Import still images

Import individual or a series of still images as a sequence from other Adobe applications such as Photoshop or Illustrator.

You can import individual still images into Adobe Premiere Pro or import a series of still images as a sequence. You can import still images from Adobe applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator.

An imported still image uses the duration specified in the Still Image preferences. You can change the duration of a still image in a sequence. The maximum frame size that can be imported for still images and movies is 256 megapixels, with a maximum dimension of 32,768 pixels in either direction.

Preparing still images before importing

Before you import a still image into Premiere Pro, prepare it as completely as possible to reduce rendering time. It’s usually easier and faster to prepare a file in its original application. Consider doing the following:

• Make sure that the file format is supported by the operating system you plan to use.
• Set the pixel dimensions to the resolution you’ll use in Premiere Pro. If you plan to scale the image over time, set image dimensions that provide enough detail at the largest size the image has in the project.
• For best results, create files with a frame size at least as large as the frame size of the project so that you don’t have to scale up the image in Premiere Pro. Scaling an image larger than its original size can cause a loss of sharpness. If you plan to scale up an image, prepare it at a larger frame size than the project’s. For example, if you plan to scale up an image by 200%, prepare the image at double the project frame size before you import it.
• Crop the parts of the image that you don’t want to be visible in Premiere Pro.
• If you want to designate areas as transparent, create an alpha channel or use the transparency tools in applications such as Photoshop or Illustrator.
• If the final output will be shown on standard television screens, avoid using thin horizontal lines (such as 1-pixel lines) for images or text. These may flicker as a result of interlacing. If you must use thin lines, add a slight blur so that the lines appear in both video fields.
• Save the file using the correct naming convention. For example, if you plan to import the file into Premiere Pro in Windows, use a three-character filename extension.
• When you prepare still images in applications that support color management, such as Photoshop, colors may appear more consistent between the application and Premiere Pro if you prepare images in a video-friendly color space, such as sRGB or NTSC RGB.