 Steve Ireland |
Saving images in Photoshop I use a Canon Rebel (300D) and shoot in Fine/Normal and save my images on the highest quality in Photoshop Number 12 image option as JPEG Files once I have sharpened them usually to about 100%. I also only re-save the original image once after I have sharpened/added contrast etc as I am aware of lossy compression. I would be grateful if someone could advise if this is the correct saving process to achieve the highest quality of image for printing out at my pro lab or should I start taking in RAW ? Many thanks Steve UK
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Brendan Knell |
From what I can tell, it looks like you're doing a good job of it. But as for JPEG being a lossy compression, you would have to edit and save it over 1000 times for you to notice any degredation. About RAW, if you have the space on your card and hard drive, and don't mind the learning curve, I would recomend it. Otherwise, just shoot on JPEG Fine.
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John P. Sandstedt |
I recommend NEVER saving your image as a JPEG as the first "save." In Photoshop, the save should be made in PSD, the Photoshop native format, or TIFF. Then, with either format you can do your editing, allowing intermediate "saving" without any quality loss. You can save your final product as a JPEG, at the 12 setting, to conserve hard drive space, and you can delete all the intermediate versions if you so choose. I scan my photos as I don't have a digital camera. But, when my daughter in law e-mails me pictures of my grandchildren, she sends JPEGs at 72 dpi, with the dimensions of 21" X 28". My first step after "saving from the e-mail [without opening the file from the e-mail,] is to resize the image using Photoshop [I use Elements Version 4.0, now.] I resize to a 4"X6" at 600 dpi or 8"X10" at 300 dpi. I do my editing and, if I want to print an 8"X10" from the 4"X6", I resize - changing the dpi setting to 300. The file size remains about the same, nominally 20 MB. I've recently enlarged some of my 20 MB. 8"x10" prints to 13"X19" [just got a new printer. The results are very good, however, I currently working on the first several images that I scanned at 1200 dpi to produce 55 MB files [at 5"X7".] These will enlarge to 13"X19" at 300 dpi, retaining the 55 MB size. Files you send to a photo-finisher [commercial printer] should be at least 12 MB to assure acceptability of the finished prints. But, I think larger files will produce better results.
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Steve Ireland |
Thanks for your reply John. Just to clarify, my images are automatically saved as JPEGs into My Pictures from where I transfer them into Photoshop. My first action is usually to sharpen them and then adjust contrast. I always click OK but do not save the file until I am happy with the result at the end and then I save as a jpeg but simply change the name. At what point should I save as psd file ? Sorry for not grasping your advice.
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John P. Sandstedt |
When you download to My Pictures they are saved as a JPEG. When I open them, I immediately adjust the size and resolution and save to PSD/TIFF. All the books say that they last thing edit you make should be the Sharpening - not the first. You might try saving after each edit, so that if you screw up, you can go back to the last thing you liked. You can always delete, once you have your final. I currently working on a re-make of Hula Hoops [my BP.com winner. I scanned to make a 55 MB file [recommended for the 13X19 print I plan. It will take lots of time to clean the image up, so intermediate saving is important to me
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Pete H |
Hello Steve, "and save my images on the highest quality in Photoshop Number 12 image option as JPEG Files once I have sharpened them usually to about 100%." If I am reading you right, this is entirely the wrong thing to do. You should immedietly save your photos as is..Unmolested. You never know if you want a different effect later on. " I also only re-save the original image once after I have sharpened/added contrast etc as I am aware of lossy compression" Again, no, wrong way.
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Phillip Corcoran |
I was always taught that saving as you edit is fine, but apply sharpening as the last step and DON'T save that step because if you oversharpen, save, then close the image, there's no way too undo the damage caused by oversharpening. Most other changes can be reversed even after the image is closed and re-opened, but not oversharpening.
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Steve Ireland |
Thanks Guys for advice, particularly when to sharpen. Perhaps I missed out one explanation. When I have made all my adjustments I save the file as a jpeg but with a different name, usually a suffix ie Uncle Fred 012a.jpg, so preserving the original Uncle Fred 012.jpg file as unmolested, as Pete puts it to return to if my changes aren't quite right. Does this alter any of your advice and am I making all my changes on the correct file version? Thanks and sorry if I wasnt too clear before !
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Pete H |
Whew! Ya..Ok Steve, as long as you save it as a (new) name and leave the original untouched.
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