Prep your images for the Web

Save images for the web

I have been asked several times how I prepare images for posting on Facebook or 500px or deviantart etc… I have built an Action that will perform about 95% of the work required at a click of a button. I review each image as some, depending on content, will require some manual tweaking to optimize it for display on the web. Below is a breakdown of what I do in my Action. You can follow the steps and customize it to your needs and create your own Action.

ASSUMPTIONS

I will make certain assumption that are based on my current workflow. These are:

  1. You are working with a 16-bit imageĀ  (less gradation artifacts especially when shooting in studio)
  2. You are working in the Adobe RGB workspace or better ( ProFoto, etc )
  3. Your image is at full resolution

PROCESS

  1. Create your Action ( I named mine prepForWeb )
    If you need help on this follow the link below
    http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/creating-actions.html
  2. Convert image to 8 bits ( Image -> Mode -> 8-bits/Channel )
  3. Convert image to sRGB color space ( Edit -> Convert To Proile -> sRGB IEC61966-2.1 )
  4. Resize image to desired size for the web ( Image -> Image Size )
    1. Set resolution to either 96 or 72 Pixel/Inch
  5. Create a new Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer on top of the Layer stack
    1. Up the Saturation slider to +15
    2. Leave all others as they are.
  6. Create a new Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer on top of the Layer stack
    1. Up the Contract slider to +15
  7. You can end the Action at this point
  8. Tweak the image to desired taste ( this will vary individually and also on your monitor calibration setting )
  9. Once you have the color and contrast right its time for sharpening (Filter -> Sharpen -> Smart Sharpen )
    1. Keep Radius very low and adjust Amount as required.

Sharpen Dialog

 

Save Image for web (File -> Save for Web)

Save for Web dialog

 

  1. Select JPEG from the Format dropdown
  2. Select Quality required (I useĀ  between 70 – 80 )
  3. Click on Optimized
  4. Click on Embed Color Profile
  5. Convert to sRGB should already be clicked if you followed the above
  6. On the Preview I select No Color Management, to better see how it will look on the Net
  7. CAUTION: Do not change the size here, you should have done it prior to arriving to this step.
  8. Click Done

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http://robertcoppa.com/wp/prep-your-images-for-the-web/

 

 

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