Resizing (Reducing) Images In Photoshop Elements

reivax · 09-23-2011, 04:12 PM

Just got my hands on Photoshop Elements 10 and I'm already starting to run into some issues. Every time I try to resize an image down (considerably), the result is a distorted, blobby image. I'm trying to go from images that are above 4288x2848 to something that is 90x60. I've tried the resampling feature on Photoshop Elements and have had no luck. I even tried the save to web option, also with no luck. Someone recommended resizing in steps (50 percent at a time until I got it to the size I needed) and that didn't help either. I really hope I'm just doing something wrong... I have to be.

I need to get this little project done by this weekend, so I'm hoping someone can help me out soon.

I did try reducing the .jpg and .raw images. Both gave horrible results. Reminded me of my old Nintendo.

hangman43 · 09-23-2011, 05:02 PM

90 x 60 is awful small I do not use elements but with CS5 I just re-sized the image down but at that small you are not able to zoom with out it becoming pixelated

reivax · 09-23-2011, 08:25 PM

Originally posted by hangman43

90 x 60 is awful small I do not use elements but with CS5 I just re-sized the image down but at that small you are not able to zoom with out it becoming pixelated

Yeah, I've been trying to find out a way to resize the images. What would the recommended limit be for resizing images before they become unusable?

photolady95 · 09-23-2011, 08:40 PM

Why do you need them that small to start with? If you're trying to resize them for web use, you need only reduce them to say 900x500 and reduce the dpi size.

reivax · 09-23-2011, 08:46 PM

Originally posted by photolady

Why do you need them that small to start with? If you're trying to resize them for web use, you need only reduce them to say 900x500 and reduce the dpi size.

Well, I'm not going to smart right now, but I guess that's why I'm here asking... What do you mean?

cats_five · 09-24-2011, 12:09 AM

You can leave the DPI alone when resizing for the web - browsers ignore it completely when rendering an image. As to what size is appropriate, that depends on where in the web the image will be used. For Flickr I go for 1024 along the longest side as Flickr will resize to that if I haven't. For Wordpress, 500 pixels. My Flickr uploads are 300dpi but could just as well be 10dpi - it's the pixels that matter not the DPI.

DPI only matters if the image is to be rendering in a way that takes account of it - printing is the usual and main one, and I got the impression when doing a calendar in Word that Word did as well - but then Word documents often get printed.

All About Digital Photos - The Myth of DPI

photolady95 · 09-24-2011, 12:53 PM

I was asking because the size you wanted isn't one that most photographers would use. That's the only reason I ask.

cats, not what I'm used to knowing. The smaller the dpi, the smaller the photo, is what I meant. Not sure about that anymore, but that's they way it appears when I change dpi on a photo.

Wheatfield · 09-24-2011, 01:06 PM

Originally posted by photolady

I was asking because the size you wanted isn't one that most photographers would use. That's the only reason I ask.

cats, not what I'm used to knowing. The smaller the dpi, the smaller the photo, is what I meant. Not sure about that anymore, but that's they way it appears when I change dpi on a photo.

The only time DPI matters is when you are making prints, and even then, the only reason why it matters is because it is the divisor to get the physical dimension of the print.
For web use, DPI matters not a whit.

photolady95 · 09-24-2011, 04:37 PM

I stand corrected.

cats_five · 09-25-2011, 12:04 AM

I guess one reason the DPI myth persists is because one way people resize images is to alter the DPI, with the Resample box ticked. But really what has happened is that has forced Photoshop (or whatever) to alter the number of pixels in the image.

photolady95 · 09-25-2011, 05:48 AM

Just so you know, I don't alter the DPI, I change the pixel size. I was just saying that because I was told many years ago to change the DPI to resize a photo.

Also, if you untick the box for resample, Elements won't let you change pixel size, only inch size, and I don't understand why it is either.

mysticcowboy · 09-25-2011, 04:44 PM

Photoshop (all versions) gives the best results when you downsize by some multiple of 2. 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and so on. Dropping a large number of pixels from over 4k to 90 in one jump will always give you poor results. Dropping down to 1/4, then 1/4 again, then resizing to 90 pixels will give you a somewhat better image. Sharpen slightly between each reduction or use the Bicubic Sharper option when you reduce.

The best results come from using the Perfect Resize plugin from OnOne, though that's more than twice as expensive as Elements.

Wheatfield · 09-25-2011, 06:09 PM

Originally posted by photolady

Just so you know, I don't alter the DPI, I change the pixel size. I was just saying that because I was told many years ago to change the DPI to resize a photo.

Also, if you untick the box for resample, Elements won't let you change pixel size, only inch size, and I don't understand why it is either.

If I'm making a print, I just set the size of the print and DPI that I want (either 320 for our Fuji wet printer or 360 for my Epson 4800), make sure the resample button is checked and I let Photoshop do whatever it is that it does.
The only thing I make sure of is that the interpolation is bicubic with no sharpening. I sharpen as the last step, determining how much to give the image based on experience.

If I'm publishing to the web, then I just set the pixel size to what I need, generally 600 x 900 or thereabouts, and then let Photoshop do it's thing.
It's pretty casual, but I don't pixel peep and don't really care if the occasional invisible to the naked eye artifact is lurking under a bridge someplace.

Vertex Ninja · 09-29-2011, 11:05 PM

I've started using a program called "photoline" to do my resizing for the web. I own Lightroom and Adobe design premium suite, but I still think this cheap program does it better. It's available in 64 bit, is super light, and best of all, it uses Lanczos 8 to do the downsampling... even 16bit images! I looked far and wide for lanczos that would work on 16bit images.

I sharpen a little before resizing, resize in one step, then add a smidge more sharpening. Lanczos does a better job at retaining detail than any other resizing method I've tried, but 90x60 is a small thumbnail and not gonna show much difference.

09-23-2011, 04:12 PM	#1
reivax Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: California Posts: 826	Resizing (Reducing) Images In Photoshop Elements Just got my hands on Photoshop Elements 10 and I'm already starting to run into some issues. Every time I try to resize an image down (considerably), the result is a distorted, blobby image. I'm trying to go from images that are above 4288x2848 to something that is 90x60. I've tried the resampling feature on Photoshop Elements and have had no luck. I even tried the save to web option, also with no luck. Someone recommended resizing in steps (50 percent at a time until I got it to the size I needed) and that didn't help either. I really hope I'm just doing something wrong... I have to be. I need to get this little project done by this weekend, so I'm hoping someone can help me out soon. I did try reducing the .jpg and .raw images. Both gave horrible results. Reminded me of my old Nintendo.

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09-23-2011, 05:02 PM	#2
hangman43 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Hueytown, Alabama Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,508	90 x 60 is awful small I do not use elements but with CS5 I just re-sized the image down but at that small you are not able to zoom with out it becoming pixelated

09-23-2011, 08:25 PM	#3
reivax Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: California Posts: 826 Original Poster	Originally posted by hangman43 90 x 60 is awful small I do not use elements but with CS5 I just re-sized the image down but at that small you are not able to zoom with out it becoming pixelated Yeah, I've been trying to find out a way to resize the images. What would the recommended limit be for resizing images before they become unusable?

09-23-2011, 08:40 PM	#4
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Why do you need them that small to start with? If you're trying to resize them for web use, you need only reduce them to say 900x500 and reduce the dpi size.

09-23-2011, 08:46 PM	#5
reivax Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: California Posts: 826 Original Poster	Originally posted by photolady Why do you need them that small to start with? If you're trying to resize them for web use, you need only reduce them to say 900x500 and reduce the dpi size. Well, I'm not going to smart right now, but I guess that's why I'm here asking... What do you mean?

09-24-2011, 12:09 AM	#6
cats_five Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 835	You can leave the DPI alone when resizing for the web - browsers ignore it completely when rendering an image. As to what size is appropriate, that depends on where in the web the image will be used. For Flickr I go for 1024 along the longest side as Flickr will resize to that if I haven't. For Wordpress, 500 pixels. My Flickr uploads are 300dpi but could just as well be 10dpi - it's the pixels that matter not the DPI. DPI only matters if the image is to be rendering in a way that takes account of it - printing is the usual and main one, and I got the impression when doing a calendar in Word that Word did as well - but then Word documents often get printed. All About Digital Photos - The Myth of DPI

09-24-2011, 12:53 PM	#7
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I was asking because the size you wanted isn't one that most photographers would use. That's the only reason I ask. cats, not what I'm used to knowing. The smaller the dpi, the smaller the photo, is what I meant. Not sure about that anymore, but that's they way it appears when I change dpi on a photo.

09-24-2011, 01:06 PM	#8
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Originally posted by photolady I was asking because the size you wanted isn't one that most photographers would use. That's the only reason I ask. cats, not what I'm used to knowing. The smaller the dpi, the smaller the photo, is what I meant. Not sure about that anymore, but that's they way it appears when I change dpi on a photo. The only time DPI matters is when you are making prints, and even then, the only reason why it matters is because it is the divisor to get the physical dimension of the print. For web use, DPI matters not a whit.

09-24-2011, 04:37 PM	#9
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	I stand corrected.

09-25-2011, 12:04 AM	#10
cats_five Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 835	I guess one reason the DPI myth persists is because one way people resize images is to alter the DPI, with the Resample box ticked. But really what has happened is that has forced Photoshop (or whatever) to alter the number of pixels in the image.

09-25-2011, 05:48 AM	#11
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Just so you know, I don't alter the DPI, I change the pixel size. I was just saying that because I was told many years ago to change the DPI to resize a photo. Also, if you untick the box for resample, Elements won't let you change pixel size, only inch size, and I don't understand why it is either.

09-25-2011, 04:44 PM	#12
mysticcowboy Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: port townsend, wa Photos: Albums Posts: 968	Photoshop (all versions) gives the best results when you downsize by some multiple of 2. 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and so on. Dropping a large number of pixels from over 4k to 90 in one jump will always give you poor results. Dropping down to 1/4, then 1/4 again, then resizing to 90 pixels will give you a somewhat better image. Sharpen slightly between each reduction or use the Bicubic Sharper option when you reduce. The best results come from using the Perfect Resize plugin from OnOne, though that's more than twice as expensive as Elements.

09-25-2011, 06:09 PM	#13
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Originally posted by photolady Just so you know, I don't alter the DPI, I change the pixel size. I was just saying that because I was told many years ago to change the DPI to resize a photo. Also, if you untick the box for resample, Elements won't let you change pixel size, only inch size, and I don't understand why it is either. If I'm making a print, I just set the size of the print and DPI that I want (either 320 for our Fuji wet printer or 360 for my Epson 4800), make sure the resample button is checked and I let Photoshop do whatever it is that it does. The only thing I make sure of is that the interpolation is bicubic with no sharpening. I sharpen as the last step, determining how much to give the image based on experience. If I'm publishing to the web, then I just set the pixel size to what I need, generally 600 x 900 or thereabouts, and then let Photoshop do it's thing. It's pretty casual, but I don't pixel peep and don't really care if the occasional invisible to the naked eye artifact is lurking under a bridge someplace.

09-29-2011, 11:05 PM	#14
Vertex Ninja Inactive Account Join Date: May 2007 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 652	I've started using a program called "photoline" to do my resizing for the web. I own Lightroom and Adobe design premium suite, but I still think this cheap program does it better. It's available in 64 bit, is super light, and best of all, it uses Lanczos 8 to do the downsampling... even 16bit images! I looked far and wide for lanczos that would work on 16bit images. I sharpen a little before resizing, resize in one step, then add a smidge more sharpening. Lanczos does a better job at retaining detail than any other resizing method I've tried, but 90x60 is a small thumbnail and not gonna show much difference.