PowerUP Tutorial 12: Preparing Still Images

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Important note: This title was significantly updated in July, 2009, with a much improved PSD workflow and more extensive sizing tables for images.

Have you ever been confused trying to figure out what size to make still images for video? Have you imported an image, only to discover all your circles look like eggs or people look like they just escaped from a house of mirrors? All these problems are caused by the computer using square pixels to display images, while video uses rectangular pixels. And figuring out how to convert between the two display formats can just be maddening!

That’s where this tutorial will help. In it, Larry Jordan explains how to properly size and import the two types of still images – images without transparency (JPGs, PNGs, TIFFs), and images with transparency (PSD files). He begins with single-layer images, sizing them in Photoshop, then importing them to Final Cut Pro. He provides a step-by-step guide to making sure your images display accurately, along with a simple way to make sure your aspect ratios are correct.

Then, he moves into the much more complex world of Photoshop documents (PSD) and shows you exactly what you need to do. After watching this tutorial, you’ll be able to make all your images look great. Included are two tables that list all major video formats and the specific image sizes you need to use when creating your images.