Decreasing a file size

[amyb.]

Hi,

I'm entering a photo contest, first time for this particular contest. They require submitted photo is jpeg, long edge is 1920px and a maximum size of 2mb.

My image size is: 69.0M, 4256 x 2832 px, 240 res. 

In an attempt to decrease the size, I went to photoshop Image, Image size and typed in 1920 for width (length is given to me as I have the locked feature on). This takes the size of the file down to 14.0M, 1920 x 1278 px and res stays at 240. Still too big to submit. 

I tried changing the resolution to 72, the file size is now 1.26M but the width is 576 x 383. I've actually tried lots of numbers to see how close to 2M I can make it while keeping the width as long as possible, but I feel lost/angry/confused at how this all works because I'm not getting it where it needs to be.

Is there a way in PS to resize my image to make it meet the submission requirements? Do I need to find a software that will do this for me? Any help or insight would be much appreciated as this is an image I am very proud of.

[Damien Symonds]

1 hour ago, amyb. said:

In an attempt to decrease the size, I went to photoshop Image, Image size and typed in 1920 for width (length is given to me as I have the locked feature on). This takes the size of the file down to 14.0M, 1920 x 1278 px and res stays at 240. Still too big to submit.

Yep, this is exactly right.

Now save it as a jpeg. Jpeg files are compressed, remember?  It will easily come in under 2mb.

[amyb.]

I've saved it as a jpg, quality at 7, Baseline ("Standard") is selected.

File is still too big; 1920 x 1278 px, 7M. Got it to cut down in half.

Am I SOL here or can I get it smaller?

[Damien Symonds]

Where are you looking at the file size?

[amyb.]

I saved a copy of it with the width as 1920 and the quality at 7. I then opened (in PS) Image, Image Size and saw that it's still 7M.

Should I be looking elsewhere?

(Also should have added when I saved the copy, I saved it as a jpeg.)

[Damien Symonds]

No, stop looking at it in Photoshop!!!!

Just look at the file size on your hard drive.  Wherever it's saved.

[amyb.]

Oh happy day, it's at 1.3mb. 

Thank you, thank you.