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Batch image processing. Batch automated photo processing in Photoshop

Many photographers or ordinary users of computer systems who deal with graphics and photos often have to process a fairly large number of images. It is clear that performing such actions for each photo is extremely tedious, since these transformations can take a very long time. To simplify the necessary manipulations, so-called batch photo processing is used. What this is and how to use such features in different applications will now be discussed.

What does "batch photo processing" mean?

First, a little theory. What is batch photo processing? In the simplest sense, this is a set of predetermined standard actions of the same type that need to be applied not to one image, but to dozens or even hundreds.

In fact, this is where the name of the term itself comes from, since the selected set of actions is used for a package of photographs.

What settings can I change?

In principle, any, even the most primitive program for batch photo processing that supports the function of multiple file modifications, allows you to configure one or more parameters, the values ​​of which will be applied immediately to all images 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, there are several most commonly used ones:

  • changing the size, color palette, brightness and saturation;
  • mass renaming;
  • editing with adding effects according to a template;
  • format conversion;
  • reducing file sizes, etc.

The list of parameters can be continued for quite a long time. But let’s look at some applications that make batch processing of photos the easiest.

Most popular programs

If you approach the selection of appropriate software, such programs can be divided into several types. The most commonly used are viewers (IrfanView, XnView), converters and converters (Image Tuner, AVS Image Converter, FastStone Image Resizer, XnConvert) and graphic editors (GIMP, Photoshop, Lightroom).

The simplest actions in the Image Tuner program

Now a little more about the actions performed. The simplest utility is the Image Tuner program. There are not so many changeable parameters and supported formats in it, however, it is worth adopting.

The application operates on a single window principle. 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 button to start the conversion process is simply pressed.

Using Viewers and Converters

Among these types of programs, IrfanView, XnView and XnConvert are particularly noteworthy. The first application after adding objects uses Batch Conversion mode. But here you can only set basic settings.

If you need to use additional parameters, you should use the advanced options settings menu (Advanced button, when clicked you can call up the Use advanced options function). The output format is set in the corresponding Output Format menu. The program is not very convenient, but it supports more than 20 formats.

The situation is much better with the XnView application. Batch processing of photos in it is carried out almost at a professional level. First, files are selected for processing after first activating the batch processing function in the tools menu. There are two tabs here. One contains the main parameters for changing images, the second contains actions for transformations, which, after selecting 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 (this application uses BAT). After setting all the parameters, the conversion process is activated, that’s all.

In the XnConvert program, batch photo processing uses the actions tab, where you can select transformations, conditionally divided into four groups: transforming images, working with color and level adjustments, installing filters and additional actions, which mostly include applying effects.

The input data tab specifies the required files, and the output tab specifies the saving parameters. There is also an option for downloading scripts and an export function to a Flickr account or Picasa, as well as packaging in FTP and sending by email.

GIMP: Batch Photo Processing

First of all, it is worth remembering that an editor alone will not be enough. For it, you should immediately install a special add-on in the form of the 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 select adding actions. In the context menu you can select what you need and configure parameters for each operation. When all the settings are completed, select the final folder to save the changed photos, and then click the Apply button, which activates the processing process. Depending on the number of shots and the selected operations, it may take quite a lot of time. When finished, use the Close button to close the plugin.

Batch processing photos in Photoshop

Now a few words about such a powerful package as Adobe Photoshop. Batch processing of photos in this program can be done using several methods:

  • creating or using actions;
  • Batch operations;
  • using the Image Processor script processor.

In the first case, to create an action, you first need to use a so-called test sample, based on the analysis of which the action will be saved in the Set. True, at this stage the choice is limited solely by the capabilities of the application itself.

After this, to apply the created set of actions multiple times, use the file menu, where you select the Automate section and then go to the Batch operations. Next, in the Play settings section, select the required action from the set, set the source and final destination folder.

However, it is better to use a script processor. There are more possibilities here, and the image conversion operations themselves look much simpler. In the file menu, select the Scripts/Image Processor transition, and then set the necessary settings. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to create actions, as in the previous version. But the main disadvantage is that at the output, only three formats will be available for saving the results (TIFF, PSD and JPEG).

Practical application of Adobe Lightroom package

Finally, let's look at how to batch process photos in Lightroom. The bottom line is that you can use this function during export using the Library module and the command itself (File/Export menu).

In the settings you can set the following parameters:

  • saving to hard drive, recording to optical media or sending by email (Export To...);
  • selecting the final folder for saving (Export Location);
  • multiple renaming of objects using a set mask (File Naming);
  • selecting the final format (File Settings);
  • changing resolution and size (Image Sizing);
  • setting sharpness and contrast (Image Sharpening);
  • saving metadata (Metadata);
  • using watermarking.

Batch processing of photos in Lightroom is not limited to this. In the Presets section, located in the sidebar on the left, 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 choosing a program for processing photos in the required quantity, the best results, for example in terms of resizing speed, are demonstrated by XnView and Photoshop, Lightroom is slightly behind. In terms of support for readable and writable formats, the undisputed leaders are XnView and XnConvert. On the other hand, Photoshop allows you to make more subtle or advanced adjustments, and Lightroom has built-in templates. However, if you need to use the simplest actions, Image Tuner is also perfect. GIMP's processing is simple, but it requires a plugin. So the choice is up to the user.

It remains to add that not all programs that support batch photo processing have been considered here. The list of them is so huge that just listing all the available applications can take a lot of time. Nevertheless, everyone can conclude that in 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.

Often there is a need to bring a large number of photographs to the desired size or place a logo on each one. If you do this manually with every image, you can go crazy. Therefore, in this lesson I will describe one of the methods batch photo processing in Photoshop.

In this lesson, we will consider the following problem as an example:

There are many large photographs and they need to be placed on a blog with the site logo. Photos should be no more than 552 px in width and saved using “Save for Web” with a quality of 60% and a sharpen filter should be applied to them for sharpening after resizing.

Let's start implementing batch photo processing in Photoshop

First. Let's create two folders on the computer. Let’s call the first “sources”, the second “results”. We place all our raw photos in the “sources” folder.

Second. Open any image from the “sources” folder in Photoshop and write an Action for it. To do this, on the Action panel, first create a new set (click on the folder icon):

Let's call it “Size + logo”. Immediately after creation, the Action begins recording your actions (the record indicator lights up red).

Third. We make all the necessary changes with the image:

a) Resize using Image/Image Size . Check the boxes Constrain Proportions And Resample Image , and in the Width field set the value to 552 px (this is the width of the column with text on my blog).

b) Add a logo. To do this, click File/Place and find a file with a pre-prepared logo (or watermark) and press the Place button. After this, the logo will appear on the image; you need to place it in the desired place and press Enter.

c) Sharpim. Select the layer with the image in the layers panel and apply Filter/Sharpen .

d) Save the image to the “results” folder using the “Save for Web” command

Fourth. Our Action is ready, so it needs to be stopped. To do this, click on the corresponding icon:

We close the image and delete it from the “results” folder so as not to get confused in the future.

Fifth. Now we need to apply an Action to a group of images. To do this we go to File / Automate / Batch…

Fill in the required fields and check the boxes as in the screenshot:

Click ok and watch how Photoshop does everything for us.

This method is very convenient when you need to prepare some kind of report for a blog or process a bunch of photos with the same settings (for example, increase sharpness or make all photos black and white). These actions can be performed with other programs, and some people claim that it is easier, but for me personally it is easier to do the processing in Photoshop.

Batch processing of photos in Photoshop is a function that greatly simplifies the lives of people who, due to the nature of their work, are often faced with the task of processing a large number of images/photos (designers, photographers).

In one of the previous lessons, I told you what actions are, how to create them, and how they can be used to facilitate the process of image processing.

When it comes to processing several images of the same type, we can simply apply a specially recorded action several times. But when there are a huge number of images, even a partially automated process can take a lot of your time.

Batch processing is used in cases where it is necessary to perform a number of sequential identical operations with a large number of images. For example, when you need to unify in size, perform the same type of color correction, increase sharpness, add a signature/logo and save several hundred photographs taken.

At its core, batch photo processing in Photoshop is the process of mass application of an action to a library of images.

You can use absolutely any actions that you recorded or downloaded from the Internet.

Let's see in practice how batch photo processing works in Photoshop.

Preliminary preparation

Let's say we have a folder that contains n number of photos, each of which we want to subject to the same type of processing using the selected action. My folder with photographs is called “Sources”, it contains 30 photographs (initially there were 6, I just multiplied them for clarity).

We also need to create a final folder in which the finished processed photos will be saved. I named the output folder “Processed”.

I'll record a simple sequence of operations to reduce the size of an image and do some color correction, and then we'll try to apply the resulting action to all the photos in the Sources folder.

Let's get started

Stage 1 - Create an action

Launch the program, open the “Actions” palette – Alt+F9.

Create a new action by clicking on the icon at the bottom of the Actions palette (similar to the new layer icon).

We give the action a meaningful name. Click “Record”.

A red circle will light up at the bottom of the Actions palette, which means that recording has started, and all your further actions will be recorded by the program.

Open one of the photos from the “Sources” folder – Ctrl+O.

Reduce the image size. The original size of the photo was 7776*7456, which is a lot for web graphics, for example.

Go to the menu: Image – Image size, or press Alt+Ctrl+I.

Let's say I want the width of all images to not exceed 500px. Set the image width to 500px.

Notice in the Actions panel that as we perform actions, they are recorded as part of the action we created.

Now let's convert the image to black and white and set a slight tint of color.

Switch to the layers palette “Layers” – F7.

Create a new adjustment layer by clicking on the black and white circle at the bottom of the layers palette.

Select “Black and White” from the context menu.

Hold Ctrl and select both layers in the “Layers” palette.

Right-click on the selected layers and select “Convert to smart-object”.

Right-click again and select “Rasterize layer”.

Soften the contrast a little - go to the menu: Image – Correction – Hue/Saturation (Image – Adjustments – Hue/Saturation) (Ctrl + U).

Increase the brightness by about +25.

Now go to the menu: Image – Corrections – Variations (Image – Adjustments – Variations).

The two upper windows show the source and the future processing result, which changes depending on your actions, that is, you can immediately see what will happen after applying color correction, without applying any settings yet.

Click, for example, “More yellow”, then “More blue” and “Lighter” in the column on the right - “OK”.

That's it, now save the image: File – Save for web & devices (Save for web).

I chose the Jpeg format and set the quality to 70 to compress the photos by weight.

We specify the “Processed” folder, which we previously created, as the directory for saving the finished photo.

After saving the photo to the final folder, stop recording the action by clicking on the “Stop” button (the leftmost square) at the bottom of the operations palette.

Our action is ready. Now all that remains is to apply it to the remaining 29 photos.

Stage 2 – Batch photo processing

We can close the first photo.

Go to the menu File – Automate – Batch Processing (File – Automate – Batch).

Select the action you just created (or any other) from the list.

We indicate the path to the folder with raw photos, in another line we select the directory where we want to save the processing results (we created a folder for finished photos in advance).

In our particular case, we put checkboxes as in the picture so that during photo processing we are not disturbed by unnecessary dialog boxes.

I draw your attention to the fact that you check the box “Ignore “Open” commands” only when an opening command is recorded in your action.

Since actions can be completely different and may not contain commands for opening an image and saving it, carefully read the program prompts when checking boxes.

After setting all the settings, click “Ok”.

If you have a lot of photos, you can go have a coffee while the program does all the work for you.

Processing 30 photos took about 1 minute, and in the end I ended up with a folder with automatically processed photos.

Thus, the method of batch processing photos in Photoshop is that you edit just one photo, record the action, and then you can apply this action to hundreds of photos without any intervention on your part and very quickly.

You can make it even simpler - download ready-made actions, if they suit your tasks, there are a lot of them on the Internet, and then the process of mass photo processing will be even simpler and faster.

That's all!

In this lesson, we learned what batch photo processing is in Photoshop and how to use it to simplify the routine process of mass image processing.

I hope you learned something new and interesting for yourself from this lesson!

A few years ago I told you about one very useful free computer program that allows you to massively change the size of images, their quality, name... Today we will talk about a similar (also free) program, but with much more functionality.

This miracle program is called - ImBatch. With her batch photo processing will become entertainment for you, not tedious work.

Today, almost everyone has a phone (smartphone) with a built-in camera, and therefore the number of digital photos on a computer disk is constantly increasing exponentially. How can you manage to change the size, name, quality of them all, convert them and apply various filters to them?

The free (for non-commercial use) computer program ImBatch, which is designed specifically for batch processing of many photos, will help you with this.

ImBatch - batch photo processing

Working in this program is very easy, simple and even pleasant, thanks to the many built-in skins (covers)…

There is nothing complicated in ImBatch - we add a photo (you can even add a whole folder at once)...


...select one image, several or all at once...

...and assign a task (of which there are a large number in the program)...

As you can see, you can batch crop photos, resize them, flip them, rotate them, change tags or delete them, rename all photos, adjust colors, contrast, and do many other operations. There is no point in listing them all - you will see everything yourself by running the program...

After you decide on the tasks, you can safely click on the magic button (at the top left of the program window) to start the process of batch photo processing...

Don't ignore the warnings - read them...

You will find a more detailed description of all tasks for batch image processing in the ImBatch program on her official page. There are also video lessons - I recommend watching them.

By the way, under the “Tools” button you will find several useful utilities - a context menu editor, a script editor, an EXIF ​​and IPTC tag editor, as well as a monitor for new files in specified image folders...

Download ImBatch

The installer size is only 14.3 MB. There are no viruses or ticks for installing additional software.

In this lesson we will look at the basics of automated photo processing in Photoshop and their practical application. We will create a set of operations and then apply it to other images.

Batch processing will significantly save your time and eliminate the need for tedious repetition of the same steps when editing images. Let's explore this useful technique in practice.


Creating operations.


Preview of the final result:

Step 1.

Not everyone is a fan Photoshop is a graphic or web designer. For convenience and ease of use in the program for ordinary users or people indirectly interested in Photoshop, there is a function for recording all actions performed on an image, and then applying these actions to edit other documents in the program.


The first thing we have to do is select the photos to which we want to apply some changes and place them in one folder anywhere on your computer. Then, select one photo from your collection and open it in Photoshop.


Step 2.

Now let's start creating operations. To do this, go to the top menu of the program to the Window-Operations tab (Window > Actions) or press the keyboard shortcut Alt+F9 to open the options window. At the bottom of the Actions panel that opens, click on the folder icon to create a new set of your actions. Enter a name for the folder (in this example, "Psdtuts+").


Now, after you have created a New Set of Operations, click on the New Operation icon at the bottom of the panel (a piece of paper with a folded edge, like a new layer icon). In the dialog box, enter a name for the operation: Vintage Halftones (Vintage Halftone), and then click on the “Record” button (Record) to start from this moment recording all your actions on the image. As you can see, three icons have appeared at the bottom of the operation panel, designed to control the actions being performed: record, play and stop (Record, Play, Stop).


Step 3.

From this moment we will begin the sequential construction of operations on the photo. You need to be extremely careful when performing each step, otherwise the result will not meet your expectations.


The first step is to resize the photo. To do this, go to the top menu in the Image-Image Size tab (Image > Image Size) and in the dialog box change the width value (Width) up to 700 px. Activate the “Maintain proportions” function (Constant Proportions) and "Interpolation" (Resample Image) at the bottom of the window, and also select the option at the very bottom “Bicubic sharper (best for reduction)” (Bicubic Sharper), which is well suited for photographs of not very good quality and small size.


Don't use Transform to resize (Free Transform), since precise mathematical values ​​are needed here. The entered parameters will be applied only for similar horizontal images, while such values ​​will not be suitable for vertical images.


Click OK in the dialog box and proceed to the next step.


Step 4.

Now, when performing each complex step, we activate the “Reset samples” function (Reset Swatches) by pressing "D" on the keyboard. The foreground and background colors are set to black and white.


Now, double-click on the background thumbnail, unlock it, convert it to “Layer 0”, and then drag it onto the New Layer icon (sheet with a folded edge) at the bottom of the Layers panel to create a duplicate.


Step 5.

Now, on the “Layer 0” copy, go to Filter-Filter Gallery (Filter > Filter Gallery) and in it select the folder Distortion – Diffused Glow (Distort > Diffuse Glow). We make the settings for the option: grain size 2, glow level 3, original 10. Click OK.


Step 6.

On the copy layer, change the Opacity level (Opacity) by 75%, entering the value exactly into the option window. There is no need to use the slider to change the parameter, otherwise the recording will display a gradual decrease in opacity: 100, 99, 98, 97, etc., which is undesirable.


Now, while holding Ctrl, click on the original layer, selecting it and the copy in the layers panel. Right-click on the selected layers and select from the menu – Merge Layers (Merge Layers). As a result, the two layers will be merged into one “Layer 0 copy”.


Step 7

Duplicate “Layer 0 copy” by dragging it onto the New Layer icon at the bottom of the layers panel, and we get “Layer 0 copy 2”. On the duplicate, go to the Filter-Blur-Gaussian Blur tab (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) and set the blur radius to 2 px, click OK.


Step 8

Next change the blending mode (Blending Mode) for a duplicate on the Floor (Overlay), without opening the blending modes window, but by clicking on the down arrow in the options window in the layers palette and selecting the desired mode. You can try different blending modes outside of recording by first stopping the recording with the Stop button (the square at the bottom of the action bar). Having selected the desired mode, turn on Recording again by clicking on the circle at the bottom of the panel.



Step 9

Next, create a New Adjustment Layer “Color” (Adjustment Layer > Solid Color). To do this, click the black and white circle at the bottom of the layers panel and select the “Color” option from the drop-down menu. In the options dialog box, select black color (# 000000) fill and click OK. Drag this layer down to the bottom of the Layers panel under "Layer 0 copy".


Step 10

Go to the “Layer 0 copy” thumbnail, and then go to the Layers tab - Layer mask - Hide all (Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All).


Step 11

Now we will change the borders of our image. To do this, select the mask by clicking Ctrl+A(“Select All”) on the keyboard. It is important to select all the pixels of the mask, otherwise the future result will not impress you.
Be sure to use the "Select All" command (Select All), rather than making a selection manually with the Marquee Tool. (Marquee tool).

If you are using custom selection then Photoshop will save these coordinates and values ​​only for a specific image, which will not work on other images.


Step 12

Activate the Rectangular Marquee Tool (Marquee tool) and right-click on the image. In the drop-down menu, select the option – Transform selected area (Transform Selection), and in the top settings panel change the values ​​for width (Width) and heights (Height) allocation by 95%. To apply a function, press Enter twice (Enter).


Thus, your allocation will decrease by exactly 5% from its initial state.


Step 13

Now we'll distort the shape of our selection a little to create a vintage effect. Make sure you are on the Layer 0 copy mask and your selection is reduced. Go to the Selection - Refine Edge tab (Select > Refine edge) and enter the settings from the screenshot below. Click OK.


You should end up with an uneven selection, like the example below.


Step 14

Next, fill the selection with white (ffffff). Press "D" on your keyboard to reset color swatches (Swatches). Next, activate the Rectangular Marquee Tool. (Marquee tool) and right-click on the canvas, selecting the option from the menu - Fill (Fill). Specify a foreground color (Foreground Color), opacity 100% and mode normal. Click OK. Deselect (Ctrl+D).


Step 15

Now you need to repeat the entire previous process with the frame for the layer “Layer 0 copy 2”. You can repeat steps 10 to 14, or duplicate the actions in the Actions panel. First, go to the "Copy 2" layer in the Layers panel and click the Stop button in the Actions panel to stop recording for now. Select all operations with the frame and duplicate them. To do this, go to the first action with a frame in the “Operations” panel (the “Make” line (Make)) and holding Shift, click on the most recent operation with the frame (line Define selection (Set Selection)). Then click the arrow at the top right and select the option from the list - Create a duplicate (Duplicate). Now drag the line “Select layer “Layer 0 copy 2” over the duplicated actions and stand on the line “Make” (Make), click Play to duplicate the mask. Once a copy of the mask has appeared on the “Copy 2” layer thumbnail, go to the last line in the Actions window and click the Write button to move on.


Step 16

Activate the layer mask thumbnail “Layer 0 copy” and go to Filter-Filter Gallery (Filter > Filter Gallery). Click on the Sketch folder (Sketch), and in it on “Halftone pattern (Halftone Pattern). After entering the settings, click OK.


Step 17

Go to the “Layer 0 copy 2” layer and click on the adjustment layers icon (black and white circle) at the bottom of the layers panel. Select the Photo Filter correction from the list (Photo Filter) and activate the "Color" option (Color) in the dialog box. Click on the color square and enter the color value 957345 and the density (Density) increase to 100%.


Step 18

Now, create another Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer. (Adjustment Layer > Hue Saturation), clicking on the black and white circle at the bottom of the layers panel, and adjust the values ​​​​from the screenshot below. Don't forget to activate the "Rendering" checkbox in the option window:


Step 19

In the Layers panel, create a New Layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) or a leaf icon with a folded edge at the bottom of the panel)) above all the previous ones and name it “Layer 1”. Select all by clicking Ctrl+A, and activate the Rectangular Marquee tool (Marquee tool). Set the foreground and background colors to default (“D”). Right-click on the canvas and select the option – Fill (Fill). In the dialog box, specify the foreground color (black), opacity 100%, mode normal and click OK.


Step 20.

Double-click the Layer 1 layer thumbnail to open the Layer Styles window and select the Pattern Overlay option. (Pattern Overlay). Open the Gray Paper pattern set (Grayscale Paper), and it has the texture “Gray granite” (Gray Granite).


Step 21

To rasterize this layer, create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) above the patterned one and select them both in the layers panel ( Ctrl+click on the layers icon). Then, combine them into one by pressing Ctrl+E.


Step 22

Change the blending mode (Blending Mode) for the layer “Layer 2” to Multiply (Multiply), and Opacity (Opacity) reduce to 75%.


Step 23

Now let's flatten all layers. Select all layers in the layers palette, starting with “Layer 2” and ending with the “Color” layer at the bottom, holding Shift.
Right-click on the selected layers and select from the menu – Flatten (Flatten image). Then click the Stop button in the “Operations” window (Actions). Now all our completed actions are ready to be applied to other photos or images.



Now it's time to check how our recording works for other shots. If you did everything correctly, the program will process your images perfectly.


To repeat all the steps with another photo, open it in Photoshop, select the Vintage Halftones action and click the Play button (the triangle at the bottom of the Actions panel).


Now you need to save this set of operations. Go to the name of the operation set, in this example to the line “PSDTUTS+” and click the down arrow at the top right of the window. In the drop-down menu, select the option - save operation (Save Actions). In the dialog box, enter a name for the operation and save it anywhere on your computer. Now we are ready for batch editing of images.

Creating a droplet.

The droplet applies actions to one or more images (a folder of images). You can save the droplet anywhere on your computer and use it as many times as you want. To create a droplet, go to the top menu File-Automation-Create Droplet (File > Automate > Create droplet...). In the dialog box that opens, first select the folder where you will save the droplet. In line Set (Set) specify the name of the set (“PSDTUTS+” in this example), in the operation line indicate the name of the set operation ("Vintage Halftones").

Next, select the photo folder to which you want to apply the effect, after making a copy of it, and work with it. In addition, you can customize the names of future images, add text to them, series number, extensions to ensure maximum compatibility. Once you have entered all the required information, click OK.


In the example below, you can see that I placed the droplet in a folder with a lot of photos in it.



Now select the images from the copy folder and drag them onto the droplet icon to apply its actions to the photo. The program itself will download the images and process them, saving all the images in the folder specified by you. Finally, open the folder with the changes you made and see how your photos now look.



Now you have a whole collection of vintage photos ready to print or use on your blog. Good luck!