Photograph posting - Reducing the file size/posting - How too and details

[admin]

All,

Although we can have pictures uploaded - we currently watching bandwidth and storage for our first few months, so this is disabled.

So posting is as follows:-

1) You need web space or a hosting services to upload your pictures too first - Please only make them maximum of 600 x 400

2) When posting use the Insert Image Icon and type the URL to your Web Space

3) Alternatively type it in manually with url to webspace and image


Admin.

[CFBC]

Right guys,

I will try and explain this as best I can, but being new to this also (well reasonably anyway).... So here goes.....

Firstyly you will need to have your pictures re-sized as per the forum limit of 600 x 400 as outlined by Admin. Use Paint Shop Pro or MS PAint or such like to do this and re-save.......

Next you will need a FTP programme on your machine (file transfer protocol) of which this will allow you to transfer the photo's from your machine to your ISP (Internet Service Providers) allocated website address for you. Everyone will have a small amount.... You may need to find this out.....

Good FTP's as recommended by Web User (Issue 89, page 47) are:-

http://www.smartftp.com/
http://www.coffeecup.com/free-ftp/
http://www.bizunit.com/product.htm

The above three are FREE as far as I know, but there are many others out there.....

Once you have installed one of these, you will need your e-mail address, password and username. You will also need to know the upload server address for your ISP...... For NTL users in the UK it's upload.ntlworld.com and others will be alike.......

It's quite easy as long as you know the above.......

Right... Hopefully you are following me still.... Once you have the above installed and open... Input the above information and then there should be a connect button...... If there is, try it..... Hopefully and all being well your FTP programme will now connect to your ISP's and YOUR web space........

Once connected you will be able to take your photo from your folder and simply drop it into your webspace (I do using smartftp) and then there is also a button I can look at it online on MY webspace.......

The webspace address is the address you need to insert the picture on to the forum.......

To do this, you start a new message, type what you want too - Then insert the photo via the "IMG" tab when typing a new message... Insert YOUR web address where the photo is stored and save the message.......

Now - It should appear........ Any questions, then please post in this thread and I will or someone will try and help you.......

:)

[admin]

And to add - if you are using a Gallery hosting website, such as yahoo or the like, you may find difficulty in displaying a single image.

The best approach is to use Web space allocated by your ISP.

I know NTL supply around 55 Mbytes, I believe BT are the same.

The procedure laid out above by CFBC is excellent.

If you still are having difficulties - then post here, and we will see what we can do.

[NeilD]

or resize your images and then upload them to here...
http://tinypic.com/

and then just copy and paste the info in the IMG box in to your message (no need to use the IMG button)...

tinypic isnt so good if you want to store/access your images but i've found quite a quick way to link images to the forum..

Neil.

[CFBC]

Yes NeilD, thats a good way also.... Not as technical..... Works well....

[admin]

A number of you have inquired since the starting of the forum with regards posting Pictures as Attachments, and the ability to carry this out, we initially decided against this as we were not sure how it would effect resources and bandwidth limitations, we now have some better ideas of the bandwidth utilisation and as such, following some testing we have now decided to enable this option – HOWEVER on a request basis.



The reason for doing it on a request basis and not carte-blanche is that if only 20% of the membership want the ability, then it allows for a higher account posting threshold as opposed to everyone having it, setting a much lower threshold and 80% do not use it.



There will be certain limitations in place – these are the following:-


1) Only jpeg and Gif attachments
2) Dimensions of 650 x 500 maximum
3) Size per picture of 80K maximum
4) Single account threshold of 2 Mbytes
As we are not sure as to what the demand for this will be, the above figures are Ball Park and will be adjusted accordingly – low uptake no.3 and no.4 will get increased – high uptake then all of them will get reduced.

[admin]

Just an update.


Picture attachment limitations are now as follows:

1) Still only JPG or GIF
2) Dimensions increased to 850 x 700
3) Size increased to 100K
4) Account thresolds now based on groups so if you hit your limit let us know and we can look at moving you up to the next level.

:)

[admin]

Another update on the picture attachment front.

Our ISP has generous increased our allowance by another 2 Gig (Bless them), so we have enabled picture attachments for all registered users.

There is an initial limit of 4 Mbytes per user, if you hit this limit then we can move you up a group (which we have already done for some people), to the next allowance level.

We have three levels currently defined with 15 Mbytes being the top limit.

If you still want to use your own Web Hosted site and use the IMG /IMG commands then by all means do so, whatever you are happiest using.

:)

[Typhoon-MKV]

Just an update.

If you are using the Picture attachment options when posting pictures/images then the size limits are as follows:-

Gif : 130Kb : Width 850 pixels x Height 800 pixels
jpg : 135Kb : Width 850 pixels x Height 800 pixels

If you are using your own hosting like tinypic or photobucket, then these are not implemented, but you need to use the codes in your post.

[johnnyboy]

Just an update.

If you are using the Picture attachment options when posting pictures/images then the size limits are as follows:-

Gif : 130Kb : Width 850 pixels x Height 800 pixels
jpg : 135Kb : Width 850 pixels x Height 800 pixels

If you are using your own hosting like tinypic or photobucket, then these are not implemented, but you need to use the codes in your post.

Forgive my ignorance but I know next to nothing about these things (PC) other than what my son shows me when he has the time. I use photobucket to post pictures so do I have to change settings or do I leave it as it is? Example
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o223/johnnyboy_041/PICT0004-5.jpg

[Typhoon-MKV]

No that's fine.........

[Agent X20]

Thats bootifull...

Nice picture..

Fits the screen

and at 70KB most acceptable...

Better than all this 200-300KB stuff that seems to be the norm..:(

[johnnyboy]

No that's fine.........

Thank you! and you Agent for the compliment.

[Dave D]

Forgive my ignorance but I know next to nothing about these things (PC) other than what my son shows me when he has the time. I use photobucket to post pictures so do I have to change settings or do I leave it as it is? Example
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o223/johnnyboy_041/PICT0004-5.jpg

Cool pic Johnnyboy:cool

[johnnyboy]

Thanks Dave

[davidwford]

I think this one.

http://i17.tinypic.com/4kal7x5.jpg

(Can some one with Photo Elements or Paint Sop Pro explain to me how to lower the resolution on pics?)

Microsoft do a picture resizer which is free and comes as part of the Windows XP PowerToys add-ons. Once installed, just right click on the photo and select the size you want it. Couldn't be simpler and is free. Have a look for XP PowerToys on MS web-site.

[CFBC]

Take a look here (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx) for the XP Power Toys Add-ons. :)

[DCRanger]

Microsoft do a picture resizer which is free and comes as part of the Windows XP PowerToys add-ons. Once installed, just right click on the photo and select the size you want it. Couldn't be simpler and is free. Have a look for XP PowerToys on MS web-site.

I tried that but it only re-sizes the picture, something I can already do with PSP. A while ago AX20 taled about reducing the resolution so that instead of having a picture with say 250kb it displays the same size picture but with a file size that is less than 100kb.

(Maybe this is a subject for a separate thread?)

[Agent X20]

DC (I dont use Photoshop or PS Pro.. too complicated)

Somewhere in the program there will be a picture size function.. I find it best to default the measurement of your image to pixels ( as against inches mm etc..) and then to save at 600-700 pixels wide.. (That will in most cases automatically sort out the height...) Anything over 700 pixels and most viewers unless they have large monitors running higher resolutions will lose the right hand side of yer picture... especially if they are running favourites down the LHS of the screen..

An example of this in Picture Publisher..... Go into image and select size...

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/AgentX20/rubbish/size001.jpg

When to come to save as a jpg/jpeg, most programs will have a scale of what the final final file size will be... I find this is best at 50-100K.. although many post at 250-500K which all that does is slow up the forum access time..

So then when you come to save you might find something like this... anything from 2465000 to 11000.. (2.4 meg to 11KB..)

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/AgentX20/rubbish/save001.jpg

In anycase.. if you save a picture at 25-50K, people are far less likely to steal it unless they want to show it at that size, because as soon as they blow it up , the detail is lost..:D

Heres a picture at 140KB..

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/AgentX20/rubbish/737001.jpg

Starting with the original picture and taking it to a file size of 50KB

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/AgentX20/rubbish/737002.jpg

and again back to the original picture and take it down to 25KB...

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/AgentX20/rubbish/737003.jpg

or right down to 8KB.... (yick)

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/AgentX20/rubbish/737004.jpg


Whilst Picture Publisher (free with 2001 compooter magazine.:eek: .) is fine for me... it doesnt cater for the RAW image processing that more complex programs can do...

hope that helps...:D

[chris1966m]

...which i use for most of my pics is to downsize the file using MS Paint (START / ALL PROGRAMS/ ACCESSORIES)

once you open the file in its optimum format, select STRETCH/SKEW from the IMAGE pulldown....or CRTL+W

in the uppermost 2 fields enter a number between 30 and 70...thats the percentage to reduce to (not by)...and remember to fill in both fields with equal numbers

then save the new image to a new location without overwriting the original

i just add 'a' as a prefix...keeping the same camera image number...easier to find later

a 2.5MB image is in this way reduced to around just 100k

hope this helps

Chris M

[CFBC]

Have moved several post's into a new thread and more relevant section.

:)

[Agent X20]

So 'stealing' your picture and shoving it into Picture Publisher...

using a cropping tool...

resizing back up to 700 pixels

and then saving as a .JPEG* or .JPG....... at about 75KB where it is just starting to lose a bit of detail....

(*you had saved it as a .tiff....)

we get....

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h61/AgentX20/rubbish/dcr.jpg

[NeilD]

for stuff that i'm gonna put on forums I just upload it to photobucket and it automatically resizes to whatever preset you choose.. normally width of 640.. also saves having an extra copy on your own hard drive.?

[CFBC]

for stuff that i'm gonna put on forums I just upload it to photobucket and it automatically resizes to whatever preset you choose.. normally width of 640.. also saves having an extra copy on your own hard drive.?

Personally that is what I do too. It can resize it if you want it too. I tend to use PSP anyway in respect of the diecast pictures and resize them that way, but on the odd occasion photobucket does it automatically...

:)

[DCRanger]

Thanks Agent I now have it sussed.

I don't if the point may have been missed but it isn't just resizing the picture it is the file size and the compression does this (Now that I know about it:D ) The compression makes the pages load quicker which is what is needed for people on dial up or a low speed connection.

Despite resizing my pictures most of them were 250Kb or there abouts. This one is a mere 70kb

http://i18.tinypic.com/6gy8jle.jpg

[Agent X20]

You are welcome..

Yep its about the compression.. some have sussed it others havent.. however in their defence some of the software packages do have this smartsizing or variants of which does a better job than the Windows supplied stuff......

However some pictures yer cant compress much, especially if there is a load of fine detail..

When we all have 30" screens, and 50 GB of RAM and a 100GB NTL Virgin connection then ...bobs a relative... whilst the first two are impossible, the third would be a miracle....:D

[NeilD]

i used to faff around compressing and resizing using a software package, to try and get things down to about 80kb.. but i'd still end up with an 'internet' copy on my hard drive. photobucket automatically resizes and produces a 640X480 image at around 195 KB from an original of 2048x1536 1.4MB-ish which stays on their HD and I can link to at multiple sites, or just link to the album.. just suits me.. dunno how much longer it takes to download 195KB vs 75 ??
going off at a slight tangent, what makes some files larger than others?? I've got shots at the same ISO and size, but with different file sizes.. it appears to be somethign to do with how complicated the scene is.. for instance ones with lots of blue skies (I wish!) or plain subjects are smaller files??

[DCRanger]

Just out of interest what is the difference between standard and progressive encoding?

[admin]

Photograph Posting and Image Hosting using Forum Software

Following on from the message posted in the Shot of the Day thread(s).

Can all members please ensure that their images are no greater than 1024 x 768 when using Photobucket or Tinypics or any otside photograph hosting site. The forum hosting is set to 800 x 600 pixel size only or a certain file size only.

Failure to ensure teh above is met will mean that images may be removed.

The Forum software is limited to this anyway, but such sites a photobucket (http://www.photobucket.com) or Tinypics (http://tinypic.com/) has "auto" resizing when uploading to their sites and are very easy to use.

I would also like members to take note of their file sizes as stated below. Whilst this does not directly have any impact on the Forum (as hosted offsite), the loading times for various members differ and as such quality is not affected at all if the overal image size as detailed within this thread is adhered too. Certainly makes the loading of pages a lot faster.

If anyone has any queries or qustions regarding image hosting, then please feel free to ask.

Thank you :)