Photos and images

All articles in this category

• APNG in Web and Stickers: Where the Animated PNG Lives2026-06-29

  Where APNG is used: iMessage stickers, interface micro-animations, loaders and looping banners. Real scenarios and why APNG, not GIF.

• APNG vs GIF: An Honest Comparison of Two Animation Formats2026-06-29

  APNG vs GIF: comparing color, transparency, file size and browser support. Why APNG wins, and when GIF still makes sense.

• APNG or Animated WebP: Which to Choose for Web Animation2026-06-29

  APNG or animated WebP: which to choose for web animation. Comparing size, quality, lossy vs lossless compression and support — with clear recommend…

• Base64 in CSS, Email and SVG: Where It Truly Pays Off2026-06-29

  Base64 in CSS, email markup and SVG: where embedded images truly pay off. Critical CSS, inline images in emails, with code examples and honest cave…

• The GIMP Workflow: Saving a Project (.xcf) vs Exporting2026-06-29

  The GIMP workflow: why Save writes only .xcf while PNG and JPG must be Exported, and how to build a reliable routine — save the master, export the…

• How to Make an APNG: From PNG Frames to Smooth Animation2026-06-29

  How to make an APNG from PNG frames: a step-by-step guide, choosing delay and looping, tools (online, APNG Assembler, ffmpeg) and converting back t…

• How to Open and Convert TGA: PNG, JPG and Every Method2026-06-29

  How to open a .tga file and convert TGA to PNG or JPG: online in seconds, or in Photoshop, GIMP, IrfanView. When to pick PNG, when JPG, and how to…

• How to Open JXL: Working Ways to View a .jxl Today2026-06-29

  How to open a JXL (JPEG XL) file in 2026: which browsers and apps understand it, and how to quickly convert .jxl to PNG or JPG. Step-by-step guide…

• How to Open PPM and Convert It to PNG or JPG2026-06-29

  How to open a PPM file on Windows, Mac and online, and how to quickly convert PPM to PNG or JPG. A step-by-step guide with the right apps and the s…

• How to Open .xcf Without GIMP and Convert It to PNG/JPG2026-06-29

  How to open a .xcf file without GIMP and quickly convert it to PNG or JPG. We cover GIMP, XnView, ImageMagick, an online converter, the Open vs Exp…

• JPEG 2000 vs JPEG: Quality, Artifacts, Size, Support2026-06-29

  JPEG 2000 vs regular JPEG: how their artifacts differ (blocks vs blur), who compresses better, who weighs less, and why JPEG still wins on support.…

• Lossless JPEG to JXL: Save 20% of Space Honestly2026-06-29

  Lossless JPEG-to-JXL recompression: how JPEG XL shrinks old photos by about 20% with zero quality loss and bit-for-bit reversibility. Why it matter…

• JPEG XL vs AVIF vs WebP: Which Format to Choose in 20262026-06-29

  JPEG XL vs AVIF vs WebP: an honest 2026 comparison of compression, encoding speed, features and browser support. Which format to pick for the web,…

• Why Programmers Love PPM in Code and Image Processing2026-06-29

  Why programmers love PPM: how it's used in the ImageMagick, dcraw and ffmpeg pipelines, for image generation and teaching graphics. A sample that o…

• PPM vs PNG and BMP: Size, Compression and the Winner2026-06-29

  PPM vs PNG and BMP: how they differ in size, compression and transparency, which weighs more, and when to choose each. A clear comparison of three…

• Alpha and RLE: How TGA Works Inside2026-06-29

  How TGA works inside: the 18-byte header, image types 2 and 10, the RLE algorithm, the 8-bit alpha channel, the version 2.0 footer and the TRUEVISI…

• TGA in Games and Graphics: Where Targa Lives Today2026-06-29

  Where TGA lives today: game textures in Unreal and Unity, sprites, frame sequences for video and VFX, retro graphics. Why engines still love Targa…

• TGA vs PNG: Which to Choose and Why2026-06-29

  TGA vs PNG: both are lossless and support transparency, but they differ in size, compression, compatibility and alpha-texture edges. When to choose…

• The Future of JPEG XL: Why the Format Sparks So Much Debate2026-06-29

  Why JPEG XL sparks so much debate: the browser-support saga from Chrome dropping the flag to the Rust comeback, Mozilla's stance, Safari, PDF, and…

• The Netpbm Family: PBM, PGM, PPM and Magic Numbers P1–P62026-06-29

  The Netpbm family explained: how PBM, PGM, PPM, PNM and PAM differ, what the P1–P6 magic numbers mean, and the difference between the plain (ASCII)…

• What Is APNG? The Animated PNG That Beats GIF2026-06-29

  What is APNG (Animated PNG): animation with millions of colors and full transparency, backward compatibility with PNG, and why it beats GIF. A clea…

• What Is JPEG 2000? The JP2 Format Explained in Plain English2026-06-29

  What is JPEG 2000 (JP2): how wavelet compression replaces DCT blocks, how the format differs from regular JPEG, what .jp2/.j2k/.jpx mean, and where…

• What Is JPEG XL? A Guide to the Most Ambitious Image Format2026-06-29

  What is JPEG XL (JXL): why this new image format exists, how it beats old JPEG, how lossless compression, HDR, transparency and animation work. A c…

• What Is PPM? The Image Format You Can Open in Notepad2026-06-29

  What is the PPM (Portable Pixmap) format from the Netpbm family: why it stores pixels with no compression, how the plain P3/P6 text header works, a…

• What Is TGA? A Guide to the Truevision Targa Format with Alpha2026-06-29

  What is the TGA (Truevision Targa) format: why it was created in 1984, how its 18-byte header works, where its alpha channel came from, and why gra…

• What Is XCF? GIMP's Project Format in Plain English2026-06-29

  What is the XCF format: why it is GIMP's project file, what it stores — layers, masks, channels, paths — and how XCF fundamentally differs from PNG…

• Why JPEG 2000 Never Replaced JPEG2026-06-29

  Why JPEG 2000 — the technically superior format — never replaced ordinary JPEG: patent fears, no browser support, computational complexity, market…

• Layers, Masks, Channels, Paths: How XCF Is Built Inside2026-06-29

  How XCF is built inside: layers, masks, channels, paths and 64×64 tiles. We take GIMP's format apart brick by brick — from a stack of transparent s…

• XCF vs PSD: GIMP versus Photoshop — Which to Choose2026-06-29

  XCF vs PSD: how GIMP's native format differs from Photoshop's, who opens what, what it costs, and which to choose for your task. A clear comparison…

• AVIF for Website Speed: Bandwidth Savings and Core Web Vitals2026-06-26

  AVIF for website speed: how the format saves bandwidth, speeds up loading and improves Core Web Vitals (LCP). Ready-to-use picture tag with WebP an…

• AVIF: HDR, Deep Color, Transparency and Browser Support2026-06-26

  AVIF's advanced capabilities: HDR (PQ and HLG), deep 10/12-bit color, the wide BT.2020 gamut, transparency and animation. Plus an honest map of bro…

• AVIF vs JPEG: How Much Smaller at the Same Quality2026-06-26

  AVIF vs JPEG: how much smaller at the same quality? Real-world savings figures, the difference in color and artifacts, compatibility, and when to p…

• BMP vs PNG and JPG: Why Use an Uncompressed Format at All2026-06-26

  BMP vs PNG and JPG: how the uncompressed format compares to modern ones, which is lighter and sharper, and when BMP still makes sense. A clear comp…

• DDS in Games: Why Engines Love BC and DXT Compressed Textures2026-06-26

  Why game engines love DDS: how BC and DXT block compression saves VRAM, keeps the frame rate stable, how texture streaming works, and the role of m…

• DDS vs PNG, TGA and WebP: Which Texture Format to Choose in 20262026-06-26

  DDS vs PNG, TGA and WebP: which texture format to choose in 2026. We compare GPU-native reading, lossy vs lossless compression, transparency, mipma…

• EPS for Print: How Not to Ruin Your Artwork2026-06-26

  EPS for print and publishing: what CMYK, bleed and outlined fonts mean, why printers are moving to PDF, and how to prep a vector artwork so it prin…

• Favicon Sizes and Multi-Resolution ICO: 16, 32, 48 px and Beyond2026-06-26

  Favicon sizes and multi-resolution ICO: why 16, 32, 48 and 256 pixels exist, where each size is used, and how many versions to actually pack into a…

• Game Modding with DDS: How to Edit Textures Like a Pro2026-06-26

  Game modding with DDS: how to extract, edit and repack a texture back into your game. The full retexture pipeline, choosing BC1/BC3/BC7, mipmaps, a…

• GIF in Web and Marketing: Where Animations Help and Where They Hurt2026-06-26

  GIF in web and marketing: where animations help sell and explain, and where they hurt speed, conversion and accessibility. Rules for using GIFs the…

• HEIC vs HEIF vs HEVC: What's the Difference, Explained Simply2026-06-26

  HEIC, HEIF and HEVC are not three names for the same thing. HEIF is a container, HEVC is a video codec, HEIC is Apple's combination of the two. The…

• HEIC vs JPG: Which Format to Choose for Your iPhone Photos2026-06-26

  HEIC vs JPG on iPhone: which should you pick? HEIC is half the size and stores 16-bit color, JPG opens everywhere. We break down quality, size, com…

• How to Reduce GIF Size: Which Changes Affect Quality2026-06-26

  A shorter duration, smaller frame or reduced palette can shrink a GIF, but may change the animation. If exact frames matter, start with optimization that preserves them and check the result.

• How to Reduce JPG Size and Check Image Quality2026-06-26

  Start with dimensions suited to the destination and moderate JPEG quality, then compare text and fine detail at 100% zoom. Re-saving JPEG usually changes pixels; visually acceptable and mathematically lossless are different claims.

• How to Reduce PNG Size: Lossless Optimization or Palette Reduction2026-06-26

  Start with lossless PNG optimization. Resizing or reducing the palette can save more space, but changes the image. Compare small text, transparency and gradients: PNG-8 does not guarantee invisible losses.

• How to Make a Favicon for Your Website: The 2026 Guide2026-06-26

  How to make a favicon for your website in 2026: which set of files you actually need, the right ICO/PNG/SVG sizes, the HTML tags to add, and how to…

• How to Open BMP and Shrink Its File Size2026-06-26

  How to open BMP on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone and shrink its size 5–10×. A step-by-step conversion of BMP to PNG and JPG with no quality loss.

• How to Open and Convert DDS: To PNG, JPG and Back in Minutes2026-06-26

  How to open and convert DDS: why the file won't open on double-click, convert DDS to PNG and JPG online, in Photoshop, GIMP and Paint.NET, batch co…

• How to Open AVIF and Convert It to JPG or PNG2026-06-26

  How to open AVIF on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone, and how to convert it to JPG or PNG. Simple methods with no plugins: your browser, an online…

• How to Open EPS and Convert It to PNG or SVG2026-06-26

  How to open EPS on Windows and Mac: free programs (Inkscape, GIMP, Preview), paid ones (Illustrator, CorelDRAW) and the fastest route — converting…

• How to Open HEIC on Windows 10 and 11: 4 Ways That Work2026-06-26

  Copied photos from your iPhone and the .heic files won't open on your PC? Here are 4 ways that work to open HEIC on Windows 10 and 11: a fast onlin…

• How to Open and Convert ICO Files2026-06-26

  How to open and convert ICO files: view what is inside an icon file, extract its PNG sizes, and rebuild an ICO. Methods for Windows, the browser, P…

• How to Open PSD Without Photoshop: Free Ways2026-06-26

  How to open PSD without Photoshop: free apps GIMP, Krita and Paint.NET, the Photopea online editor, and quick conversion to PNG or JPG. Methods wit…

• How to Open RAW (CR2, NEF, ARW) and Convert It to JPG2026-06-26

  How to open RAW (CR2, NEF, ARW) on Windows and macOS, which free apps view and edit raw files, and how to quickly convert RAW to JPG online.

• How to Open WebP and Convert It to JPG or PNG2026-06-26

  Downloaded a .webp and nothing opens it? A step-by-step guide: how to open WebP in your browser, on Windows and macOS, in Photoshop and GIMP — and…

• ICO, PNG or SVG for Your Favicon: Which to Choose2026-06-26

  ICO, PNG or SVG for your favicon: how the three formats differ, which to choose in 2026, and why the right answer is to use them together. Comparis…

• Is EPS Obsolete? PostScript, History and Its Place in 20262026-06-26

  Is EPS obsolete in 2026? The history of PostScript, why Adobe pushes PDF and AI, where the format is still irreplaceable, and when it's time to let…

• Why JPEG Loses Quality: Artifacts, 8×8 Blocks and Compression Settings2026-06-26

  Why does JPEG look blurry and blocky? A plain-English breakdown: 8×8 blocks, the DCT, quantization, the four artifact types (blocking, ringing, mos…

• JPEG in Photography: RAW vs JPEG, EXIF and Keeping Your Quality2026-06-26

  RAW vs JPEG: how they differ, when to shoot each, what EXIF reveals about you (shutter, ISO, GPS) and how to keep your photo quality. A practical g…

• JPG, PNG or WebP: Which Format to Choose for Photos and the Web2026-06-26

  JPG, PNG or WebP for photos: which format is smallest at the same quality, what WebP and AVIF add, why PNG is wrong for photos, and how to store an…

• Multipage TIFF, LZW Compression and Layers: How It Works2026-06-26

  How TIFF works under the hood: the 8-byte header, the IFD directory and tags, strips and tiles, a chain of IFDs for multi-page files, lossless LZW…

• PNG for Web and Design: When to Use It (and When SVG or WebP Wins)2026-06-26

  When PNG is the right choice for web and design — and when SVG, WebP or AVIF wins instead. Practical rules for logos, icons, screenshots, retina ex…

• PNG Transparency: How the Alpha Channel Works (and How to Get It Right)2026-06-26

  How PNG transparency works: what the alpha channel is, why the checkerboard means empty, how PNG-8 differs from PNG-32, and how to fix that dark ed…

• PNG vs JPG: Which Format to Choose and Why It Matters2026-06-26

  PNG or JPG — which should you choose? The simple rule: photos → JPG; graphics, text and transparency → PNG. We break down lossy vs lossless, file s…

• Layers, Masks and Smart Objects: How a PSD File Works2026-06-26

  How a PSD file works inside: layers, masks, smart objects, adjustment and text layers, channels and the header. A clear breakdown of the Photoshop…

• PSD vs PNG and JPG: Source File vs Final Image2026-06-26

  PSD vs PNG and JPG: how a layered source file differs from a final image, which format to choose, and what happens to transparency, file size and q…

• RAW vs JPEG: What to Choose and When to Shoot RAW2026-06-26

  RAW vs JPEG: how they differ in dynamic range, detail recovery and file size. When to shoot RAW, when to shoot JPEG, and what the RAW+JPEG mode is…

• SVG for the Web: Icons, Animation and Optimization in Practice2026-06-26

  SVG for the web in practice: how inline, <img> and CSS background differ and when to use each, sprites instead of icon fonts, CSS animation, SVGO o…

• SVG for Logos and Illustrations: Why Designers Choose Vector2026-06-26

  Why a logo must be vector: a single SVG file works from favicon to billboard and stays razor-sharp everywhere. Print, brand books, web logos, illus…

• SVG vs PNG: Vector vs Raster — Which Format to Choose2026-06-26

  SVG vs PNG — vector against raster. When SVG is tiny and perfect for logos and icons, and when you simply need PNG (photos, screenshots). A clear c…

• TIFF for Print and Scanning: How to Prepare Files Right2026-06-26

  How to prepare TIFF files for print and scanning: the 300 DPI rule and picking resolution by output size, converting to CMYK without surprises, bit…

• TIFF vs JPG: When You Really Need Lossless2026-06-26

  TIFF vs JPG in plain English: how lossless differs from lossy, why re-saving a JPG slowly destroys it (generation loss), why TIFF is 10–50× heavier…

• WebP Animation and Transparency: Why It Replaces GIF and PNG2026-06-26

  WebP animation and transparency: one format that replaces both GIF and PNG — 24-bit color instead of 256, smooth alpha, files many times lighter. W…

• WebP for Website Speed: Faster Loading and Better SEO2026-06-26

  WebP for site speed: 25–35% smaller than JPEG, 26% smaller than PNG, better LCP and Core Web Vitals, plus picture-tag fallbacks and a rollout check…

• WebP vs AVIF: Which Modern Image Format to Choose in 20262026-06-26

  WebP vs AVIF in 2026: which format is smaller, which has richer color and HDR, which encodes faster and which has wider browser support. A clear an…

• What Is BMP? The Uncompressed Format from the Windows Era2026-06-26

  What is BMP (Bitmap): the uncompressed raster format from the Windows era. How the file is built, why it is so heavy, why it stores pixels directly…

• What Is DDS? A Complete Guide to the DirectDraw Surface Texture Format2026-06-26

  What is the DDS (DirectDraw Surface) format: why games need compressed textures, how BC1–BC7 blocks and mipmaps work, and how to open a DDS file in…

• What Is EPS? The Vector Format for Print and Logos2026-06-26

  What is EPS (Encapsulated PostScript): why Adobe invented this vector format in 1987, how it works, why it became the standard for logos and print,…

• What Is GIF? How the Animation Format Outlived the Whole Internet2026-06-26

  What is GIF: how a 1987 format from CompuServe outlived the whole internet. The 256-color palette, LZW compression, binary transparency and looping…

• What Is HEIC? The iPhone Photo Format That's Half the Size of JPEG2026-06-26

  What is HEIC: the iPhone photo format that's half the size of JPEG. In plain English — why Apple made it the default in iOS 11, what it can do (16-…

• What Is ICO? The Icon Format for Windows and Favicons2026-06-26

  What is ICO: the icon format for Windows and favicons. How one file holds 16×16, 32×32 and 256×256 at once, why it stores BMP or PNG inside, and wh…

• What Is JPEG (JPG)? How the Format That Compressed the Internet Really Works2026-06-26

  What is JPEG (JPG) in plain English: where the 1992 format came from, how lossy compression and the DCT on 8×8 blocks work, what the quality slider…

• What Is PNG? The Lossless Image Format With Transparency, Explained2026-06-26

  What is PNG, explained from scratch: lossless compression, smooth transparency (alpha channel), the difference between PNG-8, PNG-24 and PNG-32, th…

• What Is PSD? The Layered Photoshop Format2026-06-26

  What is the PSD (Photoshop Document) format: why it is a layered project rather than a picture, how it differs from PNG and JPG, and how to open a…

• What Is SVG? The Vector Format That Never Loses Quality at Any Size2026-06-26

  What is SVG: an XML-based vector format that describes a picture with math instead of pixels, so it stays sharp at any size. A plain-English guide…

• What Is TIFF? The Lossless Format for Print and Archiving2026-06-26

  What is the TIFF format: why a lossless raster format exists, how it stores up to 16-bit color and CMYK, why it became the standard for print and a…

• What Is WebP? Google's Image Format That Speeds Up the Web2026-06-26

  What is WebP: Google's image format that is 25–34% smaller than JPEG and 26% smaller than PNG. A plain-English guide to its two compression modes,…

• Where BMP Is Still Used in 20262026-06-26

  Where BMP is still used in 2026: embedded systems, medicine, Windows icons, industrial equipment and legacy software. Why the uncompressed format n…

• Why BMP Is So Large: How the File Is Built Inside2026-06-26

  Why BMP is so large: we dissect the file byte by byte, do the size math on a 24-bit image, and explain why an uncompressed format takes up many tim…