# How to export images for NPN **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Tips\ **Created:** [January 31, 2023, 4:39am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/how-to-export-images-for-npn/33246 "2023-01-31T04:39:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NPN\_Editor](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/npn_editor/32/88475_2.png) [@NPN\_Editor](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/NPN_Editor)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 4:39am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/how-to-export-images-for-npn/33246/1 "2023-01-31T04:39:37Z")
Preparing your image before uploading helps it display well, load quickly, and avoid unnecessary downsampling by the forum software. For most NPN posts, we recommend exporting a **JPG around 1 MB**. The forum will accept files up to 100 MB, but images over 3 MB will be downsampled automatically. You’ll get better results by exporting from Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, or another image editor rather than relying on the forum software to resize a large file for you. ## Recommended Image Settings 1. **Format:** JPG 2. **Color Space:** sRGB 3. **Dimensions:** 2000px on the longest edge, or 1600px if you prefer a smaller file 4. **File Size:** Around 1 MB is ideal; try to stay under 3 MB 5. **Quality:** Start around 70. Lower toward 60 if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. sRGB is important because it helps keep color consistent across web browsers, devices, and platforms. ## Lightroom Classic Export - Select the image you want to post. - Choose **File \> Export** , or click the **Export** button in the Library module. Then choose **Export To \> Hard Drive** in the pop-up menu at the top of the Export dialog box. - Under **File Settings** , change **Image Format** to **JPEG** , set **Quality** to around **70** and lower toward **60** if needed, and set **Color Space** to **sRGB**. - Under **Image Sizing** , check **Resize to Fit** , select **Long Edge** from the dropdown, and set it to **2000 pixels** , or **1600 pixels** if you prefer a smaller file. The important settings are highlighted in red in the screenshot below. ![CleanShot 2023-01-30 at 20.30.24@2x](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/a/3/a3be954a836c93ffecc0feb0e6da5f2f7e64f830.jpeg) ## Photoshop Export - Choose **File \> Export \> Export As…** - Set **Format** to **JPG** - Set **Quality** around **7**. Lower toward **6** if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. - Set the image size to **2000px** on the longest edge, or **1600px** if you prefer a smaller file. - Set **Resample** to **Bicubic Automatic** - Check **Convert to sRGB** - Check **Embed Color Profile** ![CleanShot 2023-01-30 at 21.32.18@2x](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/f/b/fb4830934b131860fb53e62a4140ec8910ce4700.jpeg) ## Capture One Export - Choose **File \> Export \> Export** - Click the plus button and select **JPEG - 2048px for web use** as a starting point for a new recipe. - Rename the new recipe to **NPN**. - Change the settings under **Scale** to **2000px** , or **1600px** if you prefer a smaller file. ![image](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/d/1/d1fe991fd7f99c39d13cecc51031967eb9ddc812.jpeg) - Ensure **Format** is set to **JPEG** and **ICC Profile** is set to **sRGB**. - Set quality around **70** , lowering if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. - Make sure the **NPN** recipe is checked, not just selected. - Click the **Export** button in the lower right. ## Affinity Photo Export - Choose **File \> Export** and use settings similar to the following: - Set the format to **JPEG**. - Set the longest edge to **2000px** , or **1600px** if you prefer a smaller file. - Set quality around **70** , lowering if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. - Use or convert to **sRGB**. ![image](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/5/6/5631d9dab614f436b1f4fb3b9e168270a32e1788.jpeg) ## darktable Export Use settings similar to the following: - **File Format:** JPEG - **Color Space:** sRGB - **Longest Edge:** 2000px, or 1600px if you prefer a smaller file - **Quality:** Start around 70. Lower if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. ![image](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/9/b/9b8db6acf4044115a2c8ce1e6636a1a614f20e95.jpeg) ## RawTherapee Click the **Queue** tab and use settings similar to the following: - **File Format:** JPEG - **Color Space:** sRGB - **Longest Edge:** 2000px, or 1600px if you prefer a smaller file - **Quality:** Start around 70. Lower if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. ![image](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/7/c/7c0af51ebd3b5a18d298df907d82332d625ff492.jpeg) ## DxO PhotoLab - Click the blue export button in the lower right and use settings similar to the following: - **File Format:** JPEG - **Color Space/Profile:** sRGB - **Longest Edge:** 2000px, or 1600px if you prefer a smaller file - **Quality:** Start around 70. Lower if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. ![image](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/1/1/11c28ade2ce7ff987dcfccd9e05e256faade38d1.jpeg) ## ON1 Photo RAW - Choose **File \> Export** and use settings similar to the following: - **File Format:** JPEG - **Color Space:** sRGB - **Longest Edge:** 2000px, or 1600px if you prefer a smaller file - **Quality:** Start around 70. Lower if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. ![image](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/4/b/4b64691051a18bdc44753afe402315c5a420bccd.jpeg) ## Luminar Neo - Choose **File \> Export** and use settings similar to the following: - **File Format:** JPEG - **Color Space:** sRGB - **Longest Edge:** 2000px, or 1600px if you prefer a smaller file - **Quality:** Start around 70. Lower if needed to keep the file size near 1 MB. ![image](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/b/1/b1ad9e96b10af082650355ba3ceeeb9e26b9570e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![linda\_mellor](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/linda_mellor/32/15806_2.png) [@linda\_mellor](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/linda_mellor)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/how-to-export-images-for-npn/33246/2 "2023-01-31T14:24:42Z")
Thank you, @NPN_Editor (David?) for creating/posting this info on how to post. After all the time I have been posting (not that long 2years+/-) I had not been embedding the color profile and could not figure out why my jpg images looks so awful when I opened them in Photoshop. So much to learn. ---
**Author:** ![Andrzej\_Muzaj](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/andrzej_muzaj/32/15508_2.png) [@Andrzej\_Muzaj](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Andrzej_Muzaj)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/how-to-export-images-for-npn/33246/3 "2023-01-31T18:18:36Z")
Hi there! Thank you for the suggestions - I’ll try the settings. I tried before to find the best image settings for NPN by trial & error, but with no luck. I usually see a massive quality loss (especially in sharpness & details) when uploading files here. Do you know when the website downsizing will kick in? Is it dependent on some particular file weight? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Kingham](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/david_kingham/32/10890_2.png) [@David\_Kingham](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/David_Kingham)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/how-to-export-images-for-npn/33246/4 "2023-01-31T18:31:49Z")
I had to do some digging here Andrzej, I figured out that anything over 3 MB will be automatically resized by the software. I did a lot of export testing and found that if you’re using a quality of 60/6 then the file size should not approach this unless you have the pixel dimensions set incredibly high. If you have any examples you would like me to look at I’d be happy to do some testing. You can send me an email with the files to [david@naturephotographers.network](mailto:david@naturephotographers.network)