@tizeye neither of your photos is clickable to your SM site, but the second one you posted is larger, which could be why it looks better. I don't think when you choose the downloadable links from photo hosting sites that any sharpening is applied. I know a lot of people prefer to link from their host sites, but I always save for web from LR and apply my own sharpening.
I really need some clarification here. Uploading from iPad/Phone does not seem to accept anything more than 2000px, and it reduces picture KB size. Is there some ‘manual’ from forums on max image sizes?
The photo above that I uploaded today directly from my MacBook as a test, is 7.1mb and 3342 x 2678
Cheers
Hugh
Can you download it back in the same size? When I try to download your image it says: 2000x1603 (464 KB).
I guess needs a little clarifying here. A couple of general principals. 1) When downsized (even as done with the forum processing) it can't be re-upsized as it will introduce distortion and pixilation. and 2) most sites don't specify but appears 2000px is optimal for this forum. But generally, for all websites and other web based programs, 1500px to 2500px is optimal and if you comply with the specified size, minimal to no processing/resizing providing most efficient. With Realtors, MLS specifies 1500px, so that is what I deliver, but for personal I will make a 2500px folder (and a full size folder) as part of my normal Lightroom export workflow. Looking at the Rosetta Spoonbill I posted today, downloaded from the site and was 2000x1334 @96dpi where the original upload was 2500x1067 @240dpi. While my normal full size jpg is 6000x4000 and 2.43 MB this particular one was 5254x3504 and 2.0mb due to cropping.
Color shift? Original was sRGB but the returned 2000px copy failed to show any color standard. Essentially, it appears have other process going on reducing from 240 to 96dpi in addition to the resizing, and may apply some different color standard.
Finally, once it has been saved (and processed) at a certain size, while physically you can re-upsized, quality further deteriorates as it magnifies imperfections and jpg artifacts from the prior. That is why I create two folders and re-name the folders in the process or keep in the same folder (typically Photoshop rather than Lightroom) with different file names so never overwrite the original. My downsized will typically have the same basic file name and sequence number for the batch (Wetlands - 18) then for easy future reference add the downsize to the files name (Wetlands - 2500px - 18)
Horror story. A client who is not tech savvy had the 'trip of a lifetime' to Ireland. She actually set her picture size for the maximum number - way beyond what she would take anyway - rather than taking a spare SD card probably wouldn't need anyway. Got back from trip and photos she tried to print as Costco were rejected as too small for even a 4x6, and those she printed on her printer were all pixelated. Came to me asking about the problem. Had to bite my tongue as I gave her the bad news, but she took photos that were thumbnail size.