When the photo experts post suggestions and tips, I normally don't understand what they are referring to.I'm sure they are great tips.
My purpose in writing this is to explain is simple terms how to get a picture of a pen to post on the forum.I remember when I was elated to get two pictures to post in a row even if they were lousy pictures.Quality can be tweaked with lighting set ups, etc. That is not something I am going to talk about here.
I am a camera and computer Neanderthall.(My knuckles drag on the keyboad when I try to type)This is not to mean I don't appreciate the suggestions and tips, but when I have to do research to make something work I usually forget what it was I was trying to do in the first place.
I had a conversation with a forum member last nite and relived my frustrations of uploading pictures because he said he was experiencing the same frustrations I went through.
I have viewed some pens that I would like to get a better look at but for different reasons have found it difficult to view the pens posted.
My camera is a Kodak I bought a few years ago at Wally World on closeout.It was reduced to $150.00 and that was about 1/2 price.
It is a Kodak dx3600 and received good reviews at the time and I believe it is a 2.1 megapixel camera.
Without getting technical these are the settings I have found that works best for close up pictures of pens.
1.If you can choose what type of picture to take go to the menu and select "best".That will limit the number of pictures but the quality will have the best detail you can take.
2.If you have a choice as to what type of picture you can take, pick the "flower".Even if your camera has a "zoom" lens the "flower" setting will probably take a much better picture for what you are trying to do.
3. If you can screw your camera onto a tripod use it. No shaking to knock you out of focus.Because of the "flower" setting you may have to rig something to set the tripod on to make it adjustable so the pen can fill the viewing screen.
4. The timer setting is a good one if it is on your camera but not necessar.once you get the first picture on the forum you can experiment with that.
5.Frame the pen using the viewing screen not the view finder(unless you have an SLR digital.(I don't want to make this technical, but chances are if you paid for an SLR you know why you bought it and if you paid that kind of money you don't need any tips on taking pictures from me)
6.Try to keep the pen and the camera parallel to each other And "focus" on the center of the pen. This will keep the pen in perspective rather than having it appear that either end is longer than it really is.
7.A pen that is framed diagonally in the view screen will show as much pen as it can.
The frou- frou settings are nice and will look great in your catologue but I like the pen, the whole pen and nothing but the pen.
Also it is possible for the funky props to "confuse" the camera (Did I say this wasn't going to be technical?)
When XP came out it was highly praised for its photo software.I do not use any photo programs other than it when I download my pictures into my computer.
I put them in "My Pictures" using the XP program.It is frusrating at times because the Kodak software wants to take over but it's my camera, computer, pen and picture and I think I should have a say as to how I download it and where I put it.
7.Resizing.
Because you selected "best" for the picture you can PRINT a BIG picture.The problem is you don't NEED, want, or are able to post big pictures here.This is the frustrating part of posting pictures on the IAP.
It is not the forums fault, but When I first started trying to upload pictures my failure rate was 90% and was quite frustrating to say the least.
I felt like I was playing a one armed bandit everytime I hit the submit button to upload a picture. ( I didn't get the three cherries) It was due to my lack of knowledge, I realize that now.
To upload pictures I found a foolproof "magic button". It is called image resizer in Windows power toys.It is a beta program and works everytime for me.
Here is the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
On the right hand side of the page is the resizer.It is your choice to install a beta(non supported) program in your computer, but I have been successfully using it for over 8 months without a hitch.
Once the resizer is installed on your computer, a right click of the mouse button on your picture you wish to upload will bring up a window that has "resize" pictures on it.
when you choose that option you will ge a screen that gives you choices of size to change your picture to.
I use small.
It will allow you to post your pictures anywhere on the site , at least that has been my experience.
Though it is permissable to post pictures up tp 90 somethings in a thread, anything over the smallest option makes it necessary to scroll to view a picture and all the posts that follow.For me that is as obnoxious as writing every post in caps. I don't bother reading those posts or looking at the pictures. If I have to scroll to see a pen I move on. The fact that the rest of the posts are too wide for my monitor is an inconvenience I don't need to put up with.
The choice is yours.
I got a little brave with the resizer option and clicked "Advanced" at the bottom of the window.
If you click both boxes you will have one picture in your album when you resize and it will be the one you want to post.If you don't select the option about not making copies, you will have more than one picture and they will be labeled according to size.Anything that is not labeled is the original and probably will be too big too post.
Lastly. To upload the picture after you have selected the "insert image" on the submit a post form here on the forum,
When you open the file to select the folder, I have found that you always need to use the "Select" option.I am sure there is a correct term for this but if I try to open the file or folder with "open" I cannot get the picture to a point that will upload.
At the risk of getting technical I willoffer one litte tip I found out about my camera that may be of benifit to anyone whose camera is set up to do video out.
The same cord that allows me to use my T.V. as a viewer allows me to use a T.V. instead of the view screen on my camera.
When I am taking a lot of picurres,I plug my camera into the T.V. and use it to view the set-up before taking the picture.
My camera has a small viewing screen and many times it is hard to see if I have the whole pen in the picture.
I hope this will help anyone who has decided it was too frustrating to upload pictures. I had to use my trial and error method to get the success I have managed to get.
It is not the fault of anyone who has tried to help but the fact that I don't always understand information as it is offerd.
Also since I find the subject of Photography intimidating I don't read that forum very often.Because of that reason I have put this little "How to"(cringe) here.
My computer is relatively archaic,The camera is not much "newer" I don't like the software that came with either and don't want to buy anything more for the type of pictures I take.
I hope this helps someone.
Thanks for reading this.
(edit in)
If you notice, nowhere in this long winded "how to" do I mention using any programs or software to adjust the picure other than resizing.Those who can edit their pictures with the wonderful(usually after market purchased software do remarkable things with it.Griz showed me what A different clip would look like on a pen I turned and I wondered how he managed to turn the same pen within a matter of minutes of my posting with the same woods.)
My method is bare bones.Normally once I get a picture in an editing program I futz with it and then decide the original captured what I wanted better than anything I did after the fact.I agree it 's fun and can also see the beniit from a design aspect.
That was not my purpose.My intention was to show a relatively painless, inexpensive(read cheap) way to get a viewable picture up loaded.
thanx again
My purpose in writing this is to explain is simple terms how to get a picture of a pen to post on the forum.I remember when I was elated to get two pictures to post in a row even if they were lousy pictures.Quality can be tweaked with lighting set ups, etc. That is not something I am going to talk about here.
I am a camera and computer Neanderthall.(My knuckles drag on the keyboad when I try to type)This is not to mean I don't appreciate the suggestions and tips, but when I have to do research to make something work I usually forget what it was I was trying to do in the first place.
I had a conversation with a forum member last nite and relived my frustrations of uploading pictures because he said he was experiencing the same frustrations I went through.
I have viewed some pens that I would like to get a better look at but for different reasons have found it difficult to view the pens posted.
My camera is a Kodak I bought a few years ago at Wally World on closeout.It was reduced to $150.00 and that was about 1/2 price.
It is a Kodak dx3600 and received good reviews at the time and I believe it is a 2.1 megapixel camera.
Without getting technical these are the settings I have found that works best for close up pictures of pens.
1.If you can choose what type of picture to take go to the menu and select "best".That will limit the number of pictures but the quality will have the best detail you can take.
2.If you have a choice as to what type of picture you can take, pick the "flower".Even if your camera has a "zoom" lens the "flower" setting will probably take a much better picture for what you are trying to do.
3. If you can screw your camera onto a tripod use it. No shaking to knock you out of focus.Because of the "flower" setting you may have to rig something to set the tripod on to make it adjustable so the pen can fill the viewing screen.
4. The timer setting is a good one if it is on your camera but not necessar.once you get the first picture on the forum you can experiment with that.
5.Frame the pen using the viewing screen not the view finder(unless you have an SLR digital.(I don't want to make this technical, but chances are if you paid for an SLR you know why you bought it and if you paid that kind of money you don't need any tips on taking pictures from me)
6.Try to keep the pen and the camera parallel to each other And "focus" on the center of the pen. This will keep the pen in perspective rather than having it appear that either end is longer than it really is.
7.A pen that is framed diagonally in the view screen will show as much pen as it can.
The frou- frou settings are nice and will look great in your catologue but I like the pen, the whole pen and nothing but the pen.
Also it is possible for the funky props to "confuse" the camera (Did I say this wasn't going to be technical?)
When XP came out it was highly praised for its photo software.I do not use any photo programs other than it when I download my pictures into my computer.
I put them in "My Pictures" using the XP program.It is frusrating at times because the Kodak software wants to take over but it's my camera, computer, pen and picture and I think I should have a say as to how I download it and where I put it.
7.Resizing.
Because you selected "best" for the picture you can PRINT a BIG picture.The problem is you don't NEED, want, or are able to post big pictures here.This is the frustrating part of posting pictures on the IAP.
It is not the forums fault, but When I first started trying to upload pictures my failure rate was 90% and was quite frustrating to say the least.
I felt like I was playing a one armed bandit everytime I hit the submit button to upload a picture. ( I didn't get the three cherries) It was due to my lack of knowledge, I realize that now.
To upload pictures I found a foolproof "magic button". It is called image resizer in Windows power toys.It is a beta program and works everytime for me.
Here is the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
On the right hand side of the page is the resizer.It is your choice to install a beta(non supported) program in your computer, but I have been successfully using it for over 8 months without a hitch.
Once the resizer is installed on your computer, a right click of the mouse button on your picture you wish to upload will bring up a window that has "resize" pictures on it.
when you choose that option you will ge a screen that gives you choices of size to change your picture to.
I use small.
It will allow you to post your pictures anywhere on the site , at least that has been my experience.
Though it is permissable to post pictures up tp 90 somethings in a thread, anything over the smallest option makes it necessary to scroll to view a picture and all the posts that follow.For me that is as obnoxious as writing every post in caps. I don't bother reading those posts or looking at the pictures. If I have to scroll to see a pen I move on. The fact that the rest of the posts are too wide for my monitor is an inconvenience I don't need to put up with.
The choice is yours.
I got a little brave with the resizer option and clicked "Advanced" at the bottom of the window.
If you click both boxes you will have one picture in your album when you resize and it will be the one you want to post.If you don't select the option about not making copies, you will have more than one picture and they will be labeled according to size.Anything that is not labeled is the original and probably will be too big too post.
Lastly. To upload the picture after you have selected the "insert image" on the submit a post form here on the forum,
When you open the file to select the folder, I have found that you always need to use the "Select" option.I am sure there is a correct term for this but if I try to open the file or folder with "open" I cannot get the picture to a point that will upload.
At the risk of getting technical I willoffer one litte tip I found out about my camera that may be of benifit to anyone whose camera is set up to do video out.
The same cord that allows me to use my T.V. as a viewer allows me to use a T.V. instead of the view screen on my camera.
When I am taking a lot of picurres,I plug my camera into the T.V. and use it to view the set-up before taking the picture.
My camera has a small viewing screen and many times it is hard to see if I have the whole pen in the picture.
I hope this will help anyone who has decided it was too frustrating to upload pictures. I had to use my trial and error method to get the success I have managed to get.
It is not the fault of anyone who has tried to help but the fact that I don't always understand information as it is offerd.
Also since I find the subject of Photography intimidating I don't read that forum very often.Because of that reason I have put this little "How to"(cringe) here.
My computer is relatively archaic,The camera is not much "newer" I don't like the software that came with either and don't want to buy anything more for the type of pictures I take.
I hope this helps someone.
Thanks for reading this.
(edit in)
If you notice, nowhere in this long winded "how to" do I mention using any programs or software to adjust the picure other than resizing.Those who can edit their pictures with the wonderful(usually after market purchased software do remarkable things with it.Griz showed me what A different clip would look like on a pen I turned and I wondered how he managed to turn the same pen within a matter of minutes of my posting with the same woods.)
My method is bare bones.Normally once I get a picture in an editing program I futz with it and then decide the original captured what I wanted better than anything I did after the fact.I agree it 's fun and can also see the beniit from a design aspect.
That was not my purpose.My intention was to show a relatively painless, inexpensive(read cheap) way to get a viewable picture up loaded.
thanx again
]
