Enlarging photo

[--pv--]

I have a photo of a stormy ocean that is currently sized to 11" x 4.443". I have a frame that is 60" by 11".  I would like to resize the current small size to the larger but when I do, the ocean flattens and loses its stormy drama. I have given it a ripple effect which enhances its look but not sure if it does enough to "beef" it up. Is there some technique I can use to achieve what I'm after. I am on PS9. Thanks.

[Per Berntsen]

You cannot enlarge an image that much and get a good result.

And the image you posted seems to have been ruined by jpg compression, possibly caused by repeated saves.

Do you have the original image from the camera?

If so, what are the pixel dimensions, and what file format is it?

[J E L]

@PER, we were answering at the same time, apparently. Thank you!

[--pv--]

Thanks so much. The picture is about 4 years old and original long gone. So pls answer - to avoid degrading the photo by many saves in jpg mode, should I make all changes to a copy in ps?  In other words, duplicate the original and then make the changes to that in ps mode. I don't see ruin of which you speak. The effect is ripple if that's what you are seeing as ruined. Pixel dimensions are 300ppi. File format, jpg? I guess that's what you are looking for. Do appreciate your input. Thanks again.

[J E L]

Hi @--pv-- If the original photo file is 11" x 4.443" and you want to enlarge it for your frame, the size will be 60" x 24.236. That's five-feet wide and way more than doubling the width. It's going to be difficult to get the results you want. What kind of paper or material are you printing on? You might try changing the ppi from 300 to 150 and reducing some noise. It all depends. If you've been adding the ripple effects to a JPG file, every time you change and save the file, some data is lost. Also, it's best to enlarge photos in their original RAW version if you have that file. Adobe Lightroom has a Super Resolution feature that could work for you.

Another idea is to enlarge the photo in PS and save it as a smart object (if it isn't already). Duplicate the layer and set the blend mode to soft light and then apply a high pass filter and enhance the edges. This doesn't always work. You have to try different things to dial in the best results. There are third-party apps or talk with your printer. Maybe others will have more suggestions for you!

[--pv--]

Hi and thank you. RAW version is defined as? I don't think I have camera capabilties for that but not sure. It's just a little old Nikon but it takes pretty nice pictures. Some questions - I don't know what a smart object is - don't know if that is available on ps9 - kinda old version. . I am printing it on high gloss paper. When I emailed the photo to the printer, they wrote back saying the enlargement with those dimensions weren't a good idea. What I saw was a flattening of the waves on the left so that they were ho-hum. I will try some of your other suggestions. They all sound promising. 

With regard to the size -- As mentioned I have a frame that is yes, 5 feet wide, that currently houses a history of my life in a photo collage -- friends, trips, pets,  along with the same timeframe of actual history-what was happening in the world when I was very young and on down the line to 70 --  now 82.... Hard to explain. At any rate, it's time to retire that and replace it with something new. I don't mind if the ocean photo is not totally true to life - I just want it to retain some "drama".   I will take a stab at some of your suggestions. Thank you again.

[J E L]

You're very welcome, and thank you for giving us some extra information. RAW is a file format for digital cameras that is akin to a film negative. The RAW file retains the unchanged information from the camera's sensor, giving you a wide range of editing possibilities. Think of the word RAW like food; it's unprocessed!

Your camera model needs to be capable of shooting images in the RAW format. The NEF is Nikon's RAW file format, so alongside the .jpg file, there is a .nef file, if you were shooting in that dual capture mode. If your camera model is capable of shooing in RAW, it might be worth it to go back into your original folder to see if there is an NEF file next to the JPG file.

If you don't have the RAW file, then try to find the original JPG file before you made any changes to it and open it in Photoshop. Before doing anything, SAVE AS a PSD (photoshop) file. Then apply your photo effects. But if you opened the original JPG file without saving a copy and made changes, saving the same file along the way, then you won't be able to get back to the original state of the image.

Don't worry about converting to a smart object. I don't know if that was possible with PS9, but it would probably not help the image much anyway. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[--pv--]

 Thank you so much for all of that good info. I have developed some bad habits over the years of using ps as a pastime rather than a serious endeavor -- as in not keeping the original intact and saving as jpegs immediately -- I must reform! I may still have the original -- I will investigate. This is a great forum - people such as yourself are so willing to dig in and really offer good, helpful workarounds. I will keep ya'll posted. Thanks again.

[PECourtejoie]

Hello, as stated, you are strongly changing the aspect ratio. Content aware scale could help, but it has limits, as every tool does. https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/content-aware-scaling.html

[--pv--]

Thank you for that link. I'll check it out.

[D Fosse]

Don't upsample. Don't use any filters. Don't do anything.

Just print the file as it is, at the larger size. That will always look best. Yes, the ppi number will go down as size goes up, but the optical resolution will remain the same because a larger image will be seen from farther away. It will occupy the same area in your field of vision:

[--pv--]

Hmm. That's very interesting. I can't take the chance on it working as the enlargement is going to cost $42 plus -- unfortunately -- $35 for shipping. Thanks-appreiate your input. 

[Jumpenjax]

What was the photo taken with, how is the resolution. Is it a jpeg or psd file. All of these things matter when enlarging a photo.

[--pv--]

Thank you. Nikon Coolpix L820--300dpi, jpeg...Many above have said what I want to do with what I have as an image probably not going to happen. 

[Lumigraphics]

Odds are, what you want is not possible. The photo can be printed at any size but for it to look good, you need a larger and better quality original.

[--pv--]

Thanks. I am getting the picture as they say.