Best way to handle different sized exports from one PSD?

[vigilante]

I like to keep just one PSD master of a shot, but the shot is usually exported with different sizes and qualities, perhaps even different crops, and with or without a watermark.

I'm not sure if all this can be done using a single PSD, but I'm hoping it can.

One of our online stores has changed the max size of images they allow from 800px to 1000px. This means that for my online shots, the largest size I can do is 1000x1000 anyway. This size always works just fine for online marketing, Facebook, Twitter, etc, so it is used 85% of the time.
My normal workflow has been to edit the original, then get it sized and cropped, and save the PSD at the 1000px mark.

I know this is bad, because I'd like a full size shot too, but they are just not needed for anything (unless they are needed!). The only time I need a larger shot than 1000px is if it's going to print or sent to a magazine editor, or used in flyers/brochures etc.

My question is this, I know I can always just use the "save for web" screen to change the size of the image, but I've always always been told that this is NOT the best way to resize your image with the highest quality in Photoshop.
Instead, I use the image properties to size the image using specific rendering for best reduction, etc.

It feels very awkward for me to spend time reducing the image and making any adjustments needed for quality, then export, then do a bunch of UNDOs to get back to my full size image. At the same time, I don't want to save multiple PSDs for every size/quality/type.

In the event I do need a higher quality shot, I usually just pull up the original capture. The problem is, naturally, I have to redo a lot of post processing.

I've thought about doing it where I do all my full size post processing, then just save an export TIF or something of a full size image before I resize the PSD. Problem is, maybe there WILL be occasion to want to edit the full size again in PS, I don't know!

So I'm curious, do you guys store mutliple PSDs? One PSD and export sizes through "save for web"? Save TIF snapshots at each size? I'm not sure the best way. My goals are reducing total number of files, I don't like having a dozen files all representing the same image. I want as few as possible. And also total file size. Space is limited, I don't want to store 15MB snapshots I may never use, but I do want to get such a shot if it's ever needed.

thx

 

[The_Traveler]

I never reduce from max; space is cheap.
I have recorded several actions that reduce, resharpening, then output multiple size JPEGs.

 

[Buckster]

Rather than go backwards through "undos", I save and keep the full size PSD, then reduce size, sharpen, crop or whatever to get to the end result sizes I want for particular uses like print sizes or web display, and I save them as their own file, either in JPG or TIF, depending on what's appropriate for the use I'm prepping it for.

Then I close the PSD I monkeyed with to get to that JPG or TIF file WITHOUT SAVING IT. Then reopen it, and I'm right back to the full-size PSD again to do whatever I need again from there. Repeat as necessary.

That said, I have no actual qualms about making, saving and storing multiple PSD's if I feel it's warranted.

 

[vigilante]

A few points:

1) Space IS cheap, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be somewhat efficient and conservative.

2) I do use the RAW editor in PS but 90% of shots need more than basic adjustments, almost everything is fairly highly edited in PS.

3) Buckster's method is perhaps better than doing a bunch of UNDOs, but at the same time, what if your edits are more than just a size and resharpen? For example I might do a stylized edit, use watermarks, make a transparent background (those take time to cut out!). If I just export the edit and don't save, well that pains me.

At the end of the day, I can certainly just save multiple PSDs, but I wish Photoshop had a way of saving all these "versions" within a single file. In fact, I've kind of cheated a way to do this. If I take the original shot, at the original size, and convert it to a smart object, then no matter if I crop the canvas or resize the entire image, the original size of the smart object is maintained. This way I can always use that SO to resize a new image, or copy to a new document. It's actually been working ok, though I know SOs increase file size, that is one method.
Similarly, you could save an entire edit as a SO, then continue with alternate edits and additional SOs as needed.

What do you think of that idea? A SO is kinda like having a document within a document I think.

 

[Buckster]

You just gotta do whatever works best for you and your needs, I think. Different people have different needs and priorities.

 

[jcwphoto]

I save my finish toned image full size. It is easy to down size but upsizing from 1000 pixels will not work well. When I size my images for web print etc. print I save as tiff and web JPEG. I slug like this dog15x7.tif. For web dog1800pixels.jpg. That way if I come back in three months I know what the file size is without opening image. 1000 pixel images should not eat up space. Use jpegmini to reduce those files. Psd lets me know it is the toned working file, tif for print and jpg web.

 

[dennybeall]

I make changes on layers so it's simple to turn a layer on or off and save the new jpg file.
Any changes or additions that I want permanent can just stay. Even if you save the file the turned off layers are still fine.