The Different Types of Photo Formatting
Photographs can come in various sizes and formats, each with its own unique advantages and uses. While some photo formats have since faded from use, there are still several physical photo formats that are commonly used to this day. As technology becomes more intelligent it also gives way to multiple digital photo formats. Sorting through and understanding the many different types of photo formatting, therefore, can be a daunting task. This brief guide will provide you a deeper understanding of the most common formats currently in use.
Physical formats
As technology has improved, the use of physical photo formats has slightly declined. Though most pictures are taken in a digital format now, there are still many old family photos that are kept in a physical photo format. Below are the most common physical photo formats currently in use.
Negatives
Photo negatives once played a crucial role in the development of photographs. Negatives came in many sizes and reel lengths and portrayed a small image on a strip of transparent plastic film. The images captured on a negative reel displayed colors opposite of the photo subject’s original colors. The chemicals used in a camera were extremely light-sensitive, so using inverse colors was necessary in order to portray the correct colors during the photo’s processing.
The most common size for negative film was 35mm, which were typically cut into strips with four to six photo frames. As the technology advanced and became more widespread, other film sizes and lengths were introduced. 110, 126, and APS negatives accommodated smaller frame sizes, though they still provided strips with only four to six frames.
Slide frames
Like negatives, slide frames displayed a small image on a transparent base and required additional processing or projection to view the photo properly. Unlike negatives, however, slide frames displayed a positive image with the colors appearing identical to the original photo subject. Additionally, slide frames only displayed one frame at a time. The frame was typically 1 in² in size and was mounted on a cardboard backing. Super slides were slightly larger, though still rather minuscule, and measured in at roughly 2 in². Slide frames required a projector for proper viewing, as well as an attendant to monitor the apparatus and periodically switch out the slides. This type of photo formatting was popular throughout the early 1900s and well into the 1970s due to the fact that it made sharing your photos with a wide audience much easier.
Photo prints
Photo prints are perhaps the most common physical photo format still in use today. Disposable cameras, polaroid cameras, and other cameras that relied on the use of film and negatives to capture images could then process the negatives to create larger prints. Printed photos came in various sizes, shapes, and resolutions, depending on the type of camera used to capture the image. With the advent of digital cameras, however, photo prints have become almost obsolete, leaving many people with boxes and albums full of physical prints. In an effort to preserve these memories and make room for more, many people have started to convert medium format negatives and prints to digital instead.
Digital formats
Converting physical photo negatives and prints to a digital format allows you to bring your most treasured memories into the modern era. There are many different types of digital photo file formats, almost all of which are accessible from any computer. Below are three of the most common digital photo file formats in use today and their advantages.
JPEG
JPEG and JPG files are perhaps the most widely recognized digital photo format. JPEG—which stands for joint photographic experts group—was first developed in 1992 and is still in popular use today. This file format utilizes a lossy compression method to produce digital representations of images.
The compression degree of JPEG files can be easily adjusted. Adjusting the degree of compression allows the user to alter the image’s quality and the completed file’s storage size. JPEG files display raster images, meaning the images are built using a set grid of pixels, each of which is assigned an individual color. Because they utilize raster images, JPEG files are resolution-dependent and exist at only one size. This means that if the image is enlarged or stretched, the image may appear slightly blurry or pixelated. The file size of JPEG photos is generally quite small and are easy to back up, store, and share across social media platforms. JPEG files are supported by most websites and computer software systems.
PNG
Portable Network Graphics, or PNG, are another digital photo file format that utilizes raster images, though there are some notable differences from JPEG. Like JPEG files, PNG files are resolution-dependent and the image may become compromised if enlarged or stretched.
Unlike JPEG, however, PNG files are an entirely lossless format. JPEG files utilize lossy compression, meaning any data which is not noticeable is eliminated. The amount of colors in an image may be reduced and the final file format will display a close approximation of the original image. Lossless file formats on the other hand, such as PNG and TIFF, capture all data from the original image. The original image is completely rebuilt in a digital format and includes all original colors and data. PNG files are slightly larger than JPEG and can display a wider range of colors, due to the fact that they utilize the RGB color model.
TIFF
TIFF is by far the largest digital photo file format currently available. TIFF stands for tagged image file format and it’s often the industrial standard for many print and publishing organizations. TIFF is also a lossless file format that produces extremely high-quality digital images. Because TIFF files are so high-quality, they also tend to be significantly larger than most other digital photo file formats. TIFF files are quite flexible in terms of color and can accurately depict images grayscale, RGB, and CMYK color models. TIFF files are optimum for digital image use in an industrial setting, as they are supported by photo and design software, such as InDesign and Photoshop.
