BajaNomad

How to post photos?

Gypsy Jan - 11-5-2004 at 11:55 PM

I have jpeg digital photo files on my computer.

What are the (baby) steps needed meaning the best way to get them ready and then post them on the Nomad forum?

Thanks in advance for your help with a retard. :spingrin: :spingrin: :spingrin:

Posting photos to BN?

RandyMacSC/SO - 11-6-2004 at 12:24 AM

Posting photos to BajaNomad?

Probably the best way to help you is to tell you about Adobe Photoshop Elements. Mac or Windows versions.

I have been asked this by many new users and have been thinking of putting together a little 15 to 30 page book in PDF format that can be downloaded so users can follow the easy steps at taking their digital photos and resizing, cropping, and saving them to JPEG files (JPEG-file format required for posting) so they can be posted on BajaNomad or the Internet in general.

I use Adobe Photoshop, but it can be a little intimidating to new users, so Adobe makes Adobe Photoshop Elements (less intimidating version) for making Digital Photos web site ready. The manual is easy to follow, and you can download the Demo version which allows you to use the program (fully-functional) for I think 30 days before you have to decide to buy it or it stops working.

http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/main.html

Once you load a photo into Adobe PS Elements, the process is simple. You can use the features in PSE to make the photo you want to post an acceptable download and viewing size, then save it using the Save to Web feature.

2. Once you have the web ready photo on your desktop or in a folder where you saved it,

3. simply create a new post or a reply and click on the Browse button below where it says attachment when your in the Post message area of Nomad.

4. You then find the web ready photo in the folder that you saved it to, and click the open button or choose button (I think it's Open) the web ready photo file name will show up by the browse button where it says attachment.

5. Click Post Reply or Post Message and the photo will be uploaded to BajaNomad's server and will show up at the bottom of your message. It's really quite simple once you've done it once or twice.

If you need any more help, just ask away and I'll do my best to help step you thru it.

If I get time, I might just make the tutorial and post it on the web so people can download it in Adobe PDF Reader format. Or maybe I could make it into a tutorial set of web pages so Doug can make it available right on the BajaNomad site.

Look forward to your photos.

RandyMac

[Edited on 11-6-2004 by RandyMac]

BajaNomad - 11-6-2004 at 06:57 AM

Thanks Randy!

Also worth mentioning are a couple of free online tools:

A) http://www.myimager.com - fully functional online image editor. You can edit - resize - optimize graphics here. Downside - lots of popups - including those trying to download software to your machine. Make sure you "X" out (top right hand corner) of each of these windows that "pop up"....

B) http://www.netmechanic.com/GIFBot/optimize-graphic.htm - this site will optimize the image file sizes, but does not resize the images for you - and resizing itself is a great aid in reducing image file sizes.

Remember: Please try to keep file sizes attached to posts on BajaNomad under 50000 bytes in size.

The combined amount of file attachments in the database currently take up 6X more space than all of the postings and U2U messages combined.

Thanks!

--
Doug



[Edited on 11-6-2004 by BajaNomad]

OK

Bruce R Leech - 11-6-2004 at 04:49 PM

I'm trying this

BajaNomad - 11-6-2004 at 05:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by grover
You can also host them for free elsewhere.

Google "free pic host" or "free image hosting" and use somewhere like
http://imageshack.us/index3.php

http://www.imageshack.us/faq.php

You upload your image there, and then use the "[img]","[/img]" tags with their URL to display them.
Which, of course, is incredibly helpful. Thank you. :yes:

Randy, Doug, Grover?

Debra - 11-6-2004 at 06:37 PM

Do any of you make "house calls"? :biggrin:

I bought a nice Digital camera a few years ago, I also have Adobe .....I somehow managed to get pics. from the camera to my Lap Top (my PC doesn't have the hook up "thingy") That's as far as I got (that was 2yrs. or so ago) I even bought the "Idiots Guide to PC's" That didn't help. Am I hopeless? :no: :rolleyes:

Gypsy Jan - 11-6-2004 at 11:58 PM

OK, the photo is too big :o

Aside: Doug, at least I'm over at Image Shack free hosting, and not loading you down. :yes:)

Now, oh you photo gods, please tell how do I reduce the size of a jpeg file (and no, I don't have Adobe Photoshop, I have spent $x,xxx.xx on other Adobe software I don't use, won't buy any more.)

Thanks in advance.

By the way, the title of the photo should be, "Want to take us on, come on in!"

Gypsy Jan - 11-7-2004 at 12:01 AM

Oh err, my aplogies to anyone who may be offended.

just looked at the photo which was very small on my screen when I posted it.

Debra, if you're hopeless . . .

bajalera - 11-7-2004 at 01:55 PM

. . . I'm right there with you. Maybe we could hire us a computer jock who makes house calls and split the fee?

Lera

Lera......

Debra - 11-7-2004 at 03:29 PM

I have 3 computer "geek" brothers , the problem is that they all live 4hrs. North of me (my rig only has a south gear!) Go figure?! :biggrin:

wornout - 12-27-2004 at 12:05 PM

Posting Picture Test

Nikon - 12-27-2004 at 01:57 PM

Randy Mac, good explanation. Congratulations.

Pompano - 12-27-2004 at 02:08 PM

Gypsy Jan, I had the same problem when I first wanted post a photo. I hate reading sites, hyper-whatever links, programs that are written for computer knowledgeable people, etc, etc,...forget them...they will give you a headache and make you lose interest. Take some computer lessons later...having fun now is what you are after. (I have made my resolution to take pc lessons from a local expert named Hugo in Mulege after New Year's!...but I still learned how to post photos 'my way'. Here's a real beginners way that I do...

First...you probably have a 'make pictures smaller' feature already on your digital camera. I am told most do for emailing purposes. Take your photo...bring it up again on the screen, select that smaller feature and Bingo!... you have it. Easy as banana cream pie. Just transfer those photos either by putting your camera card into your scanner/whatever or use the camera's hookup to your computer. Now if you don't have that kind of camera..which would be strange in a digital...then all is not lost!

Your computer probably has XP, Windows 98 or more recent programs on it. In the 'My pictures' under 'Documents' ( or whereever or however you get to your pictures)..you have the ability to downsize right there. Just put the little pointer from your mouse on a photo...a couple seconds later a little window pops up telling about that photos attributes, including what size it is...now, BajaNomad forum likes photos that are around 50KB (indicates size) or less, so if you don't find your photo is that size of less then you need to downsize it, right? Okay, no problem there...select your photo and 'right click' on it...a window pops up..left click 'resize pictures'...a window pops up...left click 'small'...and your computer makes another smaller version of the photo you selected...YOU ARE READY.

Now type out your post on the forum..and when done...left click on the 'Browse' window below...and scroll around to find that small photo you selected..left click..and there you are..post reply and watch the results.

Now that's a real dumb beginners method of explaining what's obvious I suppose to all the people who grew up with these things, but I graduated college before computers were small enough to sit on your lap. I make a lot of mistakes and you will too, but there's a great and true old saying....Show me a man who has never made a mistake, and I will show you a man who never did anything.

If all else fails, I have a 'special tool' that I can lend you. Check out in this photo...Bueno suerte!

bajalou - 12-27-2004 at 05:59 PM

Pompano
I followed your instructions and they sound good. I have XP and all worked well until I did the right click and got a menue but no "resize" was listed. What program are you using to look at them?

Thanks

:biggrin:

Pompano - 12-27-2004 at 06:18 PM

More detailed instructions to follow...wife is calling to dinner!! NOW!!!

Gypsy Jan - 12-27-2004 at 06:30 PM

Pompano,

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your step-by-step info.

I'll give it a try on my XP system and report back.

I'm looking forward to sharing pics!

Best regards,

GJ

Pompano - 12-28-2004 at 11:10 AM

Gypsy Jan, sorry I took so long about getting back to you about your problem with not finding the 'resize the picture' feature on your program in Pictures. I have my buddy, Hugo, working on it and as soon as he emails me the answer I will forward it to you. I am using Windows XP Professional..maybe there is a difference...if it can be done, Hugo will let me know.

David K - 12-28-2004 at 11:43 AM

Let me try and give you a step by step, in simple words, as to resizing a photo in your files (My Documents/ My Pictures), the way I figured it out (there very well could be a better way, as I am no computer genious!)...

1) Click 'Start' on you bottom task bar, left corner.

2) Click on 'My Pictures' (or where ever your photos are filed.

3) Double click on the photo you want to resize or edit.

4) 'Picture It Express' pops up and then goes to that photo you double clicked with all the editing choices on the left side.

5) Click on 'Resize Image...' button.

6) Image Size, Pixel Dimention, and Resolution, are the three things you can doctor the photo with. One of the three stays fixed while the other two change simultaniously as you change one of them.

7) Move the dot to the item you want to remain fixed (the top one, for me). I usually change the resolution to 150, first. Then I click on the circle next to Resolution, placing the lock dot there.

8) Reduce the image size to around 3" (+/- 1") width.

9) Reduce the Pixel demention to about 400 width.

10)Click Done, close the window (click the X in the top right of the screen), and click Yes when the pop up asks you if you want to save changes to that photo.

11) Back in My Pictures file, take the mouse and bring it over the photo and it will tell you the image size in kbs. You are looking for less than 50 to post the image here...

12) If the image is still over 50kbs, then double click on it to bring back the edit features. Click on the circle next to image size, locking the inches width. Now go to pixels, and reduce that number some. The resolution will also go down at the same time. Recheck the size, as before. If you reduce the image too much, the photo gets very distorted. On the board, slight distortion (you can see in the edit page) is not noticed as much.



[Edited on 12-28-2004 by David K]

bajalou - 12-28-2004 at 12:31 PM

Thanks David but I get Microsoft Photo Editor when I double click the picture. I guess Picture It Express is a add on program?

:biggrin:

David K - 12-28-2004 at 12:54 PM

I have Windows XP and that was the program already loaded... I have not added or downloaded any other photo shop program. See if your photo program has a resize feature.

I get it

bajajudy - 12-28-2004 at 04:30 PM

Heck even a burro like me can do that...I think

bajajudy - 12-28-2004 at 05:11 PM

Ok now that I have mastered the pix, how do I get one of those cute little pictures under my name in my profile?

Gypsy Jan - 12-28-2004 at 06:57 PM

bajajudy

Those cute little pictures are called avatars and I'm sure that one or more of these techno-Baja-geeks will post a detailed answer on the thread, but if you do a search, I posted a, "How do you do that?" thread a few months ago and Grover kindly gave a very detailed reply.

Buena suerte!

bajajudy - 12-29-2004 at 08:04 AM

Thanks Gypsy. My next techno conquest is at hand.

David K - 12-29-2004 at 06:22 PM

On you PC's files?

How about creating a new file and select the pictures you want to keep, and put them in the new file... Then, just delete the entire old file(s)??

bajalou - 12-29-2004 at 07:25 PM

Click on the first one, hold the shift key down, the click on the last one. All in between are selected. If they are all in one file, "control" "A" selects all.

:biggrin:

I'll give it a go

Skipjack Joe - 4-22-2005 at 08:32 PM

The preview post never shows my picture, so I will try it here.