Optimizing Photos for the Web

Due to limited space, we need to get images to below 100K (at least) before posting them to the Eport.

If you are using a digital camera, make sure your settings are optimized for web viewing – check your manual if you’re not sure how to do this.

You can also use the free photo-editing software, Gimp, in your applications.

Here is how I scaled down one of the photos – changing it from 516K to 40K with little loss of detail:

1. Open Gimp application

2. Click File>Open> and find file on your computer

3. A new window will open –  click File>Image>ScaleImage>make Width smaller (in this case, 600pixels) and Height will auto-adjust after you click Scale

This may be enough to reduce the size. If not, you can also adjust the “quality”:

4. Save As>Save

5. Another panel will open – select “show preview in image” to see file size

6. Adjust “quality” with slidebar to balance size with quality (you can see effect on photo in window behind)

7. Try to get the file size to below 100K. If below 100K looks bad, it’s okay to go over, but the smaller the file size the better

Recommended guidelines = under 100K; 600 x 400 pixels;  72dpi

Don’t forget to keep a folder of all originals so that when you are playing around with new versions of files you always have an original to go back to!

Play around with Gimp, google search “jpg optimization”, etc, and email me with further questions: lhorridge@gmail.com. I will be happy to meet with you individually or in groups to work on image optimization.