How do you downsize your photos for TPF?

[CarolynM]

Hi! Second post from a new TPF member here and another question. My photos (jpegs)from the camera directly without any Photoshop actions are 3000x4000 pixels. Image sizes run 6.xx to almost 8mp before I do any Photoshop corrections. The file is of course even larger after using Photoshop. I have Photoshop CS2 on my WindowsXP laptop computer. I am still learning my way around in the software.

I know how to use Image--->Image Size to re-size a photo or change the resolution. In the drop down menu--arrow next to width & height, I have these options: inches, percent, cm, mm, points, picas, or columns ---no pixels listed.
The arrow drop down menu by Resolution has the options of pixels/inch or pixels/cm. I normally work in inches. No matter what I do, even downsizing the resolution to 72 still gives me a MB sized file.

I cannot change the 3000x4000 pixels dimensions -- not through Image Size anyway. Is there another place in Photoshop CS2 where I can change the pixel dimensions to 800x900 pixels or get my file size down to 300kb or less? Even cropping my photo down to 4x6 inches print size and then change the resolution to 72 in a different step did not get the photo out of MB range for file size. I'm not always going to be willing to crop away so much of the photo either. Please do advise.
How and where in Photoshop and what do I need to do to make my file fit for posting in TPF????

Thank you!
CarolynM

[mattman]

Try "alt+ctrl+i"...does it not open a box to resize?

[Dobick]

Down at the bottom of that dialogue box, you should see a check box with the words "Resample Image" beside it. If you check that box, it should allow you to change the pixels.

[CarolynM]

Re: Try "alt+ctrl+i"...does it not open a box to resize?

Yes, that gave me the same box as using the Image--->Image Size route. I cannot change the PIXELS numbers though in that box.

Forgot to mention, I also know to change the jpeg choices from 12 down to a 3 during the Save as process and I still get a MB size file!

[lhdvies]

1-I click on image-image size then a box comes up where I can choose the pixels
2-I make the longest side 800 and the short side will go to 533 (for a 6x4 landscape shot).
3-then go to file
4-save as
5-add a suffix or new name to the file and click save
6-the quality box will pop up and set the quality to 8 or 9 & sometimes even 10 and this should get you below the required kb's. If it doesn't, save again-same name and set a lower quality nbr until the kb's are low enough

[12stones]

Originally Posted by Dobick

Down at the bottom of that dialogue box, you should see a check box with the words "Resample Image" beside it. If you check that box, it should allow you to change the pixels.

That should do it. Did you try it?

[lhdvies]

Carolyn said "I cannot change the PIXELS numbers though in that box"

I don't understand this-there should be no problem typing in new pixel dimension in the width box in the pixel dimension section. Usually the width will be darkened already to just type in the pixel & if it is not you should be able to use th pointer to start a cursor and go frm there. If this is not possible there may be a problem with the program.

Just saw Rick's post- I should have mentioned that-sounds like that might be the problem.

[CarolynM]

Originally Posted by 12stones

That should do it. Did you try it?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dobick
Down at the bottom of that dialogue box, you should see a check box with the words "Resample Image" beside it. If you check that box, it should allow you to change the pixels.




THAT's where the problem was!!!! I was told in a class (2-3 years ago & I was using PS Elements then) -- to never resize a photo with a checkmark in that box! I guess that particular rule applies to photo files I plan to actually print; not for photos I want to post in TPF. With the checkmark in place, I put in 800x900 pixels and then I made the resolution 96 pixels/inch and that made my photo 2.667 in x 3 in. The photo file went all the way down to 58.7kb. WOW!!!!!!

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

CarolynM

[d2creative]

Don't forget to go to EDIT --> CONVERT TO PROFILE and convert to sRGB for viewing on the web. Otherwise your colors are likely to get very muddy looking after you upload it.

[CarolynM]

Originally Posted by d2creative

Don't forget to go to EDIT --> CONVERT TO PROFILE and convert to sRGB for viewing on the web. Otherwise your colors are likely to get very muddy looking after you upload it.

I must be too new to Photoshop software; I don't understand this message; what else I am supposed to do to my file before posting it to TPF?

Okay, I found the EDIT --> CONVERT TO PROFILE and got a dialogue box to come up.
Source Space area has this:
Profile: sRGB IEC61966-2.1 (Is this info from my camera when I download photos?)

Destination Space area has this:
Working CMYK - U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 (Is this the default setting & if so do I have to remember to change this setting to: Working RGB - sRGB IEC61966-2.1 ) Is this the item you are talking about????? Is that the correct choice I need to use from the list?
Is there any way to make that particular choice the default choice?

Also, this same dialog box has Conversion Options
Engine: Adobe (ACE) is the default setting---I'm sure I want this instead of Microsoft ICM
Intent: Relative Colorimetric is the default setting---3 more choices here, any reason to change this choice? (Perceptual, Saturation, and Absolute Colorimetric are the other 3 choices)

Use Black Point Compensation checkbox IS checked by the default setting.
Use Dither checkbox IS checked by the default setting.
Any reason to remove either of those checkmarks?

(Can you tell, I think I'm out of my league in using this dialogue box, so I want to be sure I have the whole thing set correctly.) Please do advise.

(Yes, I'm taking notes on what all I have to do before I post photos.)

Thank you!
CarolynM

[d2creative]

Originally Posted by CarolynM

Okay, I found the EDIT --> CONVERT TO PROFILE and got a dialogue box to come up.
Source Space area has this:
Profile: sRGB IEC61966-2.1 (Is this info from my camera when I download photos?)

Then you are ok as is and don't need this extra step. Your camera is already set to record in sRGB mode.

[CarolynM]

Originally Posted by d2creative

Then you are ok as is and don't need this extra step. Your camera is already set to record in sRGB mode.

Okay! Thanks for the info everyone!
CarolynM

[Roy]

Originally Posted by lhdvies

1-I click on image-image size then a box comes up where I can choose the pixels
2-I make the longest side 800 and the short side will go to 533 (for a 6x4 landscape shot).
3-then go to file
4-save as
5-add a suffix or new name to the file and click save
6-the quality box will pop up and set the quality to 8 or 9 & sometimes even 10 and this should get you below the required kb's. If it doesn't, save again-same name and set a lower quality nbr until the kb's are low enough

I do it exactly as Leon with the exception of item 5. I save to a new subdirectory named websize. Doing it the way Leon describes saves all the exif data with the file and I like that.

[CraigC.]

So does anyone know how to run a batch resize on say 100 photos at once? and what editing program do you use to run it? I currently have Canon software and CS3.

[Ahh!]

The fastest for me is to tweak one of the batches set up in Bibble, which is what I use for this purpose. Then just navigate to the folder, select all, drag and drop. And you can go to work on something else while that runs in the background.

[kenmyers70]

I cheat and let Smugmug do it for me.

[thejakestir]

Originally Posted by CraigC.

So does anyone know how to run a batch resize on say 100 photos at once? and what editing program do you use to run it? I currently have Canon software and CS3.

I have an action I made in photoshop that does a two step resize.
First it resizes to 1800px on the long end using Bicubic Sharper(Image > Image Size > 1800 pixels).
Then it goes to File > Automate > Fit Image > 600 pixels width and height. That way it will resize vertical and horizontal to the same size.
Then a little unsharp mask and embed my name and copyright in the EXIF.

That action can batch a folder with vertical and horizontal photos and they will all be 600x400 and nice and sharp.

[dtscds]

Originally Posted by CraigC.

So does anyone know how to run a batch resize on say 100 photos at once? and what editing program do you use to run it? I currently have Canon software and CS3.

I use Dr Brown's 1-2-3 in PS. In CS2 it's under FILE > SCRIPTS

You can do batches and resize them and run actions if you want. In the "size" box you put the max dimension you want--say 800 pixels--in both horizontal and vertical boxes. I was afraid this would make it an 800 x 800 square but it doesn't. It takes the longest side and makes it 800 keeping the ration intact.
I do it from Bridge so I can do it from RAW.

You can make multiple copies in different formats at the same time--72 jpegs, full res TIFFs or whatever. It takes a little while so I get it started and let it run while I do other stuff--like take a nap.

[CraigC.]

Jake,
do you then have to go and save all of the files as JPGs? That is one of the issues I'm running into.

[thejakestir]

Originally Posted by CraigC.

Jake,
do you then have to go and save all of the files as JPGs? That is one of the issues I'm running into.

You can add a "Save as" Jpg and then close at the end of the action.

[CraigC.]

Cool guys thanks for the input, I'm going to go and try to put it to good use now. Editing 800 tee-ball picks. That's why I like this place; answers to all of life's questions.

[thejakestir]

You can also try Image Processor in photoshop or Bridge.
File > Scripts > Image Processor and pick your folder, what size image you want and then run.

[David_3]

Originally Posted by lhdvies

1-I click on image-image size then a box comes up where I can choose the pixels
2-I make the longest side 800 and the short side will go to 533 (for a 6x4 landscape shot).
3-then go to file
4-save as
5-add a suffix or new name to the file and click save
6-the quality box will pop up and set the quality to 8 or 9 & sometimes even 10 and this should get you below the required kb's. If it doesn't, save again-same name and set a lower quality nbr until the kb's are low enough

Like this, but between step 1 and 2, I change the resolution to 72ppi. That is all you need for the internet. That way, even if someone steals your image, they will not be able to get a print of any size out of it. Then I usually save it as a level 10 jpeg. (sometimes level 10 will make the file size too big for a particular forum, so in that case, I save it as a level 8 jpeg.)