Help Needed on re-sizing photos for forum

[tvromano]

I am new to posting photos on this site. My photos are typically 8mb or 4mb in jpg compression.

I tried to post an image that was 104K and the attachment manager rejected it because it was too big. Yet I see posts with 100-200K pics.

My first questions is...what is the size and dimension limits

My second question is...what is the best way to resize the digital photo before posting. PS has the dpi control, the resize image control and save as jpg control...all which can take a larger image and make it smaller. Which is the best reduction technique that retains the most quality.

Thanks in advance.

[Stump]

I don't think the dpi adjustment makes much difference. You will have to resize your pictures to around 94-96k in photoshop before they will upload here. The ones you see that are larger are being hosted somewhere else. I host my own, as a lot of people do.

If you just go to image size in photoshop, then change the size to like 600x whatever and set your quality about 8 and you should be good to go on most pictures.

[gabrioladude]

let me give my two cents worth because this was an issue for me for a while also

with regards to why some images seem to be larger. I suspect if you check those images are actually hosted on another web site and not on POTN. The poster likely simply put the URL to the other site in their message

the easiest way I have discovered to get the image file size right is to first resize it to a reasonable size (use image resize). Something like 680 pixels on the longest side

and then to use the "Save for the web" feature in PhotoShop (under the File menu). Once you get the window opening for that selection you need to "optimize file size" (or words like that...). There is another tab you need to select which gives you that menu option. You then tell it to optimize the file size to 100k and presto magic it always otimizes to the right size and the file can be posted here....

I must admit it took me a while to find the tab which gives you the option to "optimize to file size"....

[Stump]

The only thing I hate about "save for web" is the fact it robs the exif info.

[tvromano]

Thanks guys. This helps.

[rpolitsr]

let me give my two cents…

There is another tab you need to select which gives you that menu option. You then tell it to optimize the file size to 100k and presto magic it always otimizes to the right size and the file can be posted here....

I must admit it took me a while to find the tab which gives you the option to "optimize to file size"....

Well, I have used all the dropdowns and text boxes to optimize my files as I need, and I know how to deal with them. When I read your post I thought ‘nice feature of CS2’ but alas! the Optimize to File Size… dialog box is also hidden in PhotoShop CS . That IS the easiest way! Three year to find it may be a personal record! :oops:

But my comment is about maximum image sizes (800 pixels) and file sizes (100KB).

If you attach an image to the post, the limits are enforced by the forum software. If you embed an image hosted in your web site, technically it can be bigger, but you are encouraged to use the same size limits as if they were attachments, and moderatos almost always change the big image to a link.

The best way is to start reading the official thread and the links inside it:

IMAGE POSTING RULES (READ BEFORE YOU POST!) (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=51022)

[Pete]

The easiest way by far is to get yourself a photobucket account and host your photos on there. As part of uploading, you can let photobucket do the resizing to 800px by itself.

That means you don't have to degrade the images down to under 100K, and you don't have to bother resizing the dimensions....

[rpolitsr]

...That means you don't have to degrade the images down to under 100K, and you don't have to bother resizing the dimensions....

Do not forget that, to be within the forum rules, the photobucket hosted image must be at or below 100KB to embed it in a post.

edit:
Correction: 100KB limit applies to attachments, not to embedded images. See the post of Jon below.

[Pete]

No... That's incorrect... Linked images can be any size. Attached images must be under 100K.

[rpolitsr]

I agree with you linked images not displayed within a post can be of any size, but an image that you can see in the post either attached (hosted in POTN) or embedded (hosted externally) must be 800 pixels and under 100KB

Anyway, this must not be discussion about personal preferences. I am searching to find if that official recommendation exists or not, I think I read it some time ago.

I thought it is a reasonable limit and I usually keep my images close to that 100KB limit even though they are on my web site. I do so mainly because I remember my 56kbs modem downloading images painfully slow.

edit:
Correction: 100KB limit applies to attachments, not to embedded images. See the post of Jon below.

[Bish]

If you are using Windows XP you can download the image resizer powertoy free of charge from www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx this allows you to resize one or many images with a right click

Regards Bish.

[Jon]

I agree with you linked images not displayed within a post can be of any size, but an image that you can see in the post either attached (hosted in POTN) or embedded (hosted externally) must be 800 pixels and under 100KB

Anyway, this must not be discussion about personal preferences. I am searching to find if that official recommendation exists or not, I think I read it some time ago.

I thought it is a reasonable limit and I usually keep my images close to that 100KB limit even though they are on my web site. I do so mainly because I remember my 56kbs modem downloading images painfully slow.

IMAGE POSTING RULES
As of July 20, 2006



Image Size Limits:Image must fit in 800 pixels by 800 pixels box.
If you want to share a larger photo, please link to it. See http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=157706
for tips.

Note that size limits apply to all forums.

Do not use the forum as your image gallery, post only the best of the best and link to the rest.


Definitions:Attachment:
when you upload a photo from your own computer to forum hard disk using forum posting interface.

By posting attached images you give us a permission to host the images and display them. Upload only material which is your own copyright.

Please use the attachment feature only when you do not have your own server or gallery space to link images from. The images are stored on photography-on-the.net hard disks and the space is limited - we may delete attachments if space gets low (not likely in near future). At the moment we have 100KB per image filesize limit (100000 bytes) per jpg image.
Embedding: when you surround image URL with HTTP://url.jpg bbcode tags to make it apperar on post as displayed image. By posting embedded images you give us a permission to display them. Embed only material which is your own copyright.



100K limit only applies to attachments, although we (and the people on slow connections) appreciate your keeping image size in KB down. Enforcing it on embedded images hosted elsewhere would be virtually impossible.

[rpolitsr]

Thank you Jon

Ok, Pete and friends:
My posts above were accurate regarding image sizes, but not about the 100KB limit for embedded images. That is just a suggestion.

I will edit my posts above to include a note on that.

[tommykjensen]

Thank you Jon

Ok, Pete and friends:
My posts above were accurate regarding image sizes, but not about the 100KB limit for embedded images. That is just a suggestion.

I will edit my posts above to include a note on that.

A better word to use is attachments. The attachments have a 100 kb limit.

EDIT: Ignore this you already pointed out the difference between attachments and imbedded(linked) images.

[Scottes]

Much has been discussed, but if it's any use a tutorial on "Resizing Images Using Save For Web" can be found here: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=265690