Many photographers or ordinary computer system users who deal with graphics and photos often have to process a fairly large number of images. It is clear that to carry out such actions for each photo is extremely tiring, since these transformations can take a very long time. To simplify the necessary manipulations, the so-called batch photo processing is used. What it is, and how to use such features in different applications, will now be considered.
What does “batch photo processing” mean?
First, a little theory. What is batch photo processing? In the simplest sense, this is a set of predefined standard actions of the same type that need to be applied not to one picture, but to tens or even hundreds.
Actually, the name of the term itself comes from here, since the selected set of actions is used for a package of photos.
What parameters can be changed?
In principle, any, even the most primitive program for batch processing of photographs that supports the function of multiple file changes, allows you to configure one or more parameters, the values of which will be applied immediately to all pictures to be edited. Naturally, the capabilities of applications, depending on the complexity of the programs themselves, can vary quite significantly.
However, among the most basic parameters, it is conditionally possible to distinguish several most frequently used:
- resizing, color palette, brightness and saturation;
- mass renaming;
- editing with the addition of effects on the template;
- format conversion;
- file size reduction, etc.
The list of parameters can be continued for a long time. But let’s dwell on some applications that make batch processing of photos the easiest.
Most popular programs
If you approach the choice of the appropriate software, conditionally such programs can be divided into several types. The most commonly used viewers (IrfanView, XnView), converters and converters (Image Tuner, AVS Image Converter, FastStone Image Resizer, XnConvert) and image editors (GIMP, Photoshop, Lightroom).
The simplest steps in Image Tuner
Now a little more about the actions being performed. The easiest utility is Image Tuner. There are not so many variable parameters and supported formats in it, nevertheless, it is worth adopting it.
The application works on the principle of a single window. First, the necessary files are added on the left side of the screen, and the required settings are indicated on the right, after which the conversion process start button is simply pressed.
Using viewers and converters
Among the programs of these types, IrfanView, XnView, and XnConvert can be especially distinguished. For the first application, after adding objects, the Batch Conversion mode is used. But here you can set only the basic settings.
If you need to use additional parameters, you should use the advanced options settings menu (Advanced button, when clicked, you can call the Use advanced options function). The output format is set in the corresponding Output Format menu. The program is not very convenient, but has support for more than 20 formats.
Much better with XnView. Batch processing of photos in it is carried out almost at a professional level. First, files for processing are selected after preliminary activation of the batch processing function in the tool menu. There are two tabs here. On one are the main parameters for changing images, on the second - actions for transformations, which, after choosing in the left window, need to be added to the right side. In addition, you can immediately use the execution of XBS scripts, which, however, are incompatible with XnConvert (BAT is used in this application). After setting all the parameters, the conversion process is activated, that's all.
In XnConvert, batch photo processing uses an action tab where you can select transformations, conditionally divided into four groups: transforming images, working with color and level adjustment, setting filters and additional actions, which for the most part include superimposing effects.
On the input tab, the necessary files are indicated, and on the output, save options. There is also an option to download scripts and an export function to Flickr account or Picasa, as well as packaging in FTP and sending by e-mail.
GIMP: batch photo processing
First of all, it is worth remembering that only an editor will be not enough. For him, you should immediately install a special addition in the form of a BIMP plugin. Batch photo processing in this application will be available only after installing the add-on.
The procedure is as follows. First, in the file menu you need to select the plugin launch line (Batch Image Manipulation), and then use the Add Images button to add a folder with images or single files. Next, use the Add button, marked with a plus sign, to choose to add actions. In the context menu, you can select what you need and configure parameters for each operation. When all the settings are completed, the final folder is selected for saving the changed photos, and then the Apply button is pressed, which activates the processing. Depending on the number of shots and the selected operations, time may be quite a lot. When finished, use the Close button to close the plugin.
Photoshop batch processing
Now a few words about such a powerful package as Adobe Photoshop. Batch photo processing in this program can be done in several ways:
- creating or applying actions
- Batch operations;
- Using the Image Processor script processor.
In the first case, first, to create an action (action), you need to use the so-called test sample, based on the analysis of which the action will be saved in a set. True, at this stage the choice is limited solely by the capabilities of the application itself.
After that, for multiple application of the created set of actions, the file menu is used, where the Automate section is selected with the subsequent transition to Batch operations. Next, in the Play settings section, the desired action from the set is selected, the source and destination destination folder are set.
However, it is better to use a script processor. There are more opportunities here, and the image conversion operations themselves look much simpler. The Scripts / Image Processor transition is selected in the file menu, and then the necessary settings are set. The advantage of this method is that you do not need to create actions, as in the previous version. But the main minus is that only three formats (TIFF, PSD and JPEG) will be available at the output to save the results.
Practical use of Adobe Lightroom
Finally, let's see how batch processing of photos is done in Lightroom. The bottom line is that you can use this function while exporting using the Library module and the command itself (menu File / Export).
In the settings you can set the following parameters:
- saving to a hard disk, recording to optical media or sending by e-mail (Export To ...);
- Select the destination folder to save (Export Location);
- multiple renaming of objects according to the installed mask (File Naming);
- selection of the final format (File Settings);
- resizing and resizing (Image Sizing);
- setting sharpness and contrast (Image Sharpening);
- saving metadata (Metadata);
- Using Watermarking
Batch photo processing in Lightroom is not limited to this alone. In the Presets section, located in the left sidebar, you can select ready-made presets or add your own settings, after which they will be applied to all selected files.
Instead of a total
As for the choice of a program for processing photos in the right amount, the best results, for example, in the speed of resizing, are demonstrated by XnView and Photoshop, and Lightroom is slightly behind. In terms of supporting readable and writable formats, the undisputed leaders are XnView and XnConvert. On the other hand, with Photoshop you can make more subtle or advanced settings, and Lightroom has built-in templates. However, if you need to use the simplest actions, Image Tuner is perfect. GIMP does the processing simply, but it needs a plugin. So the choice is left to the user.
It remains to add that not all programs supporting batch photo processing were considered here. The list of them is so huge that just listing all available applications can take a lot of time. Nevertheless, everyone can conclude that in the programs of the same type, all actions are very similar to each other. Therefore, having mastered one application, you can easily apply your knowledge in another.