antiqueguns.com: Tutorial to Upload Photographs

How to get a photo onto your computer, then onto a web page?

You can buy a scanner, digital camera, snappy or beg a friend:

• A scanner pulls an image off a photo and puts it onto your computer. They typically come with software that allows you to convert the photo into the format needed for web pages. (gif or jpg). Problem is that if you plan to up load lots of photos you have the added cost of getting them developed first. I have found myself with that problem. If you buy one, you will probably have to take the cover off your computer and plug in a card. Cost around $200.
• *(Preferred)* A digital camera takes the photo and you upload it directly to your computer, saving the cost of developing. Several models don't need flashes, they work well indoors and with the Casio model you can take photos and look at them on your television. A real hit at kids birthday parties. If you plan on taking many photos, this is clearly cheaper than a scanner. I tried several Epson and Casio models. I could never get them to work. I spend hours on the phone with customer support with both the technicians with the camera companies and my computer. I never got them to upload their images to my computer. After I had returned them, some kid in a computer store explained my problem. My computer was using up all its IRQ's. BEWARE, if you have a scanner, or other peripherals you may have to configure your computer for IRQ sharing. You will need to call customer support for your computer maker. You can get an adequate Casio, on sale, for $225-$300.
• Snappy, an external attachment that takes images from your camcorder and converts them to still photos. The people that have tried it tell me the image quality is excellent. I was robbed and my camcorder was stolen, I have never tried one. Snappy can be bought for $150-$200.

But if you plan to upload a few photos don't bother with any of this, just beg one of your friends who has a scanner to scan a few of your photos. (People with scanners like to show them off) Besides the least frustrating method to buy computer peripherals is to buy what your friends have and get them to help you through your problems.

The commercial labs that put photos on discs are a huge ripoff. Use them only as a last resort.

Now you have the image on your computer what do you do next? You need to enhance the photo.

You will probably get software that allows you to enhance a photo with your digital camera. You will typically want to "crop," "brighten or darken" the image, then you will want to "sharpen" it. The reason is that the process of uploading a photo, usually degrades the photo somewhat, these modifications will bring it back to original brilliance. The program I like to use it Paint Shop Pro. I downloaded it for free from, <http://www.shareware.com> I downloaded an earlier version and I can use it continiously for free, but the later versions want you to fork over dough after a 30 day trial. You can probably figure a way around that if you think hard enough. Or find an older version to download.

Once you have enhanced your photo you need to save it as a "jpg" or a "gif."

Forget all other formats, none work as well as JPG's or GIF's. (This is the suffix that appears at the end of the file: example "boat.jpg" But you cannot just add the suffix, a program has to convert your image to that format.) While using your photo enhancement program, see if you can either SAVE AS or EXPORT the image as a GIFor JPG, as those two are viewable by nearly all browsers, and both save the image information in small, quick-loading files. JPG works best for detailed photographs; GIF for print & graphics. You want the byte size fairly small so the image will load fast yet still run reasonably big. Make sure the image in your program is showing at a true 1:1 ratio -- some programs "shrink" the image to fit the screen. You do this in the Paint Shop Pro software. You will have to play around with it. You will eventually figure it out, if you buy the software, you have customer support who will step you through the process. Once you have done this a few times you will be able to go through the entire process within 2-3 minutes per photo.

Your photo has been saved as a JPG how do you get it up on the web?

You can set up your server to host your photos or you can go to a service like Pongo.com and they will save you the aggrevation of the rest of this page. If you are not going to do a lot of photos it is relatively cheap and easy and will probably keep your marriage together a few years longer.

So you have decided to set up your server to host images. You need a place to put your image on the web. It doesn't have to be a full-fledge web page. Many ISPs (Internet Service Providers) automatically give you some free space as part of your monthly charge. Call and ask how to upload and the code (address) you need to upload too. Your "Unix Shell" has to be prepared to receive information. It is only a few steps, but impossible unless you get some help the first time through. Call your customer support at your ISP and plead ignorance. Ask them to walk you through the set up process. If they won't, try the instructions on the ISP's home page. If you still cannot figure it out, put your begger back on and go find the friend with the scanner, he or she is undoubtedly already uploading photos into cyber space.

You are now set up with a place to upload too and you know the address to use to get there. You need a program that will take your images and transfer them. (FTP Program)

First you need to download a program that will upload to your server. Netscape Navigator 3.0 Gold or above will do it, but the program has mental problems and adds all kinds of ridiculious codes to files in the process. You will become suicidal trying to use it. I prefer to use WS-FTP it can be found at <http://www.shareware.com> . When you get to Shareware, type in the "Search Box" "FTP." Hit enter and scroll down the list until you come to WS-FTP. The Beta Version is free. Once you have downloaded the program, unzip it, then install it. To unzip it you need an unzip program, which can also be found at "shareware.com." I like Win-Zip. (Idiot Proof), and the latest version installs the programs at the same time. If it doesn't automatically install, the program will save your unzipped file. Remember where it was saved because you have to go back later and click on the *exe file to install the program.

Whew! Almost there. Now call your ISP customer support and ask them to help you configure your FTP program.

Have them walk you through it. They will want to pass you off and give you a quick explanation, but don't let them. Go through each box and fill them out with customer support on the phone. Then test a photo and recall it, have them stay with you until you can work it successfully. By this time you will understand how to name each photo. The location for your photo will look something like this "http://www.yourplace.com/yourphoto.jpg." Type that location into the box that asks for your photo's address, on the "Post Offering Page." Your photo will be snatched and added to you offering, available for the entire world to see.

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