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EID Study Groups: Submitting Images

Standards regarding image and file size are needed in order that images will be displayed properly without taking too much time to download (especially for members using slow connections), and to keep consistency in appearance throughout the EID Study Groups. The standards are that an image must fit in a box that is no larger than 500 X 500 pixels, that the file size of the image should be no larger than 100KB, and that all images must be in JPG format. Some groups and their Administrators may elect to use a larger image size, up to 768 X 768 pixels with approval of the Study Group Director.

How to size images:
  1. In Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, resize an image with the command sequence Image > Image Size. In the dialog box check “Constrain Proportions” and “Resample.” Use the Bicubic method, (or Bicubic Sharper method if the image editor has it). In the boxes labeled “Pixel Dimensions” at the top of the menu, change the pixel dimensions so that neither the height nor width is greater than 500 pixels. Pixel Dimensions are the only numbers that need to be changed. Do NOT change the resolution of the image. The “Resolution” command is only a command to a printer for printing. Other image editing programs use a similar image resizing command.

  2. After changing the pixel dimensions, set the file size. The easiest way is to use the “Save for Web” command. This brings up a dialog box where there is a little arrow or “list” symbol on the right side above the word Optimized. Click on this to find a selection "Optimize to File Size." When this is selected, enter 100 KB in the box “Desired File Size,” and Photoshop will select the highest quality that will keep the file under 100KB. Other image editing programs have equivalent commands.

  3. The next step is to save and name the image. The standard way to do this is with a number assigned by the group's Administrator. If the number assigned is, for example, "3" then the image file every month is named “m3.jpg”. This will be a big help to the Administrator in keeping track the group’s images on the web site without the Administrator having to rename everyone’s files.

If a lot of work has been done on the image, or for any reason the participant would like to show a “before” or “during” image to illustrate what or how something was done, include a smaller thumbnail image to be placed on the web site with the discussion of the image. Size these images the same way as the main image (above), except that the maximum size must be no more than 250 pixels, in either dimension, and the maximum permissible file size is 50 KB. Name the file to include the word “Before” or “During” in the file name, like this: “m3 BEFORE.jpg”. This is something that is probably not necessary every month, but can sometimes be very helpful in explaining a particular work.

The Study Group Administrator has instructions to return to any participant an image file that exceeds these dimensions and sizes for correction. If this happens, please don’t be offended.

When sending an image to the Administrator, include a description of the image and how it was made. This is very important in helping the other members to understand just what was done and what the objectives were in making the image. Some suggested items to include are a description of the subject matter, the effect you were trying to achieve, what attracted you to the subject; whether the image is from film (and what film) or digital camera, how it got into the computer; the photo editing program and any other software you used, and (most importantly) the software steps you did to the image; and any technical details like focal length, shutter speed or aperture, or other camera settings that are relevant to evaluating your image. It is OK to include comments on new software or new equipment as part of the discussion of your image, but please don’t make your discussion solely about that; it is the image that is most important.

Please also include a title, as it should appear on the web site.

Make the image(s) into attachment(s) to an email to the Administrator, and the written material (including the image title) the body of the email. Do not make the written material or images part of an MS Word or other attached document. Since the administrator will copy and paste from the email into a formatted HTML document for the web site, having to open additional attached documents makes extra work.

Please make “PSA-EID” the first words in the subject line on your emails. Using this reference, it is much less likely to be lost in spam filters.