Oh, help me, please! (PP to web woes!)

[katynoelle]

I'm using Lightroom 3.6.

When I work in the develop module, things are crisp and colorful and beautiful (Adobe colors.) Then, when I go to the library module, the quality cut is noticeable. This makes sense, I guess, although I do wonder if I've set something to be like that.

The biggest problem is when I try to put something on the internet. It's so dull and terrible and it, honestly, seems to vary from site to site (but that seriously could only be my perceptions and the daylight changing, etc.)

Then, I'm a bit anxious about putting things on the internet for anyone to take.

Anyway, what's going on? It could just be me growing in my post processing skills. It's just driving me nuts!!!

[robnaylor]

This is probably not the referencing the problem you have, but I have noticed a drop in quality when posting flickr hosted images on a different photographic forum.
After a lot of messing around, I discovered that the site auto-reduces the images to 800pixel max size and the file sizes to 300kB max, and I was using the "Large" size from Flickr which is 1024pixels and whatever filesize it output at (sometimes upto 1.2Mb)
The forum then automatically reduced the image size and filesize and a great deal of quality in both image and colour depth was lost in doing that.
I now only post 800pixel @ 300kB max images to that site (done on the PC and re-adjusted to look more like the original), the results are untouched by the integral images re-sizer, and now all seems to be OK.


Question to the F-Stop Cafe Admin :
Are the images auto sized here, if so, to what max pixel and Kb?

[katynoelle]

Interesting! You know, that Picasa, who hosts my blog pics, does exactly that and I always have to go through and redo them. When I put 'Renoir' up on 500px, it got two votes and a favorite right away (not that it's that 'hot') and I didn't want to take it down but I'm disappointed with how it looks 'up'.

[maryloveslucy]

Are you sure your converting your color profile before saving? I don't notice any difference from the 'catalog' to 'develop' to CS5 or to the internet. To my eye, my images look pretty accurate from LR or CS to the web. I do some extra steps before FB because they downsize etc., quite a bit. Hmmm... I wonder if you are missing a step somewhere or you have something set oddly?

[katynoelle]

Thanks, Mary! Yes, I'm converting to sRGB. I've gone through all of those steps in the pop up box when I export. How do you guys resize? If you can think of anything (Mary...or, anyone....), I'd be so grateful!

I know that Raylee was frustrated with this, too, a while back but I don't think that she ever got it resolved.

Every time I post, I just have to go back and tweak it again (I'm a perfectionist - see?) - and it seems that I need to tweak differently for different sites. Then, I think that, maybe, it's simply because of the different backgrounds to each site. Then, I think that, maybe, it's because sometimes I can be a noodle brain when it comes to the computer.

[The Wirefox]

Feb 9, 2012 8:03:10 GMT @robnaylor said:

Question to the F-Stop Cafe Admin :
Are the images auto sized here, if so, to what max pixel and Kb?

Sorry I cant answer Katy's question...not a LR user but Rob there is no auto resize or file size restriction at FSC all we advise is that images are no wider than 1024px so that other members can view the full image...unless they have Katy's old macbook in which case your stuffed

[Barry]

I never upload any large file sizes to internet, and all images are resized on computer before uploading to Flicka or Photobucket, this way no forum will need to resize the image, plus with the file size being kept small, I do not worry about anyone wanting to nick them, as only a small print of poor quality can be made.

[katynoelle]

Feb 9, 2012 18:05:24 GMT Barry said:

I never upload any large file sizes to internet, and all images are resized on computer before uploading to Flicka or Photobucket, this way no forum will need to resize the image, plus with the file size being kept small, I do not worry about anyone wanting to nick them, as only a small print of poor quality can be made.

So, then, Barry...what size do you use?

[The Wirefox]

Sadly most images that are knobbled are taken for use on websites rather than printing. It does however prevent people selling your images on for stock use since most stock catalogs require a full resolution image.

[clactonian]

I'm with Barry on this one and re-size before posting.
My catalogue holds the edited image which I then export to a holding folder (on the desk top) each time I wish to post to a site, converting to sRGB, resizing to whatever is required by that particular website and reducing the image resolution to 75 dpi. All this in LR.
I do find that some tweaking of the contrast is required on some sites.

[katynoelle]

That's helpful, Mike, to know your experience since you use LR. Do you notice the difference from the 'develop' module to the the 'library' module?

[Barry]

Feb 9, 2012 19:01:08 GMT @katynoelle said:

So, then, Barry...what size do you use?

Max size I use is 1000px along top of image for landscape, or 800px high for square or portrait. Plus I try to keep file size down to about or under 250kb, as long as the quality for viewing stays ok.

[katynoelle]

Thanks, Barry! I'll have to try that out! Thanks so much, guys! I've figured out how to do so much but don't really understand these 'basics'.