Using iPhoto to Resize Pictures for Photographica

By tomnorth written 2/1/06 6:13 PM, published 2/1/06 6:13 PM
I'm not sure how many of you are Mac users, but there's been a request to provide some information on how to properly resize photos for optimum display on Photographica.  I volunteered to tackle this assignment on the Mac side.  For now I'm just going to deal with the resizing issue.  Perhaps someone else will take on the file format topic.

If you need help on doing this and you're using a Mac, I figure you're not into Photoshop in a big way, so I'm going to tell you how to do it in iPhoto.  I've used screen captures to show you how to do this.

First you want to select photo(s) that you want to export and then choose the Popup LinkExport command from the Share menu.  A Popup Linkdialog box pops up. Make sure that the File Export button is selected at the top.  Select "JPG" from the Format dropdown menu.  Click the radio button that says "Scale images no larger than:" and then set the width at something like 800 or 900 pixels.  The height will scale automatically.  Hit the Export button.  Next you'll see the Popup LinkSave As window. All you need to do there is name the file and choose where you want it saved.  After that you can upload the image to Photographica in whatever method you use (Web or FTP).  One thing to be sure of is to select the option that says Popup LinkDo not resize these images automatically. Otherwise your picture may come out fuzzy once uploaded.

So here is the Popup Linkresulting resized photo.

I will say one thing about jpeg files.  To get their smaller size, a lossy compression formula is used, which means that information is thrown away.  Everytime you edit and save a jpeg file information is tossed.  If you do it too many times you wind up with weird jpeg artifacts, which look like splotches of color.  The trick is to always make a copy of the original if you're going to edit a file, jpeg or not.  Then you've always got the original to go back to.  Another trick is that if you've done a lot of editing on a jpeg file, save it as a TIFF file, which does not use lossy compression.


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  • FranCes 2/1/06 6:56 PM
    I love the idea that you have shared this because I would so love to learn how to size my photos, unfortunatly I do not have iphoto, I do have paint, could anyone explain how to use this? I'd love to change my avatar.

  • codepoit 2/1/06 6:59 PM
    wait...Frances...are you talking about Paint, as in MS Paint for Windows? Or is paint a different program on a MAC?

    - I'm Special!


  • coryking 2/1/06 7:00 PM
    Since you talk about checking the "don't resize images automatically", I'll add the *only* time we alter your image is when we have to resize it. We resize an image only when the "do not resize" box is unchecked AND your image is larger then 800x600. Otherwise all we do is strip out all the extra JPEG goo (EXIF, adobe photoshop color correction, etc) and keep the image data untouched and unaltered.

    - Spike Lee


  • ROCKADEE 2/1/06 7:04 PM
    Good Job, Tom!!

    - NATURE RULES!!!


  • tomnorth 2/1/06 7:37 PM
    My experience with the auto resizing was that it made my pictures fuzzy. That's why I suggested to folks that they turn it off. I usually size my pictures to 900x600. If you look at three identical pictures I uploaded you'll see that two of them are fuzzy. They are all the exact same resolution. Look right at the white cows eyes and you'll see it. ND Cow 01022006: The first attempt...fuzzy ND Cow 01022006 Hi: Still fuzzy ND Cow Full: After I turned off auto resizing...nice and crisp.

    - One size does not fit all


  • fixitgal 2/1/06 7:46 PM
    There is another way to use iPhoto to resize photos. Select the photo and click on the "Email" button. Then use the Size pulldown to select the "Medium (640x480) selection. Click on the "Compose" button. This creates an email with the photo in the body of the mail. The image file can now be dragged onto the desktop, properly sized. Makes me glad I'm of the Macintosh persuasion... ;-)

    - screwdriver, check!


  • ClassyShots 2/1/06 9:39 PM
    While not a MAC person (all I know about mac is with cheese or without) one thing that really needs to be done on any platform after resizing and before saving is to sharpen it up a little. There is no rule on how much. That is just someting you have to look at and play with. Remember if using PhotoShop or Paint Shop Pro use the unsharp mask and not just sharpen. Another way is the highpass filter but that is another story all together.

    - Oh Bull!


  • tomnorth 2/2/06 4:32 AM
    Yup, I agree. I didn't go into the other mods that I might make on a shot. That's for another day. (Maybe)

    - One size does not fit all


  • OkieLD 2/2/06 10:12 AM
    I haven't read it yet, so I don't know if it pertains to what we need, but there is an article on resizing in the new Shutterbug that I received yesterday.

  • austinspace 2/2/06 11:30 AM
    nice tutorial, Tom!

    - here and there


  • Lidljo 2/2/06 5:00 PM
    Thanks Tom!!

    - Flowers are happiness...


  • Philscbx 6/7/06 4:02 AM
    Tom , You saved Me from Myself. I was going to bet hugely that there is no way possible to resize a photo with iphoto. There is no intuitive thinking process... I can launch a satellite but forget about photos. I just want a software that by right click - I have any thing I want. How you ever had the guts to explore and hit export photo,,,, means that in some of us - export is going to send image off and into unknown worlds. OK- we'll step aside a moment - There was talk of using the email command - and I recall trying this - but at the time - if your email system isn't perfectly perfect. No images are going anywhere but locked up in your outbox. OH - they try to come out - but it's not allowed. Now for some reason when I try this email step - I get the Microsoft word process in the way that needs to be installed. Tell Ya all what - Apple,,, You have No clue how to simplify a simple process. If Not for Tom here - I would of given up while out here in Germany visiting my Son, by spending all evening editing one image of our camping 3 day weekend. I then go look at Apples software page on all the news and very pretty art work ads of imaging. You know what - not one word deals with editing and resizing your photo's. They just want your $500 bucks so that you have to do a google search for TOM- in the end anyway. That's just how and why I'm here - and I can prove it. Am I bitter/. - maybe - I brought the 3000 dollar PowerBook to EUrope to hopefully help me, - not to make a joke out of it. No Matter How Hard You try - and even there own help menu is a total joke. Written by leftwinger radicals, as there is no real time examples. All in all - If Not For Tom's very informative help on this - I'd need $37,000 in therapy... Your the King! Tom

    -  Perfection First


  • Anonymous User 11/8/07 4:48 PM
    The resizing of photos has changed a bit in iPhoto 08. You can find a tutorial on how to do it in iPhoto 08 here: http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=294 Hope it helps!

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