HELP! how do you place a pic with a transparent background?

I don't think this is posiible (maybe as a png file?). Or maybe you could do it via object -> clipping path -> and then select find edges. Maybe this will remove the background zo you only have the main logo or whatever?

Just throwing some ideas around:)

Hope it helps!

For JPGs (or any other raster image) you can use Object>Clipping Path>Options and Detect Edges (adjust threshold and the other setting to optimise results)

With TIffs and PSD you can erase the background and save with a transparent background (saving as tiff requires selecting this option when saving)

With a Tiff you don't need to use a transparent background at all – you can use a Clipping Path and then use Object>Clipping Path>Options use Photoshop clipping path (or when using File>Place select Show Options and select the clipping path there).

And with Tiffs and PSDs you can control the layer – so you can save a layered version of a file and choose which layers you want to show. So for example you could cut your selection to a new layer in photoshop, and save it as a TIff or PSD, and then use the Object>Object Layer Options to switch whatever layers you want on or off.

Now if you have vector layers, like Layer Shapes, Vector Masks or Text Layers in Photoshop the TIFF or PSD is totally the wrong format to save as. You can save all these and retain them for output when using a PDF saved from Photoshop (select allow photoshop editing capabilities) and it will retain all the layers (select version 6 pdf or higher) and you can also turn on and off these layers in InDesign using the Object>Layer options, choosing to hide the text, or hide a vector background.

NOTE: All smart objects print out at the resolution of the Photoshop documnet. Smart Objects are things like placed illustrator graphics that get a Smart Object icon. It's totally resizable in Photoshop and retains vector goodness, but it will Output as RASTER when printed.

Check out Page 55 onwards for file formats – https://www.adobe.com/designcen…..guide.html

(you can change cs3 x 2 in the URL for Cs4 document)

Summary:

JPG does not support transparency. InDesign can detect white edges with Object>Clipping Path Options, Detect Edges

Does not support layers and is a lossy format (image degradation – https://qualityinprint.blogspot…..acts.html)

TIFF and PSD support transparency, fine for wholely raster files, as tiff and psd only output as raster. So any text or other vectors converted to the native resolution of the Photoshop file (found under Image>Image size)

Supports layers.

PDF all the things that TIFF and PSD do except that it can output Vectors and Raster, so text and vector shape and vector masks are retained as vector on output. Great for a file with both raster and vector content.

Again – supports layers

EPS from Photoshop – Does not support layers. However, it does output raster and vector. BUT, once you open a photoshop EPS to edit it, Photoshop by nature, rasterises the file. Layers are not retained. If you do use EPS from Photoshop make sure you make a LAyered PSD or TIFF or PDF version (if you're saving to these just place them in InDesign anyway – however, Quard doesn't play nicely with pdfs as far as I know, so you may have to use an EPS for Quark, do make sure you have a layered version in the native Photoshop format (PSD).

And there may be issues with colour management with EPS? I'm not an expert on colour management with EPS so I can't really go further with that explanation.

In regards to PNG files – yes they can be used in InDesign, but I would not. PNG is a Portable Network Graphic designed for the Internet. It has a RGB profile (although it can embed an ICC profile) it's not really ideal for placing into InDesign. Try to avoid PNGs if you can.

sugagirl: There are some great answers from others above, but I'm trying to figure out how you were making the background transparent in QuarkXPress! What feature were you using there? I don't think QX has a way to do this that ID doesn't.

Another option for “blending in” a black and white jpeg logo: Select the graphic frame and set the blending mode to Multiply in the Effects panel.

Bitmap tif's can be brought into indd and treated the same way as in Quark. Get picture, place, then deselect the image. choose the content tool select the image and you will have the option of colorizing the bitmap. Just select the fill on the color palette. White areas will be transparent. Black areas will colorize.

Assuming a vector eps logo is placing into indesign with a white BG? if this is the case it just requires a save as out of Illustrator as the current CS version you are on or saved as an ai. Happens from time to time when supplied logo's by client or downloading from logo sites such as brandsoftheworld.com. cross-platform, coreldraw eps, the list is endless as to why this happens.