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--- In anaglyphs(-at-)yahoogrou
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> Yes Mark . I'm using Photoshop 7 and SPM. Thank you for replying
>
Fred --
That's an older version of Photoshop than I'm using, but the basics are the same. Here is how I use Photoshop to resize my digital photos for sending to the group (excuse me if I cover things you already know or seem obvious to you, I don't know your experience level so I'll cover everything):
When I first open the left and right photos as saved from my camera(s)I copy each image and make a new version that is more web friendly. This way, the originals are kept intact for future use. This also allows me to rename them. Here is what I do:
A. Let's say I open a photo that the camera has arbitrarily named "DSC111001" that is the left image of a stereo pair. I then click on the word "Select" in the top tool bar to get the Select Drop Down menu. I then click on the word "All" at the top of that menu. (you can also select the entire image by pushing down on the "Ctrl" (control) keyboard key and then -- still holding down on that key, press down the "A" key). You will now see a moving dotted line around the entire edge of the photo.
B. I now copy that image by clicking on "Edit" on the toolbar and then clicking on the word "Copy" (or Ctrl + the "C" Key). From the "File" drop down menu I click on "New". You are then asked to name this new document, which for example purposes, let's name, oh, "Mushrooms Left." (Sometimes I'm not sure which image is the left and which is the right, in which case I'd name it "Mushrooms A." Then, when making the anaglyph in StereoPhotoMaker, I can load "A" as the left and "B" as the right, and if that doesn't look right, try it the other way around.)
C. Go to "Edit" again and click on "Paste" in the drop down menu.
D. Now we can deal with the file size issue. First, let's look at the digital information parameters that determine file size and then we will see how we can manipulate it. Click on "Image" in the toolbar and select "Image Size." You will get a box that at the top shows the width and height in pixels. If your box shows "Percentage" rather than "Pixels," change it. My cameras, like most, will capture a horizontal photo at 2592 pixels wide by 1944 pixels high. If you are capturing images at the highest possible quality, then those numbers will be much higher, like 10,800 by 8100. If you multiply the pixel height by the width, you will get the total number of pixels in the image. So the wider and taller an image is, the more pixels it has, and the more pixels it has, the bigger the file size.
You will also notice in the Image Size box the "Document Size" area. Note the number listed in the box next to "Resolution.
So the things we can control to affect file size at this stage are the pixel dimensions of an image and its resolution.
E. The fastest way to reduce file size while maintaining quality is the Resolution. If, in the "Image Size" box, your photo's resolution is higher than 72, change it to 72. This will cause no visible difference in quality for an image meant to be viewed on a computer screen. You will notice that when you reduce the Resolution number in the "Image Size" box that the height and width of the image's Pixel Size automatically lowers as well. But we may want to lower it even more. When I am making an anaglyph that I just want to show to friends online, I usually make the pixel width 800. At most, 1000. Note that if you change the Pixel Width in the Image Size Box, that the pixel height automatically changes as well. That is because Photoshop automatically keeps the image's original proportions intact.
So we now have – in the "Image Size" box – changed the Resolution of "Mushrooms Left" to 72 and the Pixel Width to 800 (which has made the pixel height something like 600), but we aren't ready to click "OK" yet. You will notice at the very bottom of the Image Size box (IF this feature is in Photoshop 7) a box with a pull down menu that probably says "bicubic (best for smooth gradients)." From that box's drop down menu, select "bicubic sharper (best for reduction)."
NOW, click "OK." You will see your image shrink on screen. Now I know that you may be looking at the "Doc:" size in the lower left corner, which will still show this as a pretty big file. But that is because it is still a Photoshop document, which adds a lot to the overall size. Ignore this.
F. Now to save the image in the most file size efficient way. Look at your Layers" palette (a kind of window/column that should have a small thumbnail of your image near the top with the word "Layer 1" next to it.) (If you do not see the "Layers" palette on screen, click on "Windows" in the top toolbar and click the word "Layers" in the pull down menu.) Near the top right corner of the "Layers" Palette you will see a downward point arrowhead. Click on that arrowhead and in the resulting drop down menu select "Flatten Image." Now, click on "File" on the top toolbar and select "Save." In the "Save" box you are served, make sure you're saving the image where you want and then, near the bottom of the "Save" Box, click the arrowhead at the end of the box titled "Format" and select "JPEG." Click "Save." Make sure the "Quality" setting in the next box served is "12" and click OK.
To see the true size of "Mushrooms Left" click the "Start" button at the lower right of your screen, open "My Documents", go to the folder where you saved the file and hold your cursor over the file icon. A small dialog box will come up and show you the actual file size. It should be around or below 500k.
G. Follow the same process with "Mushrooms B."
H. When you have both images and use StereoPhotoMaker to create your anaglyph, be sure you are saving the final stereo image as a JPEG as well.
To Sum Up:
1. Copy the original photo into a new document.
2. In the "Image Size" box (opened from the "Image" Toolbar menu when you click on the "Image Size" drop down menu) make the "Resolution" 72 and the Pixel WIDTH to 800 or up to 1000.
3. Select "bicubic sharper(best for reduction)" in the bottom box in the "Image Size" window.
4. Click "OK" in the Image Size" window and then set "Quality" to 12 in the follow up window.
5. Flatten the image and save the file as a JPEG
6. Repeat with the other image in the stereo pair.
I apologize if I spent a lot of time covering things you already know. I don't mean to be condescending at all. My mind tends to be very granular and specific when it comes to process, so I tend to over explain things at times.
I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Have fun!
-- Mark
