What you should know before placing images in Photoshop and Illustrator

Photoshop and Illustrator resample images to match document intent. You should know how it works before placing them into those applications. Both applications will upsample or downsample images as we do in Image Size dialog when Resample Image option is turned on. So, Resolution and Pixel Dimensions will change while Document Size (physical dimension) will remain the same. Also you should pay attention whether image have Camera raw settings applied to it and I will show you in example why.


Let’s see how it works. First I will create new blank International Paper document in Photoshop: 8,268 x 11,693 inches with Resolution 300. 

Now I will start Adobe Bridge and Place image which does not have Camera raw settings applied to it. By Camera raw settings I mean image have been processed in Camera raw (or raw file) and have indicator in Bridge which indicates that photo will open in Camera raw plug-in first. 

To place image from Bridge in Photoshop first select image then go to File > Place > In Photoshop. I am placing image 1024 x 768 and 96 ppi Resolution. 

What I got in Photoshop is expected: placed image 10,67 inches in Width (1024/96) and 8 inches in Height (768 pixels divided with 96 ppi). I have Resize Image During Place turned off in Preferences > General. 

Lets see whats can happen if you try to place image with Camera raw settings (image will open first in Camera raw before is placed in Photoshop). Here in example I will place exact same image with Camera raw settings.

When image is open in Camera raw pay attention on link at bottom middle of Camera raw window. There are some settings. If you click on link it will open Workflow Options where you can adjust image size, resolution, Bith Dept and Color Space. Those settings can be changed only manually and will remain the same until you change it (except dimensions which comes with file). Here you can match Photoshop document settings and upsample or downsample image pixel size. Those changes will reflect when you press OK button at bottom of Camera raw window. This is recommended method to upsample images if you want to. 

So to be clear: with 1024 x 768 pixels I can change resolution to 96 (currently is set to 150) and get exact same thing as with previous import or placement, or change resolution to 300 without changing Size and get 3,5 inches placed image in Photoshop (same as Resample Image turned off in Photoshop Image Size dialog).
So conclusion is: if you don’t wanna Photoshop and Illustrator to resize automatically images during place, resize it yourself before placing or resize it in Camera raw dialog if image have Camera raw (Photoshop only) settings applied to it.

Whe image with Camera raw settings is placed in Illustrator, Camera raw settings from Workflow Options will not count.

When placing Illustrator vector artwork (.ai) in Photoshop, artwork will always match document resolution so you will always get the same result no matter of document resolution. Artwork 2 x 2 inches will always be placed as 2 x 2 inches Smart Object.

source: http://adobephotoshopsecrets.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-you-should-know-before-placing.html

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