New Bird Photos - Slowly improving but still working on them

[Mike Buckley]

exported to my pics file folder (Windows), use Picasa to downsize it to 1200 pixels, and then I open up Elements 9 to apply the unsharp mask.

Why bother using Picasa when you could use Elements to downsize? EDIT: Now that I think of it, can't you do all of that in LR without having to use other software?

[Brownbear]

I downsize in Picasa because it gives me an option of 600, 1200 or 1600 pixels. In elements 9 there is no options for pixels, just inches, percent, cm, mm, points, picas or columns none of which I can figure out how to convert into pixels.. ie; it seems I'm mathematically challenged.

I have not yet had the time to see how downsizing works in LR, likely because I'm just comfortable doing this in Picasa but I think it makes me miss a step in sharpening.

Why bother using Picasa when you could use Elements to downsize? EDIT: Now that I think of it, can't you do all of that in LR without having to use other software?

[Ken MT]

Yes you can change the pixel size as follows. If the constrain proportions is checked then changing pixel dimensions in width automatically changes the dimensions in height (Elements 9)

[Mike Buckley]

Christina,

Consider this: Ken has demonstrated that Elements 9 can do what you need it to do. It is exactly the same as was possible using Elements 1. If LR can't do the same thing today that Elements 1 did more than a decade ago, Adobe should be paying you to use it. In other words, I would be shocked to learn that LR doesn't have that capability.

The less switching from software program to software program that you do, the more you'll learn how to make the most of your chosen primary program. As an example, I use my primary program for all of my images and use my secondary program on less than 1% of my images for the rare situation that is very literally impossible to do using my primary program.

[pnodrog]

I never downsize an original and lightroom also enforces that approach. However if I wish to say make a copy suitable for uploading to CiC I simply use Lightrooms export function and can export at whatever size I wish in a wide variety of formats, change the name, output sharpen, leave or remove EXIF info, select a folder or make a sub-folder and add to to Lightrooms cat. if needed etc etc.

I assume nearly all Lightroom users do the same.

[Brownbear]

Thank you Ken, Mike and L. Paul,

Ken, thank you for displaying in an image. I did not have any of the boxes checked so Elements did not give me that option. now it does.

Mike, yes I will just have to decide between LR and Elements and will do with a little more time.

L. Paul. Thank you. I have yet to learn to export in LR but I will.

Thank you to everyone for helping me.

[Cantab]

Thank you Ken, Mike and L. Paul,

Ken, thank you for displaying in an image. I did not have any of the boxes checked so Elements did not give me that option. now it does.

Mike, yes I will just have to decide between LR and Elements and will do with a little more time.

L. Paul. Thank you. I have yet to learn to export in LR but I will.

Thank you to everyone for helping me.

Christina, I've very recently learned to use the export function in LR4: it's very straight forward.

[Brownbear]

Thank you for sharing, Bruce.. Good to hear.. I will dump Picasa, sooner rather than later.