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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Re size pic's for submission
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03/10/2006 06:36:58 AM · #1
I'm new to the challenges and have a question about re-sizing shots for submission. If I have a jpeg file file that is 42mg (for example). To decrease the size in Photoshop CS I go to "Image" - "Image Size". The image size tells me it is 3456 pixels width. I change this to 600 pixels. The size changes to 703 K. (am I right so far?).
The trouble is the quality seems to decrease. I then "save it for web"
I adjust the quality until it decreases the size to 150K (and then save). Is this how it is done or have I missed something ? Or is this going to destroy the quality of the shop ? Should this all be done before any adjustments to the shot or at the end?
03/10/2006 06:41:17 AM · #2
That's basically it - but check which process PS is using for the re-sizing - probably 'bicubic' is best. Quality should actually improve, rather than decrease. The saving process is correct. You might want to add a step before saving using the Unsharp Mask filter - around 70% at a radius of about 0.6 is what most of us do, I should imagine - just to get that sense of detial at the small resolution.

e

Message edited by author 2006-03-10 06:41:44.
03/10/2006 06:47:33 AM · #3
This tutorial should cover everything.

cheers,
bazz.
03/10/2006 06:51:34 AM · #4
Begin your work by doing a "save as" and save your jpg file as a psd (photoshop) file. This will lock in the quality. Make sure your working color space is sRGB; you can change it in "image/mode/assign color profile" if needed.

Do all your work on the PSD file, which allows incremental saves without loss of quality; it is a "lossless" format. Do nearly all of your owrk at full size, including sharpening. Preferably, use layers so you can easily toggle changes and modify/discard them as needed. Read the rules for basic editing to see which layers are legal in basic, however; not all of them are.

When you are satisfied witht he full-size result, flatten the image to a single layer (layers/flatten image) and then resize the image to 640 pixels, using bicubic as your method or perhaps a 3rd-party, step-interpolation method like those sold by Fred Miranda. Resizing is a bit of an art form, unfortunately.

Take the resized image and in the "view" menu click "actual pixels"; now you are seeing it as it will appear on your screen when posted to DPC. It will most likely need additional USM to crisp up the sharpness and contrast; now's the time to do that.

Finally, go to "save for web", click the fly-out arrow upper right, and choose "save to filesize" and set filesize to 150Kb. Choose your destination folder (default is last folder used) and click OK.

The save-as screen will go away, and the resized psd file is still on your screen. Close that file WITHOUT SAVING IT, as it is the 640-pixel version of the .psd file and you no longer need it. If you save it when prompted, it will overwrite the large psd file and you'll lose your working master.

Robt.
03/10/2006 06:52:24 AM · #5
Dang, there were NO responses when I started writing my essay, LOL...

R.
03/10/2006 07:09:23 AM · #6
Thanks Robert
Thanks a great help. It has answered quite a few questions.
03/10/2006 07:29:15 AM · #7
You're welcome.

R.
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