Image Display Quality

Hey RB gurus. . . .

What is this pixel garbage on my image?

My original is clean, and I don’t have this problem on another site. So is this a result of resizing and/or over sharpening the display image? It looks pretty bad. What can I do to help prevent this from happening in the future?

Someone may jump in to correct me, but I think it’s due to walking the very fine line between keeping work safe by only offering low res previews and keeping it looking good enough to entice a buyer.

Some people have also included a very clean zoomed in preview by adding it themselves. like here

Thanks Jo. I thought it would be something like that.

I would not buy this shot. It looks bad. This hurts my heart because I like this shot. :-(

Just another point here:

Helen…I don’t see any “pixel garbage” here. This shot looks perfectly fine on my monitor. Maybe slighly sharper than it should be (very slightly noticeable, and likely only noticeable by those who recognize what it is…along the bent arm of the topmost person a fine fine white line).

Using a good quality CRT unit for images – the monitor often makes a difference in how things look. I can go and check on my husband’s laptop and see how it looks.

Edit

Okay, I’ve looked at it on his and given what the screen is (an old model LCD on an old IBM Thinkpad – most images don’t look so great on it) the image isn’t as great looking as it is on mine, but I’m not seeing pixelation there either – even zoomed in.

Maybe I’m just being a nutty perfectionist, but I see pale blue pixels in the upper left and upper right corners.

Thanks Gracey. I am just being really picky probably.

I am not seeing any pale blue pixels here… nothing wrong with the quality on my LCD monitor

the image that’s up there now doesn’t seem to have that problem… have you uploaded a new one?:

from first post:
http://images-3.redbubble.com/img/art/size:large/view:main/1138866-1-construction-queen.jpg

up there now:
http://images-3.redbubble.com/img/art/size:large/view:main/1138866-2-construction-queen.jpg

Thanks Shelley.

Yeah, it’s just me being too critical of my own stuff I suppose. Either that or I’ve gone batty. Maybe a little of both. :-)

Heist,

Yes I did. I uploaded a version that had not been clarified or deinterlaced to judge if I could tell a difference. What do you think?

Damn I can clearly see a difference. I must be crazy, but I’m telling you guys, I see pale blue pixels on the first version but none on the second.

The odd thing is, both versions (the first one clarified and deinterlaced) and the second version (no clarification) look virtually identical in quality prior to uploading. It must be the resizing after upload that resulted in the pixels in the first version.

I’ll keep this in mind when uploading B&W shots in the future.

The first version has a grayish sky all over – the second has a white sky. I zoomed in on the first version using firefox’s image zoom, and can’t see any blue pixels. I can’t see anything wrong in the second image either.

But you’re not going batty – there are many times when I can see a pixelated (graduated colours really) in some skies; particularly on sites like Shutterstock – the critique forum is full of that kind of thing. About half the people can see the same thing, the other half can’t. Mostly I think it’s a function of the monitor and it’s quality (lower cost lcd monitors that come as part of a less expensive computer package just aren’t the best thing for image editing) and how it’s calibrated.

Oh Gracey, now I’m just not sure what to do about this shot. All of the sudden I like it a lot less than I did yesterday. :-)

I will just be more careful when adjusting the contrast on B&W shots keeping in mind RB’s image resizing and my monitor’s calibration (which may need adjusting).

You shouldn’t like it any less…it’s great – and it’s “real” (as in “life as people live it”). Very reminiscent of a very popular and well known shot of steelworkers above a city…I’m sure you know the one.