Photoshop - Batch Processing Puzzler

[Fork]

Hi Folks,


I've stumbled upon a problem I can't seem to crack with google searches. I can't seem to simplify my search terms enough to get a good enough answer. There must be someone here that can tell me how this is done or whether it even can be done.


I have a folder with a lot of images in it. They are not my images, but my job today is to try to resize the images to smaller dimensions. When I say a lot of images I'm talking about 6,000 images, so I'm not going to resize them individually.


A bit of background: I shoot images for a client and crop them all to 500px x 500px. That's just the optimum size for the type of images I shoot and the website they appear on. The client has these 6,000 images of their own which will also be used on the website, but the images are of all shapes and sizes (and frankly, ****ness, but that's not my problem!) and some are in portrait and some are in landscape orientation.


I want to reduce the dimensions of all of the images so that they are no bigger than 500px on the longest side whilst keeping the current ratio.


How can I do that? I know how to batch process images and set the px dimensions with the image processor, but how can I tell it just to resize the longest side to 500px whilst keeping the proportions of the original?


I'm sure I'll kick myself!


Thanks!

 

[Fred Kingston_RIP]

Lightroom will do that... import the images... then select all and export the images... you can apply sizing and select a new folder/location, and it will process and apply the sizing as it processes the entire batch...

Test with a small subset first (10 or so images) to be sure you end up with what you want, and to gauge the time... 6,000 images will take a while...

 

[BackdoorArts]

I know there's Batch Processing options in PSE 11, but the thing I don't see is whether or not it will consider Longest Edge - it seems bent on using only length and width. Lightroom allows you to it with the Export option - just put all 6K into a catalog, select all and Export.

 

[Dave_W]

Okay, I'm still working on my first cup of coffee so this might be way off but when I want to do make changes on a large batch of images I use MS Picture Manager. You set it to thumbnail view so you can see all the images in the folder, go to "Edit Pictures...", highlight them all and then use the "Resize" function. Although I've never done this on a scale like you're looking to do, I'm thinking it might work.

 

[Fred Kingston_RIP]

Lightroom will do that... import the images... then select all and export the images... you can apply sizing and select a new folder/location, and it will process and apply the sizing as it processes the entire batch...

Test with a small subset first (10 or so images) to be sure you end up with what you want, and to gauge the time... 6,000 images will take a while...

In LR, you can also select the Print Mode, rather than Export... but under the Print mode dialogue, you can select "print to file"... Under the print dialogue you can select the pixel size... and I think it maintains the aspect ratio...

Test with a small set of data first...

 

[Fork]

Ok. Looks like I need Lightroom. I posted this on another forum and they all said Lightroom too. Drat.

 

[Mike150]

The "DRAT" indicates to me that you don't have lightroom. I believe Adobe will allow you to download a free 30 day trial version.

 

[Fork]

Ok, I just downloaded the Lightroom trial and processed the whole lot in a few clicks and it did exactly what I wanted it to do. I never thought I really needed Lightroom, but now I've just fallen in love.


Thanks guys!

 

[BackdoorArts]

For catalog management alone it's worth the price of admission for me. Between it, PSE and the Nik suite of tools I don't feel the need for full blown Photoshop.

 

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

The free software from Nikon View NX2 will do exactly what you want.