Some people are reluctant to switch over from film to digital photography because they feel that it will be more difficult to share images on a computer screen with family and friends than to share printed pictures. In fact, with color printers, e-mail and the Internet, you may end up sharing your digital images to an even greater degree than you ever did with negatives and prints.
Creating an Online Photo Album from Digital Photos
One example is the ability to create an online photo album where anyone with a computer and Web hook-up can go and view your pictures. With this application, you can share your photos with family and friends across town or across the ocean.
Programs like Ofoto (TM) allow you to do just that. Just go to their Web site and follow the instructions. It's free and easy to do. Here are the steps: - First, save all of the digital pictures you'll want to include in your on-line photo album in a single folder on your computer.
- Go to the Ofoto home page (figure A). From there you can log in or (if you're a new user) register to become a member and gain log-in privileges.
- Go to the "Create New Album" page (figure B). Select a name for your photo album and type it in the appropriate box. In our demonstration, host Rick Sammon titled his album "Rick's Trip to L.A." Click "Next" to continue.
- From the "Select Photos" interface (figure C), specify the number of photos you intend to include.
- Once you've entered the number of photos, click on the "Browse" button next to image 1 on the interface, then browse to the folder on your computer that contains your pictures (figure D). Select the first picture you want to include.
- Repeat this process until all of the image files have been added in the "Select Photos" interface in the Ofoto program (figure E). Once all of your photos have been added, click "Next" to upload your photos to the Internet.
- Your photos will upload and will appear online as a collection of small thumbnail images (figure F).
- To add captions to your photos, select the sidebar menu item "View and Edit Album." When that menu appears, select "Edit Album," and scroll to the selection "Add Photo Titles" (figure G).
- All of your photos will appear on a single screen, with a title box next to each image (figure H). Type in a title or caption for each photo in its corresponding title box.
- Once you've entered all of your titles, click "Save Changes" to finalize your album (figure I).
- To preview your online photo album, click "Slide Show." When the slide-show interface appears, click the "Play" icon to advance through all of your pictures (figure J).
Once you're satisfied with your album, you can e-mail your friends directly from the site, inviting them to come to the site to view the photos.
Another nice feature of this program and site is that your friends can order prints of the images they like directly from the site. Being able to share your photos so easily and quickly -- as with this online photo album -- is one of the biggest benefits of digital photography.
Digitally Creating a Traditional Photo Album
Some people just prefer the feel and the experience of an old-fashioned, ring-bound photo album with printed photographs. Just because you take digital photographs doesn't mean you can't enjoy your photos in this traditional way. In fact, some specialized photo-album programs like Kodak's PicturePage (TM) make that easy for you.
This downloadable program allows you to create photo-album pages on your computer using your digital photos. Then you can print out each album page as a complete unit for easy assembly into a traditional album. Here are the basic steps: - First, save all of the digital pictures you'll want to include in your on-line photo album in a single folder on your computer.
- Once you've selected and saved your images onto your computer, you'll need to import the images into the program. With the program open, select "Open Image," then browse to the folder containing your images.
- Since you've placed all of the photos you'll want to include in a single folder, you'll simply need to click on one of the photo files. All of the images will be imported into the program automatically. They will appear as a series of thumbnail images (figure K).
- Click on each individual thumbnail to select it and size it for placement on an album page (figure L).
- If you like, add captions or titles by selecting "Add Text" under the "Text" menu. Click on the image you want to title, and type your text in the text box that appears below.
- Once you've gone through the process for all of your images, and you're happy with your album, click the "Print@Kodak" button. This will take your computer's browser directly to Kodak's Web page where you can order printed copies of your album pages.
- Once you've selected the pages you want to print and the number of duplicates you want for each, simply follow the on-screen instructions to place your order. (The cost of your order will be tabulated as you make your selections.)
Your printouts will arrive in the mail in a few days. The pages are printed on sturdy paper. Once you've punched them with a three-hole paper punch, your pages will be ready to put in a binder.
RESOURCES :
Kodak Information
Tips, techniques, tutorials and information on cameras and film.
To e-mail Kodak, click here.
To access Kodak's contact information, click here.
www.kodak.com
Kodak
Website: www.kodak.com
Rick Sammon, professional photographer
Web site: www.ricksammon.com
Learn more about photography with Rick Sammon's new e-book on CD. More than 100 tips and photographs from Rick's travels around the world.
And check out Rick's column on Kodak's site:
Web site: www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/magazine/tips/2001_10
Rick Sammon
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Email: RickSammon@aol.com
Website: www.ricksammon.com
Special Thanks for DIY's Digital Photography workshop, episodes 101-105
Adobe Photoshop
Web site: www.adobe.com
PC Photo magazine
Web site: www.pcphotomag
Kodak
Web site: www.kodak.com
Epson America, Inc.
Web site: www.epson.com
Kinkos
Web site: www.kinkos.com
Ulead Cool 360
Web site: www.ulead.com
The Digital Wallet
Web site: www.mindsatwork.net
The L.A. County Arboretum
Web site: www.arboretum.org
PC Photo magazine
Website: www.pcphotomag.com
Online version of the magazine devoted to digital photography and related technologies.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Digital Photography
Model: 002864235X
Author: Steven Greenberg
Order this book from Amazon.com.
Prentice Hall
Paramus, NJ 07652
Digital Photography For Dummies
Model: 0764506463
Author: Julie Adair King
Order this book from Amazon.com.
Hungry Minds, Inc.
Complete Digital Photography
Model: 1584500077
Author: Ben Long
Order this book from Amazon.com.
Charles River Media
Website: www.charlesriver.com/
50 Fast Digital Photo Techniques
Model: 0764535781
Author: Gregory Georges, Cris Rys
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Hungry Minds, Inc.
Ofoto®
Web site: www.ofoto.com
Kodak
Website: www.kodak.com
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