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capegirl1 Calculating status...

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Why does my image size/resolution change after making changes in my photo?

Jan 26, 2013 9:06 AM

After spending time in PS elements 11 making changes in color and applying frames etc. I noticed after saving the file my resolution went from 5.5Mb to 847kb. Why is this? Help!!!

1010 Views 29 Replies Latest reply: capegirl1, Jan 29, 2013 7:33 PM

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1. Barbara B.,

Jan 26, 2013 9:45 AM in reply to capegirl1

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We'd need a complete list of what you did to know why that might happen.

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2. capegirl1,

Jan 26, 2013 3:08 PM in reply to Barbara B.

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I think I know what I did wrong. I just chose the wrong file size. It couldnt have been my original picture. Typically when you change things in PS it shouldnt
reduce your file size/resolution correct? I have a few different computers, one is a mac with PS 5 and a PC laptop with PSE 11. Hopefully its ok to use both for editing the same picture. They are in 2 different locations. Thanks for responding......

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3. Barbara B.,

Jan 26, 2013 7:08 PM in reply to capegirl1

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No, the pixel size should not change, and the size in MB should not normally change that radically unless you did something specific to cause it (using save for web with the jpg low quality setting to save a many-layered psd file, for example).

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4. swharton07,

Jan 27, 2013 2:21 AM in reply to Barbara B.

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If you were working with a jpg and did a lot of saves this might occur.

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5. dj_paige,

Jan 27, 2013 4:30 AM in reply to swharton07

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I don't see why everyone is saying that editing a JPG and saving a JPG will not reduce the file size. It can reduce the file size. Even with a single save.

I don't think going from 5.5MB to 847kb is anything to worry about. It's entirely possible, depending on a lot of conditions.

Furthermore, capegirl1, my advice to you would be to stop worrying about file size of JPGs. If you think the file size of JPGs is a meaningful indicator of the quality of your photo, or the correctness of your actions, then you will be misled often. Just stop paying attention to it.

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6. capegirl1,

Jan 27, 2013 4:44 AM in reply to dj_paige

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I guess it must matter because the place I downloaded images to told me my file size is too small to print the size I need. That is the reason I was concerned.
Thanks for your help.

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7. dj_paige,

Jan 27, 2013 5:30 AM in reply to capegirl1

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I'm pretty sure it did not say the file size was too small.

If a photo is too small to be printed, it is because the number of pixels (height and width) is too small to print at the desired size.

As I said, you should ignore the file size.

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8. capegirl1,

Jan 27, 2013 5:54 AM in reply to dj_paige

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You may be right there. Maybe I misunderstood. The resolution is 1024 x 680 @ 300 DPI. I went to download it without even choosing the size of the print and then an error came up. I may try again. Thanks again for your help.

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9. Barbara B.,

Jan 27, 2013 7:55 AM in reply to dj_paige

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I would disagree with dj_paige to some extent. It is possible for certain editing steps (saving as jpg low quality, for example, or downsampling and upsampling again, rasterizing a vector and then dragging it more than 100%, etc.) to reduce the available information to a point where the print will be lousy.

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10. dj_paige,

Jan 27, 2013 8:47 AM in reply to Barbara B.

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But Barbara ... if she's getting a message that says the file is too small to be printed, that mean not enough pixels. The printer and printer software can't judge the quality of the image in the JPG that might be caused by saving the image at a very low quality.

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11. Barbara B.,

Jan 27, 2013 2:38 PM in reply to dj_paige

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Yes, perhaps. But if she's ordering say, 4 x 6 prints and the file size is something like 98K, they can certainly see that that's not much info for a high-quality print.

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12. capegirl1,

Jan 27, 2013 5:15 PM in reply to Barbara B.

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Barbara- is it ok to use different PSE on one photo at the same time? As I have PSE 6 on my mac and PSE 11 on my PC. Both in different locations, so I may use my mac at one point, save the file then import to my PC on another day.
Secondly, is it ok to rename a file for saving? Or should you keep the assigned name? I often change the name.
Thank-you everyone for your help.

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13. swharton07,

Jan 28, 2013 4:42 AM in reply to capegirl1

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Years ago I wanted to print a panaroma and it was rejected by Ezprints as not a high enough resolution to print. This does occur and kudos to the companies who do a check and reject pictures that will print poorly due to reolution.

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14. dj_paige,

Jan 28, 2013 6:46 AM in reply to swharton07

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Years ago I wanted to print a panaroma and it was rejected by Ezprints as not a high enough resolution to print. This does occur and kudos to the companies who do a check and reject pictures that will print poorly due to reolution.

Of course, printers reject photos if the resolution is too low.

Resolution is not file size. Let's stop confusing these items.

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15. dj_paige,

Jan 28, 2013 6:37 AM in reply to capegirl1

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is it ok to use different PSE on one photo at the same time? As I have PSE 6 on my mac and PSE 11 on my PC. Both in different locations, so I may use my mac at one point, save the file then import to my PC on another day.
Secondly, is it ok to rename a file for saving? Or should you keep the assigned name? I often change the name.
I don't really see a problem in using the Editors from different versions of PSE on the same photo, provided you save as TIF or PSD. (If you save as JPG, there is a quality loss, and then you open the file again and save it again, there is additional quality loss.)

I wouldn't use the Organizers from two different versions of PSE one the same photo.

I think you should always use a different name than the original photo when you save a photo, you never want to overwrite your originals.

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16. capegirl1,

Jan 28, 2013 9:41 AM in reply to dj_paige

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Great, so changing the name to save it differently will not cause any issues. Good to know. For example, if I edit a photo in PSE
I may save the file as 0107PSE.jpg vs the original 0107.jpg. So, I know where I did the editing as I also have Photodirector on my PC, which I would use the itials PD at the end. For some reason, I was also trying to save (save as) a photo as a jpg in PSE11 and it only gave me a choice of
pse or pnb (I believe as the other choice), but did not see jpg? There was no export option. Your thoughts?

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17. dj_paige,

Jan 28, 2013 9:56 AM in reply to capegirl1

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TO save as a JPG, you need to change the bit depth to 8 bits

Image>mode>8 bits/channel

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18. capegirl1,

Jan 28, 2013 10:32 AM in reply to dj_paige

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May I ask why? As with older versions of PSE I have never done that? Is this because of PSE11 requires you to do that before saving to a jpg? I am also using Windows 8, if that matters. Glad I asked.....never would have known. Thank-you

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19. dj_paige,

Jan 28, 2013 11:51 AM in reply to capegirl1

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I don't know why your images at this point are 16bit and need to be changed to 8bit.

It has nothing to do with the version of PSE. You have done something different in your workflow.

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20. capegirl1,

Jan 28, 2013 12:39 PM in reply to dj_paige

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I didnt say there were 16 bit. I honestly do not know. I am not that familiar with PSE 11. What makes you assume they are?
This is for my knowledge.
Thank-you dj

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21. dj_paige,

Jan 28, 2013 12:41 PM in reply to capegirl1

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There are only two possibilites: 8 bit, which can be saved as JPG; or 16 bit, which cannot be saved as JPG.

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22. capegirl1,

Jan 28, 2013 2:41 PM in reply to dj_paige

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I see. Ok, that makes sense. You are a wealth of information.
I will hopefully have success saving this file now as a 8 bit.
Thank-you

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23. capegirl1,

Jan 28, 2013 6:46 PM in reply to capegirl1

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So, I went to image and 8 bit was grayed out, so I couldnt choose it. Only thing I could change is bitmap.
My only choices are save as PSE or PDF.
Thoughts?

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24. dj_paige,

Jan 29, 2013 4:10 AM in reply to capegirl1

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What file type is this file you are working on?

What do you mean "bitmap"?

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25. capegirl1,

Jan 29, 2013 4:27 AM in reply to dj_paige

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I am pretty sure its a jpg file. I am getting myself confused because I am a mac person. And i have been working on my new PC laptop which has PSE 11 and another program called Photodirector. So, I am pretty sure I am saving files correctly. I am at work, so I cant look at it this moment. I could always try and email the jpg to you.
I did what you said, go to image and choose 8 bit. But it wasnt a choice because it was grayed out, so it must already be one. Then another choice was bitmap and maybe colorindex?? Not 100% sure on that one.
I believe I may have started editing it on my mac with has the full version of PSCS5. Saved that file as a jpg.
Then I wanted to do more editing using Photodirector on my PC, put the file on my thumbdrive and downloaded it to my PC. From there I did some editing in PD (similiar to LR). Then final editing on the PC with PSE.
Sorry, I know this sounds confusing. The reason I use my full version of PS is it has HDR toning which I like to play with. So, I usually start there. In the end, I always "save as" jpg. Hopefully I havent totally confused you.
Thanks so much for your help.

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26. dj_paige,

Jan 29, 2013 5:00 AM in reply to capegirl1

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I am pretty sure its a jpg file.
It either is a JPG, or it isn't. When you get a chance, please confirm.

If 8bits was greyed out, then it is 8bits, and you should be able to save it as an 8bit file, which includes the ability to save as a JPG.

If for some reason, you can't save it as a JPG, you probably ought to let us see some screen captures (for example, of the "Save As" dialog box) and maybe some other things that I will think of as we go on.

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27. capegirl1,

Jan 29, 2013 6:00 AM in reply to dj_paige

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Yes, great idea. I will do that. Can I put them as attachment on here? I am at a standstill now. Fustrating!
Thank-you for helping me out.....

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28. dj_paige,

Jan 29, 2013 6:04 AM in reply to capegirl1

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You insert the image to a message here by clicking on the "camera" icon in the toolbar above where you type the message here in this forum.

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29. capegirl1,

Jan 29, 2013 7:33 PM in reply to dj_paige

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I figured out part of the problem, maybe you can explain. I have 2 files of the same picture, one is in a folder on my desktop.   But the other one is not, it is pse file icon on the desktop.
The file in the folder will "save as" a jpg/ But the file with just the pse will not.   I have no idea though how I saved it in a folder. I usually do save as, name the file and save it to the desktop.
Sorry for the quality, taken with my phone.
Thanks again.

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