Thank you both for your replies! I have always heard about DPI and how a good DPI for print is around 300 but all you need for web photos is 72 DPI and I knew that knowing absolutely nothing about the connection to the size of each photo at each resolution.
I'm going to have to wrap my head around thinking of DPI is sizes instead of DPI.
I am trying to follow some examples I have but in terms of how you have described it, I can't figure it out. A photographer from our local newspaper sent me some photo's she took and she sent the RAW files, printable files and WEB files. I'm comparing all files trying to copy the process of what she's done so I can get the same.
RAW 51.347" x 30.222" 72 DPI 5.59MB
WEB 12" x 7" 72 DPI 166KB ***goal - small file size
Printable 12.323" x 7.253" 300 DPI 5.62MB
When I use "Scale Image", if I change the Printable one to 300 DPI, it goes from the size of the RAW one to the size of the Printable one.
I have been trying to change the file size using the "Print Size" option and if I changed the X and Y, it changed the W and H or vice versa. My ultimate goal is to produce photographs that are optimized for either the web or print on a home office printer. My original files are 4-5MB, and as I'm trying to upload the photographs to an online photo album, I have to get the pictures down below 1MB if possible so there is no lag when visitors view the photos.
You both have helped me and I will use the "Scale Image" option but I have a whole LOT of reading to do before I totally understand the correlation between DPI and print size and how they now factor into social media because that's a whole different ballgame it seems from the links provided that I need to understand. Just a note, I have some issue in my brain that slows comprehension but once I get it, I "usually" understand it but I think a ways to go for me yet. Thank you for your replies again!
Oh, and off to understand what "Interpolation" and "Hihalo" and Lohalo" mean...
Hmmm, that would be "nohalo" and lohalo"...
Now I'm really confused because I took my first image down from 56"x 42" inches down to 12" x 9" but my file size increase from 4.8 to 5.0 so what would get the photographer's file size to go to 166KB? Appreciate any guidance.