PhotoGraphic Specialties currently uses Photoshop CS3 to create 35mm slides from either Windows or Mac Photoshop files.

If you want to use Photoshop to create a new image from multiple existing digital files, like a collage, go to "File," "New" in the drop-down menus. Choose "Image" and set Width to "11 inches," height to "7.33 inches," resolution to "372 pixels/inch," and mode to "RGB." Next, set the background to black, since 35mm film is black before it is exposed. You may then create your image or import your photos.

If you are using Photoshop to work on an existing digital image or scan an image, remember that the final image size does not need to be larger than 4096 pixels wide by 2730 pixels high for 4K resolution output, as larger files contribute nothing to the sharpness of the image on 35mm film. If your image is smaller than this size, do not resize it - smaller or differently shaped images will be scaled automatically by our film recorder until they fit to one dimension, and there will be a black background on the other dimension. Images larger than 4096 pixels in either direction should be reduced in size before sending them to us unless you desire 8K output.

If you create a portrait (vertical) image, it will be automatically rotated to fill the 35mm slide, and you can rotate your returned 35mm slide to obtain the portrait image.

Photoshop files must be 8 bits per channel, RGB, and flattened for standard pricing. We have to convert CMYK, 16 bit, or unflattened files at extra cost. We must also convert any files saved in the old Photoshop 3 format to the newer file format at extra cost.

When you save your file, go to the drop-down menu in the upper left of your screen; choose "File," then "Save," and save the file as a Photoshop .psd file (RGB, remember). We have installed on our machine all the fonts which came with Windows.

To send a Mac file, if you want to compress your image you should use Stuffit (from Aladdin Systems) to produce a .sit file instead of a .zip file.

Photographic Specialties is no longer producing slides and transparencies. I have been self-employed for 35 years, but looking forward to retirement since my wife died five years ago. With the decline of conventional photography and the recent recession, the availability of film and chemicals as well as the volume of work has declined to such an extent that it is no longer possible to have fresh chemicals to develop film. I hope that if you still need conventional slides and transparencies, you will be able to find someone who can produce them for you. Thank you for your orders over the years.