One-Time Preparation

The first step in this process is to create a new action that extends our existing "Watermark - NFP" action with a save action. Without a Save As step in our action the batch processor won't save any results anywhere.

1. Open any image to record our action against. As with the previous article it's good practice to work on a copy of an image, in case there are any mishaps whilst saving.
2. Open the Actions palette (Alt + F9)

3. Click on the "Create New Action" icon and create a new action called "Watermark - NFP with save". Double-check that the action is being created in our new action set and click the Record button. [screenshot]
   As with the action recorded in the previous article anything you do from now until we stop recording later will be captured in our action - so be careful what you do!
4. "Image > Mode > 8bits/channel".

5. "File > Save As...". [screenshot 1] [screenshot 2]
   • Save In: My Pictures
   • Format: JPEG
   • Filename: WatermarkedNFP
   • Click the "Save" button
   • Set the Quality to 6
   • Click the "OK" button

6. In the Actions palette, click the "Stop" icon.

7. Close the image, without saving changes.

You now have a second action that extends the "Watermark - NFP" with a channel change (because you can't save 16bit/channel JPEG files) and saves the resulting image as a JPEG file.

You only need to create this action once in preparation for the next step in the process, the actual batch watermarking...

Batch Processing with Adobe Bridge

The steps detailed below are the ones you follow each time you want to apply the watermark to a collection of images.

This stage uses the Image Processor in Adobe Bridge and can take a reasonable amount of time for a larger batch of images - be prepared to wander off and do something else while the watermarking takes place.

1. Open Adobe Bridge and navigate to the folder containing the images you wish to apply the watermark to.
2. In Adobe Bridge, "Edit > Select All" (Ctrl +a) [screenshot]
3. "Tools > Photoshop > Image Processor...

4. Select the following options: [screenshot]
   • Open first image to apply settings: No
   • Save in Same Location
   • Save as JPEG
   • Quality: 6
   • Convert Profile to sRGB
   • Run Action: "Batch Watermark", "Watermark - NFP with save"
   • Copyright Info: "© Your Name"
   • Include ICC Profile: Yes
   Then click the "Run" button.

Photoshop should open, or gain focus; Adobe Bridge will open each selected image in turn, run our chosen action save the image (in a sub-folder of our current folder) then close the image.

This is a good time to watch an episode of Friends or mow the lawn.

When the batch processing has completed, return to Adobe Bridge. A new folder called "JPEG" should have been created. [screenshot]

This folder will contain the scaled and watermarked images that were created with the Image Processor. [screenshot]

Rename and move this folder as appropriate for your own workflow.

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