Discarding jpegs due to multiple edits? (Page 5): I'm still new to Photoshop Elements and just realized (after re-editing most of my jpgs) that you should save to psd, unless you're...

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

I'm still new to Photoshop Elements and just realized (after re-editing most of my jpgs) that you should save to psd, unless you're going to email your images. After having used Picassa (happily) for several years, I don't understand or like the PS filing system! Am I missing something? Why does every image that you edit, have to go into your computer's file....over and over....and......

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Dragonophile wrote:

My question was/is sincere. I use Zoner Studio sof... (show quote)

I believe Zoner Photo Studio in the develop mode is like Lightroom in that you can use it in a non-destructive manner (this is default for LR I do not know if it must be selected as an option in Zoner). By that I mean it opens the file and applies your edits from a saved location without actually changing the original file. So even if you later adjust the edits, it applies them to the original untouched file resulting in minimal degradation when you export to a new file.

thrash50

AndyH wrote:

I wish I had learned this when I first started sho... (show quote)

I agree, with Andy, about saving JPEGS as TIFF files, TIFF files can be quite large, after saving from JPEG, so you might want to pick the images you save, instead of saving in batches.
I actually, save as TIFF, before I start editing.
Depending on your editing/post processing skills, and the software you use, you might be amazed at the results of editing, even the worst over processed images.
Thanks
Thrash50

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I have a a external hard drive that I save all my pictures AS TAKEN by date (190404 year month day) This allows me to have all my pictures to do as I see fit years after they were taken as well as a complete back up

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Picture Taker wrote:

I have a a external hard drive that I save all my pictures AS TAKEN by date (190404 year month day) This allows me to have all my pictures to do as I see fit years after they were taken as well as a complete back up

I had two slices of toast for breakfast, both with butter and raspberry jam ...

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

Sorry I didn't read all the above, I read the question and tried to help.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

CHG_CANON wrote:

I had two slices of toast for breakfast, both with butter and raspberry jam ...

What!!! I understand the toast and even the butter, but why raspberry jam (RA) on both pieces?!?!? One of them should have been juicy orange marmalade (JOM)! Eating in both RA and JOM provides more options when post processing sipping your coffee! Unless you don't (shudder) drink coffee after your breakfast!

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I try only to edit a JPEG file once and will edit a JPEG if it is the only file that I have

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

dsmeltz wrote:

What!!! I understand the toast and even the butter, but why raspberry jam (RA) on both pieces?!?!? One of them should have been juicy orange marmalade (JOM)! Eating in both RA and JOM provides more options when post processing sipping your coffee! Unless you don't (shudder) drink coffee after your breakfast!

Agree completely

danersmiff

The TIFF file routine is one way...---

But the way I understand jpeg files work...
Simply opening them, and closing them is no loss.
Loss comes after repeatedly "saving"...
So then, to edit, open the original, make a copy, and close the original.
Edit away on the copy, save it once, and done.
To tell the difference, the copy will usually be saved with a (-2) after the original file name.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

bweber wrote:

DanielB is correct. The easiest way to edit JPEGs and protect yourself from degrading the image, it will degrade if you make a lot of changes, is to start with a duplicate JPEG. Save the original JPEG, and if you make to many edits to the duplicate simply erase it and start over with a second duplicate image.

Or, if you don't want to have to start over from scratch, do your editing nondestructively on layers, which means you must save it as a TIFF or PSD file, and you can go back and change the editing without starting over with everything.

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

Although it's preferable to do your editing on the RAW image, (if you shoot raw), but just as a point of interest, and to answer your query I have done considerable editing on jpg's, then having them printed, some as large as 24 x20, with no obvious degradation. I ran a test once, editing, saving, editing, saving, etc. multiple times and the 'loss' was minimal (to the eye). Each to his own I guess.

PGHphoto Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Dragonophile wrote:

PLEASE, I DO NOT WANT A RAW VRS JPEG DISCUSSION. I... (show quote)

Yes compression degrades - of that there is NO question. each time you save a file it compresses more. If editing JPG files, always create a copy first and do NOT save anything to the original file name. Then you can always go back to the straight out of camera version.

Saving your edited file as a TIF (non-compressed) will allow you to always go back and edit the same file without compression loss. You then have the original JPG and the ever-editable TIF

Dragonophile

Papa Joe wrote:

Although it's preferable to do your editing on the RAW image, (if you shoot raw), but just as a point of interest, and to answer your query I have done considerable editing on jpg's, then having them printed, some as large as 24 x20, with no obvious degradation. I ran a test once, editing, saving, editing, saving, etc. multiple times and the 'loss' was minimal (to the eye). Each to his own I guess.

Thanks. That's been my limited experience with jpeg files edited up to 3-4 times.

Dragonophile

dsmeltz wrote:

I believe Zoner Photo Studio in the develop mode is like Lightroom in that you can use it in a non-destructive manner (this is default for LR I do not know if it must be selected as an option in Zoner). By that I mean it opens the file and applies your edits from a saved location without actually changing the original file. So even if you later adjust the edits, it applies them to the original untouched file resulting in minimal degradation when you export to a new file.

Yes, that's true for recent versions. While I subscribe to Zoner Studio X, I still use version 17 which doesn't. I disable backups & only work on original jpegs because of storage concerns. I simply find Zoner X too confusing & much more than I need. Version 17 is less cluttered, simpler & easier for me to use.

But thank you for reminding me I always have the option to switch to version X if I want to avoid jpeg data loss.