Exporting for Image for Specific Sizes (for CAPA Competitions)

In my regular workflow, I rely on Capture One to prepare images with consistent specifications for prints, social media, CAPA submissions, and other uses. Capture One’s Export Recipes make it easy to batch export images for print or web with customized settings—sharpening, scaling, embedded metadata, and even watermarks or signatures can all be applied automatically. This helps ensure every exported file meets specific technical and visual standards.

While I don’t use Lightroom myself, I’ve included steps from its help documentation for those who do. Its export features appear to offer similar flexibility for creating reusable presets.

Objective

Step-by-step how-to for exporting images from Capture One and Lightroom at specific dimensions—using the example of CAPA competitions. Set pixel dimensions like 1400 × 1050, adjust resolution to 72 dpi, control sharpening, and export to JPEG while maintaining image quality. CAPA rules require that no image exceeds 1400 pixels wide or 1050 pixels tall, and at least one dimension must match the maximum—this applies to all aspect ratios, including landscape, portrait, and panoramic.

Capture One

  1. Finish Editing – Complete your adjustments (e.g. exposure, color, cropping, etc.).
  2. Select the Image – Click the image or group of images you want to export.
  3. Open Export Dialog – Right-click the image and choose Export → Variants, or go to File → Export → Variants.
  4. Set Format and Dimensions
  • In the Export window:
    • Format: Select JPEG.
    • Scale: Choose Width x Height.
    • Width: Enter 1400 px.
    • Height: Enter 1050 px.
    • AVOID Do Not Enlarge: This option prevents upscaling and small images would be rejected from CAPA (however small images may affect your image quality and should be reconsidered).

In Capture One, selecting "Width x Height" ensures that exported images of any aspect ratio or orientation (landscape, portrait, panoramic) are resized proportionally to fit within the specified pixel limits—without exceeding them. This is ideal for CAPA competition standards, which require:

  • A maximum of 1400 pixels wide
  • A maximum of 1050 pixels tall
  • At least one dimension must match the maximum

With "Width x Height":

  • The longest side is resized to the relevant maximum (1400 or 1050), depending on orientation.
  • The shorter side is scaled automatically to maintain aspect ratio.
  • No cropping or distortion occurs, and all orientations are supported in the same export batch.
  1. Set Resolution
  • Enter 72 dpi in the Resolution field.
  1. Sharpening
  • Under Adjustments → Output Sharpening:
    • Choose Screen.
    • Set Amount to Standard or Low.
  1. Set Filename and Destination
  • Under Naming, set the name format to: C35-Lastname-Firstname-ImageTitle.jpg.
  • Choose a folder for the exported file(s).
  1. Export – Click Export [X] Variant(s) to complete the process.
  2. Save your Receipie

Lightroom

  1. Finish Editing – Finalize all adjustments.
  2. Select the Image – In the Library or Develop module, select the image(s) to export.
  3. Open Export Dialog – Use Ctrl + Shift + E (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + E (Mac), or go to File → Export.
  4. File Settings
  • File Format: Set to JPEG.
  • Quality: Set to 100.
  • Color Space: Use sRGB.
  1. Image Sizing
  • Check Resize to Fit, then choose Dimensions.
    • Enter Width: 1400 px, Height: 1050 px.
    • Check Don't Enlarge.
    • Lightroom will automatically resize the image so that at least one dimension reaches its maximum, and the other stays within the limit—preserving the original aspect ratio.
    • This works for landscape, portrait, and panoramic images in the same export batch.
  • Resolution: Set to 72 pixels per inch.
  1. Output Sharpening
  • Check Sharpen For and select Screen.
  • Choose Standard or Low depending on the image.
  1. File Naming
  • Check Rename To and choose Custom Name or Custom Name – Sequence.
  • Format: C35-Lastname-Firstname-ImageTitle.jpg.
  1. Export Location
  • Choose the destination folder for your file(s).
  • Click Export to save.

Hope this helps streamline your export process!

— Robert Miller