resizing. how?

[titan307]

i just cant figure out how to resize and keep the original integrity of the images. i know there is a way but how? ive seen so many images that are absolutely beautiful and they have to resize just like i do but mine dont end up as nice as before i resize. i have PS7. help me please. my images always resize and look OOF,flat,fuzzy,unsharp,funny color when i post them. when i have them printed or even just on the screen they look great.

[peterst6906]

Here is a link that provides some useful information on downsampling:

Down sampling methods

After you reduce an image in size, you'll also need to sharpen it to return the sharpness that is averaged away.

Regards,

Peter

[Mr. Pickles]

Most sites like this one have a limit to the size images can be. If not, we'd have to have a HUGE server. If you are asking about resizing for a site like this, then maybe this will help.

In PS7, resize the image to 800 pixels on the long side. Like Peter said, sharpen it. Even if you did before, sharpen again because in the resize, 1/4, 1/2, etc of the sharpness was blended away.

Now use the SaveAs function and drop the compression amount to 7 or 8 or so to get it under the file size requirement. PS is notoriously low in its estimate of the actual file size, so in the dialog take note of what it says versus what it actually saves as. The compression will take a bit of the image away, but not as much as the sharpening will be decreased. Most do not complain about the color compression/degradation. Most complain the images aren't as sharp.

[Goofup]

I don't recommend this for everyone cause it's backwards, but it works for me. First, I rarely print a picture, even 4X5. Almost all my stuff is to be viewed on the web. So for pictures that I know will be viewed on the web only (97% of them) what I do is 1) Crop it. 2) Convert to sRBG and jpeg (if it isn't already). 3) Resize it. 4) Now do all your edits, including sharpening. It's already web size/colors so you know exactly what you're working with. When you've got it like you want it the only question is how much compression is needed to get the file size down when you save it.

Like I said, it's backwards- I very rarely work on the full size image.

(Course, if I ever, finally, take that wall-hanger, that's a completely different story!)

[jfrancho]

This will show a complete raw to web work flow: Anatomy of a product shoot PART II - lots of images!.

Here is a little more on color management as it relates to work flow: sRGB VS RGB