image uploading/resizing best practices in PHP

Dear All, I would like to make a script to upload a jpg filewith php to a server; then make a thumb; save if for later use. And store the path to the image in a database to display it later. But what is the best practice to do this on a relatively low traffic website? I dont know where to begin but I have 2 appoaches: 1. To make a script to upload the image and resize this on the fly and store only the thumb image somewhere for later use. While also to store the image path in de database for later retrieval. 2. to make a script to only upload the image as is and then insert the image path in the database for later use. And upon displaying the image to use like a nondistructive <img scr="resizer.php?imgfile=image.jpg&width=250" border=0> resizer to display the image in the desired dimentions. Which one would be the best practice now a days for a relative low traffic site? I really have no idean how to build this but I have a good approach I maybe could start searching for something more specific. Thanks for your help, Dwayne