Reducing Photo Sizes

[EmmaGale]

We have just had some professional digial pictures produced. The photographs are already in JPEG format although are massive file sizes. Is there any way of reducing them down. We want to upload them to our site but they are taking up far too much room.

Regards
Emma

[Jeff Colburn]

Hi,

Use Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or some other graphics program, and optimize them. It's sometimes called Save For Web.

I just did this for a client and was able to make a 350k image 25k, and it still looked great.

Have Fun,
Jeff

[Ceallach]

If you can't find the optimize for web/save for web option on whatever software you're using you can also look under resize or image size option. (Some photo software, except the newest stuff, doesn't have this option.) There you should see a section that will allow you to resize the image by inches, pixels, centimeters, or percent. Easiest thing to do is use pixels and bring the size down to no more the 250 pixels. If this isn't enough do a save as on the image, as a jpeg, and compress the image further. Between the two you should be able to get the image small enough.
Ceallach

Of course if your photo software has the option to save for web, definitely use that.

[elso]

Hello

There is a freeware tool from
http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/ called
EZ Thumbnails which does a nice job for quick
image size reducer. It will only generate JPG
but will open several different formats.
e.g. convert a TIF to a JPG and set the final
saved file size.

Hope this helps

Nelson Quimby
www.elsographics.com

[Jerry]

You should also make sure that if these images are to be used for the web that the dpi (dots per inch) should be reset to 72 or 96 dpi. (I use 72 for nearly everything)

[grease]

Hello,

If you are looking to create a quick photo gallery with thumbnails and closeups you may like to consider using Adobe Photoshop's automatic function. FILE>AUTOMATE>WEB PHOTO GALLERY
I am pretty sure this was in the last 3 or so Photoshop versions.

Grease

[Mac 5]

In Photoshop you could also record an action of the resizing and do a "batch" under File/Automate.

[ecobo]

The best way is to use Photoshop CS and to choose "Bicubic sharper" as a interpolation method.
For other options on how to make the right choice for image file format see here http://www.e-cobo.com/design_tips/gr...cs_for_web.htm

[CJacobson]

For relative newbies who end up using Photoshop, I recommend you learn to use the nifty "unsharp mask" function (before "saving for web") - you'll find it in the "filters" menu. The name "unsharp" is misleading - it's effect is actually to SHARPEN UP images that have been downsized. The feature has a "preview" window and three sliders, and takes a little bit of finesse to use - but it can work like magic to bring low resolution images into sharp focus.

Another counter-intuitive thing about downsizing jpegs for web use in Photoshop is it helps a bit to check the box for progressive display. (You've probably noticed some web images first appear blurry as they load and then come into focus... for some reason those images are smaller than images that display all at once.)

Photoshop is a very powerful tool with way more features than most people need... but I still recommend it. Have fun!

[EmmaGale]

thank you all for your help there are some brilliant tips there

emma

[EmmaGale]

thank you all for your help there are some brilliant tips there

emma