

A Press Proof is basically a preview of how the project will actually look when it goes to print. This procedure is usually done on very large orders. It is a full color sample made from the actual files your job will be printed from. It is an excellent, but costly, way to verify color information. There are millions of color variations -- but if your company requires a specific color, it would be a good idea to verify the color with a Press Proof. The Press Proofing system is calibrated to our press printing characteristics and is constantly maintained and monitored, thus assuring our clients color accuracy and repeatability within a 10% variance (an industry standard). We will be glad to produce a Press Proof for you for an additional charge and overnight it to you for your approval. Be aware that each Press Proof usually delays a project an average of 5 – 7 business days. If you need exact color matching, Press Proofs are available for $75.00 per proof; paid in advance with no refunds as it is a service that has already been performed. You should be aware that it can take several Press Proofs to correct color discrepancies of a photo. If you require a Press Proof you need to order it on-line (as a non-refundable item). There are no refunds due to color variations on any job that contains client photos that have not been through a press-proof process.