all you ever wanted to know about preparing images for web & print

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT PREPARING KNOW ABOUT PREPARING IMAGES FOR WEB & PRINTIMAGES FOR WEB & PRINT

A brief tutorialA brief tutorial

What we will cover:

Acquiring Images

Best Practices

Optimizing for Web

Optimizing for Print

Where to Get Help

Q & A

Step 1: Options for choosing your photo

Image Resources

•Use your own images

•images.ucmerced.edu

•Stock photography

Multimedia Coordinator - Veronica Adrover vadrover@ucmerced.edu

Best Practices

• Avoid clip art if possible

• Keep the photographic style the same

• Always keep in mind the UC branding

• Never use images that don't belong to you or the UC

• Avoid small, pixelated photos

• Optimize - optimize - optimize

• Request a photo shoot

• Use hypens (-) instead of underscores (_) in filenames for search engine friendliness and readability

• Contact Communications for help, we are here to assist you :)

Using Photoshop to Optimize Your Photographs

For Web

Adobe Photoshophttp://software.ucmerced.edu

• Industry standard

• PS Elements – Inexpensive, only $31.56

• Well documented; lots of tutorials available

Photoshop Optimize Steps

File > Open

Image > Image Size: Reduce to 72dpi and 525 pixels width

File > Save for Web: Select JPEG format, reduce Quality to 70-100k file size using slider – find a balance between quality and file size in this range

Optimize Steps for Web Use

• Open photo in Photoshop

• Reduce image resolution (dpi) to 72

• Reduce image dimensions; 525 pixels width for full width, otherwise resize to desired in PS

• For custom sliders (not photographs), 450 x 300 pixels are the proper dimensions

• Save as JPEG, 70-100k is optimized.

• Use Drupal to upload to your site

Using Photoshop to

Optimize Your

PhotographsFor Print

Optimize Steps for Print Use

• Open photo in Photoshop

• Resize image resolution to 300 (dpi)

• Convert color format from RGB to CYMK

• Save as .TIF or .EPS; absolutely no JPEGS (jpegs are for web)

Overview

• Use only photos owned by you or the UC

• Download Adobe Photoshop Elements

• Optimize for Web: 72dpi, max width 525px

• Optimize for Print: 300dpi, CMYK color mode, save as TIF or EPS

• Ask us for help

• FAQ’s available at communications.ucmerced.edu