FIU Digital Project Guidelines and Help Materials

Batch processing is a method that enables simultaneous editing of multiple images, making it an invaluable tool for handling large sets of digitized materials. This approach enhances productivity and maintains consistency across similar edits. It is particularly effective for addressing uniform issues across a collection, such as converting to a different file format, applying identical color corrections, resizing, or rotating all images by the same angle. However, batch processing is less suitable when each image has unique problems, as it applies the same changes uniformly.

For a more detailed walkthrough of batch processing techniques and creating actions in Photoshop, please refer to our comprehensive guide or contact our team for direct assistance.

Key Considerations:

• Backup Originals: Always retain original copies of your files to safeguard against potential errors during the batch process. This ensures any mistakes can be corrected without data loss.

• Quality Control: After batch processing, perform a quality check on a sample of edited images to confirm the accuracy and consistency of applied changes.

​​​​​​Creating Actions in Adobe Photoshop

Actions in Photoshop allow you to record and automate repetitive tasks, which can then be applied to individual or multiple images.

Steps to Create an Action:

1. Open Photoshop: Launch Adobe Photoshop on your computer.

2. Load Your Image: Open the image you want to use to define the action by navigating to File > Open.

3. Open the Actions Panel: Go to Window > Actions to open the Actions panel.

4. Create a New Action:

   • Click the New Action button (a paper icon) at the bottom of the Actions panel.

   • Name your action and assign it to a set if desired.

5. Record the Action:

   • Click the Record button in the Actions panel.

   • Perform the desired edits on the image (e.g., resize, adjust contrast, rotate).

   • Photoshop will record all steps you perform during this process.

6. Stop Recording:

   • Once your edits are complete, click the Stop button (a square icon) in the Actions panel.

7. Save Your Actions:

   • To reuse your actions later, click the menu icon (three lines) in the Actions panel and select Save Actions. Save the action as a .atn file.

Running an Action on a Batch of Images

After creating an action, you can apply it to a batch of images using Photoshop’s Automate feature.

Steps to Run a Batch Process:

1. Open Photoshop: Launch Adobe Photoshop.

2. Navigate to Batch Process: Go to File > Automate > Batch.

3. Select the Action:

   • In the "Play" section of the Batch dialog box, choose the appropriate set and action from the dropdown menus.

4. Choose Source Folder:

   • In the "Source" section, select Folder from the dropdown.

   • Click Choose and navigate to the folder containing the images you want to process.

5. Set Destination Options:

   • In the "Destination" section, choose where to save the processed images.

   • If you select Folder, click Choose to specify the destination folder.

   • Optionally, adjust file naming conventions for the processed files.

6. Adjust Additional Settings (if applicable):

   • Override Action 'Open' Commands: Check this if you want to override the open command recorded in your action.

   • Override Action 'Save As' Commands: Check this to save files in a new location or with different naming conventions.

7. Run the Batch Process:

   • Click OK to start the batch process.

   • Photoshop will automatically apply the selected action to each image in the source folder and save the output to the destination folder.

8. Review the Results:

   • After processing, check the destination folder to ensure the action was applied correctly and consistently.