Mac Photos reducing size to 2mb or less when uploading to Zenfolio etc. Help is needed.

I don't know if this is me being techno useless but I'm really hoping someone can help ease my frustration.

I have a macbook pro.

When I stick my SD card in the side of it, it imports my pictures to it's program called 'Photos'

When I try to upload the photos from there to Zenfolio, somewhere along the way, the files sizes are being reduced to 2mb or less and I cannot work out where this is happening or why, or how to change it.

I'm trying to upload JPEGs.

I am sort of familiar with the iPhotos / Photos problem, but don't think I have iPhotos still on my mac.

I also have Picasa on my mac which I like, but cannot seem to upload photos from that to Zenfolio at all.

If anyone understands what I am talking about I would be very grateful for any advice. Thank you.

Josilou wrote in post #17844495
I don't know if this is me being techno useless but I'm really hoping someone can help ease my frustration.
I have a macbook pro.
When I stick my SD card in the side of it, it imports my pictures to it's program called 'Photos'
When I try to upload the photos from there to Zenfolio, somewhere along the way, the files sizes are being reduced to 2mb or less and I cannot work out where this is happening or why, or how to change it.
I'm trying to upload JPEGs.
I am sort of familiar with the iPhotos / Photos problem, but don't think I have iPhotos still on my mac.
I also have Picasa on my mac which I like, but cannot seem to upload photos from that to Zenfolio at all.
If anyone understands what I am talking about I would be very grateful for any advice. Thank you.

What do you mean when you mention "the iPhotos/Photos problem"?
I ask because I am a longtime user of iPhoto, an am now a user of Photos, and am not aware of any problem.

What I do whenever uploading to a site is to export each photo individually to my desktop (or to a folder on my desktop).
During the export process you select file type, rate of compression, and resolution.
I then upload from the desktop to whatever site I am trying to upload to.
I wouldn't ever want to just upload directly from either iPhoto or Photos because I have no idea what kind of defaults are applied to images uploaded in such a fashion.
It seems prudent to have absolute control over the exporting process so that you can make sure that each and every file is exactly the way you want it to be.

.

yeah, like tom said, don't use any built-in features to upload. save the files and upload them manually using zenfolio's web page.

personally i apply 0 compression to jpgs uploaded. that was i have a backup in case i do something really stupid with the originals (it has happened.)

Xyclopx wrote in post #17892335
yeah, like tom said, don't use any built-in features to upload. save the files and upload them manually using zenfolio's web page.

personally i apply 0 compression to jpgs uploaded. that was i have a backup in case i do something really stupid with the originals (it has happened.)

You do know that although when using zero compression with a JPEG file, the image still has many of the same processes applied to it by the JPEG compression engine, as the maximum compression level. This means that even a zero compression/max quality JPEG file will show JPEG artifacts. The only problem with using this quality setting is that you can actually end up with an image file that is larger than an equivalent uncompressed 8 bit TIFF file. I don't know how many quality steps Photos offers, with Adobe products you get 13. I have run tests and a quality setting of 10/13 (where 13 is maximum quality) is practically indistinguishable from the uncompressed file. Although the actual differences between the maximum quality, and the high quality image are different, the level of these differences from the original uncompressed TIFF file are the same. The big advantage is that although they are visually the same, with the same level of JPEG artifacts in both, the high quality file is between 60% and 40% smaller, depending on content, than the maximum quality file.

If you really want a file that is a perfect copy of the original, then it is best to save the file as an 8 bit TIFF file using LZW or ZIP compression. Both of those are loss less compression methods, so have zero impact on image quality. The file sizes are at around the higher end of the range for the High (not maximum) quality JPEG file. As they are TIFF files, which are an open format, you should see thumbnails in most file browsers.

Alan

BigAl007 wrote in post #17893545
You do know that although when using zero compression with a JPEG file, the image still has many of the same processes applied to it by the JPEG compression engine, as the maximum compression level. This means that even a zero compression/max quality JPEG file will show JPEG artifacts. The only problem with using this quality setting is that you can actually end up with an image file that is larger than an equivalent uncompressed 8 bit TIFF file. I don't know how many quality steps Photos offers, with Adobe products you get 13. I have run tests and a quality setting of 10/13 (where 13 is maximum quality) is practically indistinguishable from the uncompressed file. Although the actual differences between the maximum quality, and the high quality image are different, the level of these differences from the original uncompressed TIFF file are the same. The big advantage is that although they are visually the same, with the same level of JPEG artifacts in both, the high quality file is between 60% and 40% smaller, depending on content, than the maximum quality file.

If you really want a file that is a perfect copy of the original, then it is best to save the file as an 8 bit TIFF file using LZW or ZIP compression. Both of those are loss less compression methods, so have zero impact on image quality. The file sizes are at around the higher end of the range for the High (not maximum) quality JPEG file. As they are TIFF files, which are an open format, you should see thumbnails in most file browsers.

Alan

hi alan--i did know even max jpg would be lossy, but i didn't realize tiff would be so close in size.

yeah that would be a ton better. thanks for hitting me on the head with it, ha ha.

zenfolio is limited to 64mb per picture for the upper tier accounts. so it has to squeeze into that.

BigAl007 wrote in post #17893545
You do know that although when using zero compression with a JPEG file, the image still has many of the same processes applied to it by the JPEG compression engine, as the maximum compression level. This means that even a zero compression/max quality JPEG file will show JPEG artifacts. The only problem with using this quality setting is that you can actually end up with an image file that is larger than an equivalent uncompressed 8 bit TIFF file. I don't know how many quality steps Photos offers, with Adobe products you get 13. I have run tests and a quality setting of 10/13 (where 13 is maximum quality) is practically indistinguishable from the uncompressed file. Although the actual differences between the maximum quality, and the high quality image are different, the level of these differences from the original uncompressed TIFF file are the same. The big advantage is that although they are visually the same, with the same level of JPEG artifacts in both, the high quality file is between 60% and 40% smaller, depending on content, than the maximum quality file.

If you really want a file that is a perfect copy of the original, then it is best to save the file as an 8 bit TIFF file using LZW or ZIP compression. Both of those are loss less compression methods, so have zero impact on image quality. The file sizes are at around the higher end of the range for the High (not maximum) quality JPEG file. As they are TIFF files, which are an open format, you should see thumbnails in most file browsers.

Alan

Xyclopx wrote in post #17893560
hi alan--i did know even max jpg would be lossy, but i didn't realize tiff would be so close in size.

yeah that would be a ton better. thanks for hitting me on the head with it, ha ha.

zenfolio is limited to 64mb per picture for the upper tier accounts. so it has to squeeze into that.

actually.... i just tested this and using LR, at least for some photos, 8-bit TIFF is still about 3x bigger than highest-level JPG. but you still have good advice--I'm gonna use TIFF up to the maximum 64mb. then if it goes over, i'll revert back to jpg.

thanks.

Xyclopx wrote in post #17893944
actually.... i just tested this and using LR, at least for some photos, 8-bit TIFF is still about 3x bigger than highest-level JPG. but you still have good advice--I'm gonna use TIFF up to the maximum 64mb. then if it goes over, i'll revert back to jpg.

thanks.

Yes I think I miss remembered it. You need to use the loss less LZW compression which will make the file a bit smaller than a max quality JPEG. My confusion came from doing some prints to traditional silver halide Ilford monochrome papers. For that output the optimum image type is to simply use a grayscale image with a 2.2 gamma. Since a grey scale image only needs one byte per pixel, so a 4800×3600 pixel image for a 16×12 print will use 14.479 MB of data, but for my aviation images I can get that down to around 1 MB with LZW compression, with zero detrimental effect to the image. Oh and the lab accepts TIFF files. I forgot that I was using both grayscale, and LZW when generating the images, I have to go though PS to do that, as you simply cannot export a grayscale image directly from LR. I just remembered seeing the tiny TIFF files, compared to an R=G=B RGB JPEG image exported from LR.

Alan

Josilou wrote in post #17844495
I don't know if this is me being techno useless but I'm really hoping someone can help ease my frustration.

I have a macbook pro.

When I stick my SD card in the side of it, it imports my pictures to it's program called 'Photos'

When I try to upload the photos from there to Zenfolio, somewhere along the way, the files sizes are being reduced to 2mb or less and I cannot work out where this is happening or why, or how to change it.

I'm trying to upload JPEGs.

I am sort of familiar with the iPhotos / Photos problem, but don't think I have iPhotos still on my mac.

I also have Picasa on my mac which I like, but cannot seem to upload photos from that to Zenfolio at all.

If anyone understands what I am talking about I would be very grateful for any advice. Thank you.

I went through this with a client that was supposed to be uploading photos to a website i built. It took a lot of hand holding to get him to figure out what the heck he was doing wrong. But honestly, it is really pretty simple if you read the instructions for Photos. Mac Photos definitely has the ability to export high res files and/or the original. On the flip side I'm sure Zenfolio will reduce the size of the photo if it is too big. So like you said, you need to figure out where this is happening.

Once you export the photo, go to the Mac finder, locate the photo, click one time on it, and press Command-I. The resulting window will give you the file size and pixel dimensions of the image before you upload it.

Having said all that, you really should be uploading the proper size (pixel dimensions) photo for every use. If you are printing the files on Zenfolio, then yes, you should upload the maximum pixel dimensions. If they are only for web viewing you should probably export a reduced pixel count image (1500 on the longest side for example).

As I mention in this thread, allowing an online service to resize your images is not the best idea, although there are situations where you simply cannot control every part of the upload and viewing process.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #17894148
On the flip side I'm sure Zenfolio will reduce the size of the photo if it is too big. So like you said, you need to figure out where this is happening.

Having said all that, you really should be uploading the proper size (pixel dimensions) photo for every use. If you are printing the files on Zenfolio, then yes, you should upload the maximum pixel dimensions. If they are only for web viewing you should probably export a reduced pixel count image (1500 on the longest side for example).

As I mention in this thread, allowing an online service to resize your images is not the best idea, although there are situations where you simply cannot control every part of the upload and viewing process.

i'm not sure if you are talking the file size or resolution, but either way, it actually doesn't. i forgot exactly what it says, but there will be an error. i believe that i found their resolution cap was soft and i went over and it was okay, but i kinda forgot the details. but i do remember you can't go too big--there will be an error. and the file size is a limit too.

zenfolio doesn't resize your photos when saving to its db. you can always retrieve the same file you uploaded. it does however prepare different views for the screen at different resolutions using your original file, since the displayed images can be dynamically sized. so perhaps that's the same difference to you, i dunno. there might be a feature to force it not to resize to fit the screen, but i don't use it and it's probably not a good idea for user experience.

Xyclopx wrote in post #17894291
i'm not sure if you are talking the file size or resolution, but either way, it actually doesn't. i forgot exactly what it says, but there will be an error. i believe that i found their resolution cap was soft and i went over and it was okay, but i kinda forgot the details. but i do remember you can't go too big--there will be an error. and the file size is a limit too.

what is "it" in this paragraph?

edit: Oh, i see you only quoted me on my zenfolio comments. Gotcha. I still think we are on the same page. If OP uploads a full size image, she (?) still needs to make sure she downloads a full size image.