Resizing Nondestructively / Workflow

Resizing photos has always been something I hate doing.

For example; lets say I have a photo that I want to upload to my Flickr. I will do all my normal PP stuff, go to 'Image Size' and enter the dimensions. Then I will use 'Save for Web,' optimize, then save. Great.. but now my PSD has been resized to a smaller dimension and if I'm not careful, I may accidentally save it like this preventing me from using the original dimensions without doing the work all over again.


One thing I came up with, was to save the PSD at full size, resize, and then save the PSD of the resize so I can go back to it. (Maybe a client bought the image and I just want to remove the watermark.)

But what if I want to tweak the colors on the photo? I would have to go back to the original, save, resize, save the resize PSD, and work on optimizing that resize (set the sharpness, etc). I don't like having multiple copies of the same photos.. its difficult and confusing to manage.

Am I the only one pulling my hairs out here? How do you do it?

Lightroom...

- As many copies of an image as you want (with no additional space used because they're all "virtual")
- Non-Destructive edits
- Export in Original, TIFF, DNG or JPEG at whatever size / resolution you prefer (and plug ins allow direct upload to Smugmug, Flickr, Zenfolio or straight to your hard drive.)

I made an action to do the things aimed at preparing an image for the Web. As far as saving a PSD for a particular image size I would not have messed with that unless it had very specific processing needs -- otherwise I'd keep the original PSD and toss the resize. But if you do have selective sharpening to do after resize, well, that's up to you.

Resize (and/or crop) only when you need to > use it > delete it.

If you don't want to use image size why dont you just type in the pixels you want in "save for web"?

You could use the crop tool set on "hide" insteal of "delete".

Or keep doing what you're doing and once you've saved a copy just ctrl + z it how ever many times then save so make sure you've got the full size file there.

And of course with photoshop there's probably about 1000 other ways you could do it (eg. actions was suggested), personal prefference will come into play for sure.

tonylong wrote in post #11946567
I made an action to do the things aimed at preparing an image for the Web. As far as saving a PSD for a particular image size I would not have messed with that unless it had very specific processing needs -- otherwise I'd keep the original PSD and toss the resize. But if you do have selective sharpening to do after resize, well, that's up to you.

This is pretty much what I do though the original may be a TIFF. I run my action that prepares it for the web along with watermarking and then once I have loaded it to wherever it is going I simply delete it. The original TIF or PSD remain full sized. I do everything in adjustment layers in the original so if you find that you want to go back and tweak the original it is exceptionally easy.

The Lightroom suggestion is very valid as well but if you don't use that product (I quit using it when version 3 came out) then you do have to find an alternate way of doing things. Disk space is inordinately cheap these days so this should never be a concern.

Why not make yourself a resize/sharpen/save action which begins by duplicating and flattening the master file? That way, you're never resizing the master, and there's no risk.

CallumPhoto wrote in post #11948484
If you don't want to use image size why dont you just type in the pixels you want in "save for web"?

Because that doesn't allow you to sharpen afterwards. Sharpening is a very important part of web saving, IMO.

Damo77 wrote in post #11949400
Because that doesn't allow you to sharpen afterwards. Sharpening is a very important part of web saving, IMO.

Yeah I thought this might be the case, it's actually why I don't do it that way and I totally agree that the sharpening is important for web and any output. Some people don't so I thought I'd ask.

chris jones wrote in post #11946468
For example; lets say I have a photo that I want to upload to my Flickr. I will do all my normal PP stuff, go to 'Image Size' and enter the dimensions. Then I will use 'Save for Web,' optimize, then save. Great.. but now my PSD has been resized to a smaller dimension and if I'm not careful, I may accidentally save it like this preventing me from using the original dimensions without doing the work all over again.

Image > duplicate. Close the original psd file. Then resize and sharpen the duplicate.

Damo77 wrote in post #11949400
Because that doesn't allow you to sharpen afterwards. Sharpening is a very important part of web saving, IMO.

CallumPhoto wrote in post #11949528
Yeah I thought this might be the case, it's actually why I don't do it that way and I totally agree that the sharpening is important for web and any output. Some people don't so I thought I'd ask.

I don't agree with putting sharpening in an action unless it is an extremely small amount. Sharpening, imo, should be done on a per image basis. While it may be more work to subsequently work each image post resizing it is time well spent as your results will be better than applying a global value to every web image.

I have sharpening in my save for web action, but I've got a pause so I can adjust it per image. I would never leave it to complete automation.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #11946478
Lightroom...

- As many copies of an image as you want (with no additional space used because they're all "virtual")
- Non-Destructive edits
- Export in Original, TIFF, DNG or JPEG at whatever size / resolution you prefer (and plug ins allow direct upload to Smugmug, Flickr, Zenfolio or straight to your hard drive.)

Several of the reasons I love my Lightroom...I believe CS5 implemented non-destructive editing, and possibly resizing, also.

ssim wrote in post #11952099
I don't agree with putting sharpening in an action unless it is an extremely small amount. Sharpening, imo, should be done on a per image basis. While it may be more work to subsequently work each image post resizing it is time well spent as your results will be better than applying a global value to every web image.

Yes sharpening should be done specifically for each image if you have an optomized workflow like a lot of us, I make my actions so that it stops for me to tell it how much sharpening to do before it keeps going and finishes off the rest of the action. It's pretty easy too do, only takes one click to make a certain step give you the option of how to apply an ajustment layer or filter. You can use as little or as much automation as you want with actions.

LR!