Images are where ebooks break. A single unoptimised plate can turn a 900 KB novel into a 40 MB download that a store rejects and a reader abandons on mobile data. The same picture, correctly sized and compressed, does the job at a fraction of the weight and looks identical on the page.
What you receive
- Images inserted at the right size — the width of the reading column, not the width of the original file.
- Retina-safe resolution: roughly twice the display width, which is enough for every current device and no more.
- Compression tuned per image, so photographs and line art get different treatment and neither turns muddy.
- Alt text on every image, for accessibility and for the stores that check it.
- A file-size report before and after, so the improvement is visible rather than assumed.
How images are handled
- Assess the source — resolution, colour profile, and whether a transparent PNG is genuinely needed or a JPEG will do.
- Resize once, from the original, never from an already-compressed copy.
- Place the image with proper markup so it scales with the reader’s screen and never overflows the column.
- Check the total and, if the book is still heavy, split large plates across pages rather than degrading quality further.
The three mistakes that cost the most
Inserting a 3000-pixel image where 1200 would fill the screen, which multiplies the file size for no visible gain. Saving line art as a photograph, which blurs edges that should stay crisp. And using a fixed pixel width in the markup, which makes the image too small on a tablet and too wide on a phone. Each is a five-minute fix that most conversions never make.
Maps, charts and complex figures
Diagrams with fine text need different compression from photographs: aggressive setting destroys the labels. Where the source is vector, we keep it vector in the print edition and rasterise only for the ebook, which preserves sharpness where it matters. A chart that carries numbers should also be described in the caption, because a reader on a small screen may zoom past the detail.
Cover images and store thumbnails
The cover is an image too, and it is the one that decides whether the book is clicked. We check it at the store’s required dimensions and at thumbnail size, where fine detail disappears and contrast decides everything. A cover that looks rich at full size and grey at 120 pixels is not a cover problem to solve later; it is the first thing to fix.
Pricing
| Tier | Scope | Price | Was | You save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1 ebook – 10 images | $20 | $20 | |
| Professional | 3 ebooks | $50 | $55 | |
| Bulk / Authority | 5 ebooks | $80 | $80 |
Frequent questions
How many images can you handle?
Up to twenty as part of the standard job; larger illustrated books are quoted per plate.
Will compression be visible?
Not at reading size. We compare the result against the original at 100% before delivering.
Can you add captions and figure numbers?
Yes, styled consistently and linked from the contents where the book needs it.
Optimise my images — send the manuscript and the image files or a link to them.