Making a metafile for images? (And a general question about image res)

ziggymacauley12

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Hi. I am a total newbie to the tech world. I'm doing image research for a graphic designer and have run into two issues. Any help would be great. Thanks.

1. When I save an image to my computer, I was wondering if there was a way to attach some sort of text file with the link from where I got it. Is there a way to embed this in a jpeg, or to change the file to a format that includes both the text file and the jpeg without degrading the jpeg?

2. I am confused about how image resolution works. Let's say I find a jpeg image online, and I both take a png screenshot and save the image directly to my computer. Then I open both images on Photoshop. I blow up both images so that they appear to be the same size, although the screenshotted image is 1504 x 2000 pixels, and the jpeg 753 x 1000, so I have to blow up the jpeg more than I do the png. I was told that the jpeg is better quality, and that in the png I have actually lost information. However, when I zoom in like this, the png appears to be better quality--it's less crunchy looking. Does this "crunch" I am referring to actually have little to do with image quality, and what exactly makes the jpeg better quality?

Some screengrabs:

png:
g0Wts90.png


jpeg:
4mkvh11.png
 
Welcome to TF!

1. There's no way to embed text into an image file and guarantee it will appear elsewhere. Images like JPG and PNG do have metadata attached, which you can edit yourself within Photoshop, though it can easily be removed. Your best bet would be to display the image within HTML and add the text below the image.

2. PNG will always be better quality than JPG. PNG is lossless, meaning it cannot be degraded by compression, and JPG is lossy, meaning the opposite. The PNG saved will naturally look better.
 
Welcome to TF!

1. There's no way to embed text into an image file and guarantee it will appear elsewhere. Images like JPG and PNG do have metadata attached, which you can edit yourself within Photoshop, though it can easily be removed. Your best bet would be to display the image within HTML and add the text below the image.

2. PNG will always be better quality than JPG. PNG is lossless, meaning it cannot be degraded by compression, and JPG is lossy, meaning the opposite. The PNG saved will naturally look better.

Thanks for the reply (and the welcome). That's too bad re: metadata.

I have another (related) question if you have a moment. While png is a lossless file type so it tends to be better quality, the way I got the png image was by taking screenshots. The problem wasn't the file type, but the fact that this method was faulty. I think it was that a screenshot runs the risk of being lower res than the original file, which loses information--enough that saving as a jpeg was actually preferable. Maybe I should save the image in a lossless format? I am on an OS X, and I don't see the option to change the file type when I try to save the image. Is there a way to do this? Thanks again.
 
Thanks for the reply (and the welcome). That's too bad re: metadata.

I have another (related) question if you have a moment. While png is a lossless file type so it tends to be better quality, the way I got the png image was by taking screenshots. The problem wasn't the file type, but the fact that this method was faulty. I think it was that a screenshot runs the risk of being lower res than the original file, which loses information--enough that saving as a jpeg was actually preferable. Maybe I should save the image in a lossless format? I am on an OS X, and I don't see the option to change the file type when I try to save the image. Is there a way to do this? Thanks again.

Yes you should be saving it as lossless initially.

If it's not under the "Save As..." dialog, then it may be under the "Save for web..." dialog.
 
If you're not using the image for print (newspaper/magazine etc) then always use the "Save for web" option. That will also allow you to choose the file type.
 
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