Changing file size

[amyle]

Hi all, I want to enter a photo in a contest. The file has to be JPEG or Jpg. They want it to be at least 5MB and 300 Dpi. I figured out how to change my Dpi but can't make the file bigger. My file is a little less than 2MB. As described above, they won't tk PNG which would be bigger. How to increase file size?

[kvbarkley]

You can't. You have already compressed it too much. If you really want to submit photos to contests you need to set the camera to Large, Fine to get the most pixels at minimum compression. Cards are cheap.

[Waddizzle]

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@amyle wrote:
Hi all, I want to enter a photo in a contest. The file has to be JPEG or Jpg. They want it to be at least 5MB and 300 Dpi. I figured out how to change my Dpi but can't make the file bigger. My file is a little less than 2MB. As described above, they won't tk PNG which would be bigger. How to increase file size?

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You could try to use a Photo Editing software application to increase the "canvas size", or page size, of the print.  However, this will result in an apparent loss of resolution and detail, because the image has been expanded to larger than its' original, native size.

I find it strange that a contest would request a minimum size [5MB}, instead of a maximum file size.  I, also, find it a bit unusual that a print size has not been specified, in addition to a DPI specification.

[kvbarkley · Accepted solution]

The first thing to try is just loading it into the photo-editing program and just resaving as a JPEG with minimal compression.

[amyle]

I thought it was odd too. It is the birds and blooms backyard photo contest. In one place it says no less than 5 and no more than 25. When you actually fill out the form and submit, it just says no more than 25. They took my first one at 1.97 MB so maybe it doesn't matter, but it seems they r just asking for poorer quality to me. I am really new at photography though so I may not know what I am talking about. Lol.

[amyle]

I will definitely try this first. Thanks 🙂

[John_]

Paint...it's a free desktop app that lets you resize pictures using a few different methods very easily

[amyle]

Different from Microsoft Paint? I have GIMP but don't yet know how to do much on it.

[Waddizzle]

The freeware application Paint Dot Net is not as complex as GIMP, but much better than MS Paint.

[John_]

yes I meant MS Paint but there are others. I use Paint for simple fixes and changes to the file.