This Photoshop tutorial is the second in a series on batch processing images. This tutorial should be read after reading a Photoshop Tutorial on Image Sizing.
Many commercial photographers shoot hundreds of images daily and need an easy solution for working with high volume image processing. Creating droplets for various production activities streamlines the workflow in image editing. If a studio processes the same type of images on a consistent basis, this method is an ideal solution for creating a faster means of delivering images to clients.
The faster images can be delivered to clients, the more clients a studio can handle. Another nice perk is lower production costs. Using droplets speeds up production allowing photographers to devote more time to shooting and creating images and less time sizing or other repetitive imaging.
The following tutorial walks through this simple process in two easy to follow steps.
First, create two folders on the desktop. One folder is the original file with the images you need to be sized down for the web. Name the other folder Sized. These two folders will be used to test the droplet. (Figure 1)
Creating The Droplet
- Now, Open Photoshop. Choose File > Automate > Create Droplet from the Menu bar.
- In the Dialog Box that opens, under Save Droplet in, click on the Choose button and navigate to the Original Images folder. (Figure 2)
- Next, under Play, select Web Sized (or the name of the action that was created to size images for the web) from the Action's drop down menu.
- Check the Override Action "Open" Commands check box.
- Check the Include All Subfolders check box, also.
- Under Destination, select Folder in the drop down menu.
- Click the Choose button and navigate to the Sized folder.
- Under Errors, select Stop For Errors from the drop down menu. Click OK
- Now, a droplet should be on the desktop. (Figure 3)
Using The Droplet
- Take the Original Images folder and drag it onto the droplet. The droplet will begin to size all the images for the web. (Figure 4)
- When the sizing is done, open the Sized folder and check that all the images were sized down for the web.
When batch processing large volumes of images on a consistent basis, this droplet will come in handy by shortening the number of steps it takes to re-size images. This tutorial uses an Action for sizing images for the web, but any Action can be used. Multiple droplets can be created to streamline the workflow.
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