How To Downsize Photos Using Photoshop (Elements and above)
Once you have finished making all the adjustments to your image that you normally make (cropping, adjusting colors, levels, curves, saturation, etc.), you are ready for the last step of resizing your photo for the competition. The requirement: reduce the pixel dimensions so you image will fit within a rectangle with the longest side (horizontal or vertical) equal to 2000 pixels.
How to downsize photos using Photoshop
1. From the task bar at the top of the Photoshop screen, click on Image and then on Image Size in the dropdown menu.
2. In the Image Size dialog box, change the dimensions of the longest side of your photo (width or height) to 2000 pixels. (Make sure the chain link symbol next to Width and Height is clicked on.)
3. Check the Resample box and leave the setting on Automatic.
4. Click OK and you’re done resizing your photo.
5. Go to File, click on “Save As,” and save your resized photo as a JPEG file, at maximum quality and with a new name.
How to downsize photos using Lightroom
1. Open the photo in the Library module and click on Export.
2. In the Export dialog box, under Export Location, choose the folder you’d like the resized photo to be exported to.
3. Scroll down to File Settings and set the image format to JPEG and the color space to sRGB. Quality should be set at 100.
4. Under Image Sizing, check Resize to Fit and choose Long Edge from the dropdown list. Set pixels to 2000. (Ignore the Resolution box, since it’s irrelevant unless you’re printing.)
5.Click on the Export button to send the resized photo to the folder chosen in step 2.
How to downsize photos using the Mac “Adjust Size” tool
1. Locate the photo in your file system using the Mac Finder.
2. Double click on the photo thumbnail to open it in Preview.
3. Pull down the “Tools” menu and choose “Adjust Size.”
4. At the “Image Dimensions” screen, choose “pixels” as the type of measurement.
5. Observe the existing “Width” and “Length” dimensions, select the longest (largest number of pixels), and then change the pixel dimension within that box to 2000.
6. Be sure the padlock icon is locked! If it is not, check the “Scale proportionally” option below the Resolution box. (Always ignore resolution when resizing photos.)
7. Click OK.
8. Go to the “File” menu and choose “Save As” to save the newly resized photo as a separate file.
9. Choose a file destination, select JPEG or JPG as the file format, and adjust the image quality to maximum.
10. Click "Save" to finish the process.
How to downsize photos using the Windows “Paint” app
1. Type paint into the search window in the bottom left corner of your screen, next to the Windows icon.
2. Click on “Paint app” in the window that appears, and the Paint application will open.
3. Go to the “File” menu and click on “Open.”
4. Locate your photo and either double click on it or click once and then click “Open.” It will now open in the Paint window.
5. In the upper left corner of the Paint window, click on “Resize” to open the resize window.
6. Choose the Pixels option and then observe the Horizontal and Vertical dimensions of your photo. Choose the box with the largest number and change it to 2000. (Be sure the “Maintain aspect ratio” box is checked!)
7. Click OK.
8. Go back to the “File” menu and choose “Save As” to save the newly resized photo as a separate file.
9. Choose a file destination and select JPEG or JPG as the file format or type.
10. Click “Save” to finish the process.
