4.8 Media Optimization (IO)

Owned by Rocco Blass (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 18, 2022
4 min read

Media Optimization (IO) enables you to crop, resize, sharpen, change transparency or rename images using the media editor, requiring permission to edit images (role permission). The images can then be integrated into websites, ecommerce stores, or other apps. Content Delivery Networks (CDN) further improve global delivery and availability.

If you are using Picturepark Premium or Enterprise plans then the Media Optimisation features used for creating tailored embed links and/or converting media files are fully available. For Starter plans, only embeds based on static or dynamic formats can be used without applying dynamic conversion parameters for which the Image Optimisation Add-on can be purchased as an option. 

The Fastly CDN Connector might be mandated for high-load use cases and a basic usage quota is already included in the corresponding Plans or Add-ons. Additional restrictions apply for media file conversions - please see the Subscription Plan FAQ for more information.

Media Editor

The media editor lets you dynamically make advanced transformations and image optimizations without changing the original. You can see the results instantly in the preview on the right. You can execute various modifications and validate your results by enabling or disabling them, also chaining everything together for multi-layered optimizations.

The following rendering actions are available:

  • Crop, resize, rotate, sharpen.

  • Alpha channel transparency (replace).

  • Conversion into JPG, PNG, or TIFF.

  • Rename the default filename for SEO purposes.

Cropping Images in Picturepark for Commerce Integrations

Conversion presets

Editors can now save their settings defined in the Media Editor as content presets for later re-use for the same image.

Additionally, editors can create conversion preset templates in settings to make them available for any image, requiring the role permission to “manage conversion preset templates”.

The conversion preset template has no permission itself.

A conversion preset template requires:

  • Name: the name that appears in the Media editor

  • Description: for internal purposes, not shown anywhere

  • Template: the conversion string (with the option to add a placeholder for a focal point)

  • Output format: the source where the conversion settings are applied

When you select a content preset and add modifications you can save (overwrite) or save as new content preset.

Common conversion preset templates are in use for

  • Website hero or header images.

  • Product shots used in commerce stores.

  • Detail extracts from large-scale images.

  • Different social media channels.

  • Placeholders in sales presentations.

Permissions

If you want to enable your users to create and update conversion presets, the role of the user must have “manage items” permissions on the layer “Image Analytics.”

Focal Point Editor

The focal point editor for images enables users to create, update or remove focal points, including those created by an AI provider such as Clarifai or Azure. Permitted users can either create single focal points or bounding boxes that surround an object such as a face. 

Click on the image to create a focal point, and click and hold to create a bounding box.

Each focal point has:

  • Identifier: the short name of your focal point

  • Confidence level: a number between 0 and 1, whereas 1 is 100% confidence.

  • Optional reference: additional text which serves as a description.

  • The bounding box also had width and height fields.

All information will be saved into the Image Analytics Layer of the image.

Cropping around Focal Points

For every Content Item, you can create focal points in the Focal Point Editor or via cropping to focal points from within the Media Editor. Additionally, AI Tagging proposes focal points for available areas of interest within an image. Depending on the model you choose AI can also propose brand names, text, or demographics.

All focal points are saved to the layer “Image Analytics”, from which you can pick the ones to apply as a cropped onto your images in the Media Editor.

You can create (2) or select existing focal points (1) for cropping in the Media Editor.