How does compression reduce the number of bytes needed to represent an image?

Compression reduces the number of bytes needed to represent an image by eliminating redundancy and utilizing various algorithms to encode data more efficiently. Lossless compression retains all original image details, while lossy compression sacrifices some quality by removing less noticeable data to achieve smaller file sizes. Techniques such as quantization and run-length encoding help streamline the representation of pixel values, leading to reduced file sizes without significant loss of visual fidelity. Overall, compression optimizes storage and transmission while maintaining acceptable image quality.