WordPress.com

1. alexgwoodruff
   Member
   May 12, 2011, 12:40 AM

   I write a nature photography blog. I have had recent problems when resizing an image which results in the message "Unable to save the image."

   I have read the forums, have logged off, deleted cache, restarted the computer without success. In fact I have also downloaded and attempted to perform the task using IE8 (with compatibility view on and off), chrome and firefox.

   I edit my photographs to numerous sizes and qualities depending on whether they are for web or magazine publishing, I generally keep the web images to 300mb or less.

   The last time this happened I deleted my entire library and uploaded the whole thing again - it took me days. Today I resized 3 images and the problem has started again. I really do not want to have to delete and upload 450+ images again, but do not know where to start resolving this.

   Every other post I have read on this subject suggests deleting cache, trying different browsers etc, which I have tried - now I am stumped!

   My URL is alexanderwoodruffphotography.com

   Thanks for any suggestions.

   The blog I need help with is alexanderwoodruffphotography.com.

2. alexgwoodruff
   Member
   May 14, 2011, 4:01 AM

   I am guessing from the lack of replies that this is not an issue many people have. I think that one way around this may be to save a 3rd size when I finish editing my images which will fir my blog. It is a shame that I need to do this, it makes the wordpress sizing tool obsolete.
   If anyone has any thoughts they would be gratefully received.

3. universalgeni
   Member
   May 14, 2011, 4:13 AM

   Have you contacted Support? You should write them, I think. http://en.support.wordpress.com/contact/

4. knashermac2009
   Member
   May 14, 2011, 8:16 AM

   I think the general advice would be to size your images before uploading them WordPress.

   Some months ago I thought by reducing the size of my photos on Wodrpress (typically 2400 px wide) down to something more sensible (say 500px) that I would re-coup some of my space. But this isn't the case. Re-sizing on WordPress actually seems a pointless exercise since they cannot be displayed bigger than WordPress themes allow.

5. thesacredpath
   Member
   May 14, 2011, 8:40 AM

   When you resize on wordpress, I don't think it overwrites the original, and truthfully from an image quality standpoint it is always better to use a dedicated image editing program on your computer (photoshop, gimp, etc.) to resize and resample your images.

   For web images, there is really no sense in having very high quality images since everything on the web will be displayed at 72 dpi regardless of what the original is, and since you are working at low of dpi size, there is no sense in uploading 300mb images.

   In general, you want to optimize your images down to around 75k to 100k in file size. If you want larger images to display when someone clicks an image in your site, I always recommend something around 800 x 600, or perhaps 1024 x 768 and nothing larger since 24% of web users are still on 1024 x 768 monitor resolutions. The on-screen difference between a 1500k file and a 100k file typically cannot be seen on screen unless the two images are side by side.

   Never use the wordpress photo editing tools if you care about quality. They are good, but they don't even come close to a dedicated image editing program.

   The other thing to consider is that the search engines consider page loading times when determining search engine ranking now which means image heavy sites with really large images are going to get whacked and will appear lower in search results.

   Not to mention the fact that if you upload really high resolution images you are giving the image thieves a big bonus.

6. alexgwoodruff
   Member
   May 14, 2011, 8:50 AM

   Thanks for that feedback. I guess that resizing before posting will be the way forward.

   Thanks also for the comments regarding sizes of files for web viewing - my original files converted to jpeg come in at a 7-8 mb size. I mis-typed when I stated my images were 300mb!! Instead the 'save for web' images come in around 200kb normally, but never more than 300kb. I have found that when reducing further than that the final image (when clicked to expand) tends to get a little pixelated and loses image quality - which for a photographic blog is counterproductive. In my situation I often need enough detail to see feather texture, so I err on the side of the larger image - albeit saved through CS4 as 'save for web and devices'.

   Again thanks for the feedback - saving a 3rd size is obviously going to be the best idea!

7. thesacredpath
   Member
   May 14, 2011, 9:03 AM

   Yeah, I figured the 300mb was a typo. Only someone like me crazy enough to shoot 4x5 Fuji Asti Professional transparencies and then scan on a tango drum scanner ends up with 300 or 400mb files. I do have a couple test scans from a trip to the Tetons at 800mb. I have a good friend that is a famous landscape photographer that shoots 8x10 and his scans are in the 1-2GB range. Good thing storage is as cheap as it is.

   With PS CS4, you have about the best image editing there is, and the save for web and devices does a very good job.

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