On the way to Oregon last month I stopped by Mossbrae Falls and I got this shot.
Although it is not a long hike, walking on the snow under the rain it was not fun at all but seeing this beautiful waterfall was well worth the effort.
I still can't figure out how to post a larger image (as mentioned in the guidelines), so far I am able to post only the 200kb max size, hence my picture is pretty small. I assume I am doing something wrong.
Your image is nice, well composed, technically no issues but it is as you say small. and with all the detail .....I had the same issue as well when I started posting. So here's what I figured out with help from other NPN folks. If in your editing program you have image resize I first drop the DPI number to 80 ( from what is usually 300 ) then reduce the width or length of the image depending on the orientation to 720. Then my editing program has a save for the web feature that I can manipulate the quality number up or down and it tells me what the file size is. When I've got the file size under 200 KB slightly I'll save and post. For the galleries on the larger image (which for members can be 1200 in largest dimension and 500 KB) I still reduce to 80 use 1100 for longest dimension and save for web reducing to under the limit. I have photoshop elements so I hope this helps.
Paul wrote: "I first drop the pixel number to 80 ( from what is usually 300 ) "
Paul, are you talking about DPI? If so, DPI has nothing to do with resolution or image size on the screen, DPI is dots-per-inch for print resolution. I use 720px @ 72 dpi for my image posts. The only reason I use 72 dpi is so that when I add text (measured in points) I can size the text correctly.
Alejandro: Which image editor are you using? Once we know that, we may be able to help you more efficiently.
It's a nice shot. I like the color and the composition. In a larger size, you may need to tone down the brightness just a bit; especially in the waterfall.
--P
Posted by Rodney Ninow on March 10, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Alejandro what image editing program do you have? If you have photoshop, then use the save for web under the file menu. It automatically reduces the image to 72 PPI (Pixels per inch) and makes the file much smaller than simply "save as." (this doesn't effect the on screen size, as Preston points out, but it does reduce the file's size in kilobytes)
Save for web also allows you to preview the image at various JPEG compressions, allowing you to make the file as small as possible, but still retain some sharpness. You can even reduce the pixel dimensions in the save for web dialog box.
If you don't have photoshop, then you need to do more compression in your jpeg settings. Experiment with different settings till you get to under 200kb.
Alejandro it seems 72 Dpi might be a better number as suggested by Preston. I used 80 because I knew it would make the file smaller when I saved it for the web. I wasn't aware that 72 might be better. I just knew that 300 DPI was better for printing and not for web images after getting some previous tips.
Paul, 72 dpi resolution only makes the file smaller if the pixel dimensions change to a lower value. It's the number of bits per pixel times the total number of pixels in an image that determine file size for a flattened image.
As I mentioned, I use 72 DPI for the resolution so that text will be easier to size when I add it to my images. This is because the font sizes are in points (1 pt=1/72 in.) and the document size is in inches.
Let me apologize, I now have a better understanding for dropping the DPI to 80 from the larger number. When you reduce the length or hght to 720 using 80 DPI lets the image remain large in size relative to inches. At 300 DPI dropping the number in elements to 720 reduces the images size in inches at least in elements. Maybe I shouldn't give advice but what I explained works for me. Since I don't know what editing program you have what I explained may not work for you.
Thank you everyone for your feedback.
Usually when I post online (my web for example) I use an action in Photoshop to bring my orig. file to 72ppi, and put my watermark. I think because of the action the file was still at 400KB so it wouldn't be accepted by the forum.
What I did yesterday to post in this forum was to bring the resolution even lower, as well as the pixel dimension to make the overall file smaller but the picture ended up being too small.
Now, I played around with all of your suggestions and I noticed that by saving my file (after the PS action) for Web and Devices as Rodney suggested the same 400KB file became 145KB and the dimensions and resolution remained the same. How it does it? I don't know....but the file is smaller now. So here it is; it is still kind of small but it is the size I usually publish so I am OK with it.
"...the same 400KB file became 145KB and the dimensions and resolution remained the same. How it does it? I don't know...."
Alejandro, the Save for Web, like any algorithm that converts/saves an image to jpeg, causes a loss of data (pixels) reducing the file size while keeping dimensions the same. JPEG is known as a 'lossy' format because of this. That's why, in some very detailed images, some of that detail is lost due to this compression. Note that each time the same jpeg image is saved, detail is lost. It doesn't take to many 'saves' before the image is severely degraded.
Your repost looks very nice!
--P.
Posted by Rodney Ninow on March 11, 2010 at 3:24 PM
Preston is right, JPEG is a lossy format. Each time the image is saved, a little data is thrown away. How much is thrown away is determined by the compression level you choose, 1-10 (1-12 in Photoshop).
That is why the save for web feature is great. You can see your original next to three different compression levels and decide which one gives you the most compression, for a small file size, while retaining the sharpness and detail you desire. Saving this way is not good for printing, obviously.
When creating a jpeg for print, you should only save ONCE from your raw to JPEG and at the highest setting.
Thank you guys for the clarification and the help. I do work in RAW so I don't need to save multiple times in JPG only once I have my final version. My prints tend to have the highest resolution possible.
The only time I change the JPEG is when I save a different version to post in my website, which is a small file.
Discussion
10 repliesAlthough it is not a long hike, walking on the snow under the rain it was not fun at all but seeing this beautiful waterfall was well worth the effort.
I still can't figure out how to post a larger image (as mentioned in the guidelines), so far I am able to post only the 200kb max size, hence my picture is pretty small. I assume I am doing something wrong.
Your image is nice, well composed, technically no issues but it is as you say small. and with all the detail .....I had the same issue as well when I started posting. So here's what I figured out with help from other NPN folks. If in your editing program you have image resize I first drop the DPI number to 80 ( from what is usually 300 ) then reduce the width or length of the image depending on the orientation to 720. Then my editing program has a save for the web feature that I can manipulate the quality number up or down and it tells me what the file size is. When I've got the file size under 200 KB slightly I'll save and post. For the galleries on the larger image (which for members can be 1200 in largest dimension and 500 KB) I still reduce to 80 use 1100 for longest dimension and save for web reducing to under the limit. I have photoshop elements so I hope this helps.
Paul, are you talking about DPI? If so, DPI has nothing to do with resolution or image size on the screen, DPI is dots-per-inch for print resolution. I use 720px @ 72 dpi for my image posts. The only reason I use 72 dpi is so that when I add text (measured in points) I can size the text correctly.
Alejandro: Which image editor are you using? Once we know that, we may be able to help you more efficiently.
It's a nice shot. I like the color and the composition. In a larger size, you may need to tone down the brightness just a bit; especially in the waterfall.
--P
Save for web also allows you to preview the image at various JPEG compressions, allowing you to make the file as small as possible, but still retain some sharpness. You can even reduce the pixel dimensions in the save for web dialog box.
If you don't have photoshop, then you need to do more compression in your jpeg settings. Experiment with different settings till you get to under 200kb.
Paul
Here's an example from one of my images...
@72 DPI:
Pixel Dimensions: 561x720
Document Size: 7,8x10 inches
File Size: 1.16MB
@50 DPI
Pixel Dimensions: 390x500
Documant Size: 7.8x10 inches
File Size: 571KB
@50DPI, maintaining the original pixel dimensions. Note that the document size increase, but the file size does not change.
Pixel Dimensions: 720x591
Document Size: 11.2x14.4 inches
File Size: 1.16MB
As I mentioned, I use 72 DPI for the resolution so that text will be easier to size when I add it to my images. This is because the font sizes are in points (1 pt=1/72 in.) and the document size is in inches.
--P
Let me apologize, I now have a better understanding for dropping the DPI to 80 from the larger number. When you reduce the length or hght to 720 using 80 DPI lets the image remain large in size relative to inches. At 300 DPI dropping the number in elements to 720 reduces the images size in inches at least in elements. Maybe I shouldn't give advice but what I explained works for me. Since I don't know what editing program you have what I explained may not work for you.
Paul
Usually when I post online (my web for example) I use an action in Photoshop to bring my orig. file to 72ppi, and put my watermark. I think because of the action the file was still at 400KB so it wouldn't be accepted by the forum.
What I did yesterday to post in this forum was to bring the resolution even lower, as well as the pixel dimension to make the overall file smaller but the picture ended up being too small.
Now, I played around with all of your suggestions and I noticed that by saving my file (after the PS action) for Web and Devices as Rodney suggested the same 400KB file became 145KB and the dimensions and resolution remained the same. How it does it? I don't know....but the file is smaller now. So here it is; it is still kind of small but it is the size I usually publish so I am OK with it.
Thank you everyone for your great suggestions.
Alejandro
Alejandro, the Save for Web, like any algorithm that converts/saves an image to jpeg, causes a loss of data (pixels) reducing the file size while keeping dimensions the same. JPEG is known as a 'lossy' format because of this. That's why, in some very detailed images, some of that detail is lost due to this compression. Note that each time the same jpeg image is saved, detail is lost. It doesn't take to many 'saves' before the image is severely degraded.
Your repost looks very nice!
--P.
That is why the save for web feature is great. You can see your original next to three different compression levels and decide which one gives you the most compression, for a small file size, while retaining the sharpness and detail you desire. Saving this way is not good for printing, obviously.
When creating a jpeg for print, you should only save ONCE from your raw to JPEG and at the highest setting.
The only time I change the JPEG is when I save a different version to post in my website, which is a small file.
Thanks again