Digital Asset Mastery
Why Your Photos Look Blurry Online (And How Export Settings Fix It)
Social networks and websites use automated compression algorithms to save bandwidth. When you upload a massive 45-megapixel RAW export (6000×4000 px), platforms like Instagram and Facebook downsample your photo using crude nearest-neighbor scaling, resulting in muddy textures and banding. Proper export settings ensure your image is served pixel-perfect.
| Platform Destination | Max Width / Long Edge | Color Space | Lightroom Quality | Output Sharpening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram Feed | 1080 px (Width) | sRGB | 85% | Screen / Standard |
| 2048 px (Long Edge) | sRGB | 80% | Screen / Standard | |
| 1200 px (Long Edge) | sRGB | 85% | Screen / Standard | |
| 1000×1500 px (2:3 Ratio) | sRGB | 85% | Screen / Standard | |
| Website / Blog | 1920 px (Long Edge) | sRGB | 75% - 80% | Screen / Low |
| Online Portfolio | 2560 px (2K Retina) | sRGB | 90% | Screen / Standard |
| Client Email | 1200 px (Long Edge) | sRGB | 70% (< 1 MB) | Screen / Standard |
| 1600 px (Long Edge) | sRGB | 75% | Screen / High | |
| Amazon Products | 2000 px min (1:1 Ratio) | sRGB | 95% - 100% | Screen / Standard |
| Etsy Shop | 2000 px (Short Edge) | sRGB | 85% | Screen / Standard |
| Fine Art Print | Do Not Resize (Original) | Adobe RGB / ProPhoto | 100% (or TIFF 16-bit) | Matte / Glossy (300 PPI) |
| Google Photos | Original (or 16 MP) | sRGB | 85% | Screen / Standard |
Why should I export at Quality 85 instead of 100 in Lightroom?
In Adobe Lightroom, the JPEG quality scale from 85 to 100 provides virtually zero visible improvement in image fidelity to the human eye, but increases the file size by 200% to 300%! Quality 85 gives you optimal sharpness while keeping file sizes lightweight and snappy.
Why is sRGB mandatory for web and social media?
Web browsers, mobile screens, and social apps standardly render colors in the sRGB gamut. If you export in Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB, browsers that lack color management will display your vibrant tones as dull, washed out, and flat. Always use sRGB for web uploads!
What does Lightroom Output Sharpening do?
Output sharpening compensates for the slight softening that occurs when high-resolution image data is downsampled to smaller pixel dimensions. 'Screen / Standard' restores crisp micro-contrast along edges without producing ugly halo artifacts.