Using Your Own Web Space for Sharing Digital Photos

Whether your ISP provides the space for free or you've enlisted a paid host to provide you space for your own domain, you can use your Web space to store and display photos that you want to share with friends, family, customers, and business associates.<br> <br>Be kind to your Web site visitors: You can save your image recipients' time, hard drive space, and aggravation by creating a single repository for all the images you want to share. You're also making it much easier for yourself to keep an up-to-date selection of images available to all who want to see them, so the Web option is a win-win proposition.<br> <br>Putting the images online requires a series of simple steps:<br><br>1. Prepare your photos for use on the Web by opening them in a photo editing program, such as Photoshop Elements, and saving them in a Web-safe format.<br> <br>Two formats that all Web browsers can deal with are GIF and JPEG. JPEG is best for photos because it supports the multitude of colors and shading within the images.<br><br>2. Set up the Web page where you want to display the images.<br> <br>You can use a variety of graphical tools to design the page (Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive) or you can create a page by writing HTML code. If you're using an ISP's free Web space, the ISP gives you step-by-step procedures for creating a Web page, and the software does most of the work for you.<br> <br>3. Upload the Web page and the images.<br><br>This is typically done with FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software. If you're using AOL or your ISP, it might provide an Upload page that loads both the Web page you set up and the images you want to display.<br> <br>4. Visit the page online to see how it looks.<br><br>You always want to check your page online (using multiple Web browsers, if possible) to see whether it's okay before you send people there to see your images.<br> <br>If you want to make changes, open the Web page file on your computer, make the changes, and upload it again.<br><br>If you check your page online and you see red Xs (in Internet Explorer) or gray icons with a question mark (in Netscape Navigator) where images should be, this means that the browser can't locate the image that's supposed to be there. Check your Web page settings to make sure that you have the right pictures in the right places, and check to see that you've uploaded all the images to your host's Web server.<br> <br>Before you share a batch of photos with the world, check the photos for anything you'd regret sharing with the rest of the population. You probably want to avoid sharing identifying features, such as addresses and people's last names, which may enable strangers to make undesired contact with you. Another thing to check for is embarrassing content. Going over the images with a very discriminating eye before you share them will pay off in the long run.

Using Your Own Web Space for Sharing Digital Photos

Whether your ISP provides the space for free or you've enlisted a paid host to provide you space for your own domain, you can use your W...

Read more »

Using Your Own Web Space for Sharing Digital Photos

Whether your ISP provides the space for free or you've enlisted a paid host to provide you space for your own domain, you can use your Web space to store and display photos that you want to share with friends, family, customers, and business associates.<br> <br>Be kind to your Web site visitors: You can save your image recipients' time, hard drive space, and aggravation by creating a single repository for all the images you want to share. You're also making it much easier for yourself to keep an up-to-date selection of images available to all who want to see them, so the Web option is a win-win proposition.<br> <br>Putting the images online requires a series of simple steps:<br><br>1. Prepare your photos for use on the Web by opening them in a photo editing program, such as Photoshop Elements, and saving them in a Web-safe format.<br> <br>Two formats that all Web browsers can deal with are GIF and JPEG. JPEG is best for photos because it supports the multitude of colors and shading within the images.<br><br>2. Set up the Web page where you want to display the images.<br> <br>You can use a variety of graphical tools to design the page (Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive) or you can create a page by writing HTML code. If you're using an ISP's free Web space, the ISP gives you step-by-step procedures for creating a Web page, and the software does most of the work for you.<br> <br>3. Upload the Web page and the images.<br><br>This is typically done with FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software. If you're using AOL or your ISP, it might provide an Upload page that loads both the Web page you set up and the images you want to display.<br> <br>4. Visit the page online to see how it looks.<br><br>You always want to check your page online (using multiple Web browsers, if possible) to see whether it's okay before you send people there to see your images.<br> <br>If you want to make changes, open the Web page file on your computer, make the changes, and upload it again.<br><br>If you check your page online and you see red Xs (in Internet Explorer) or gray icons with a question mark (in Netscape Navigator) where images should be, this means that the browser can't locate the image that's supposed to be there. Check your Web page settings to make sure that you have the right pictures in the right places, and check to see that you've uploaded all the images to your host's Web server.<br> <br>Before you share a batch of photos with the world, check the photos for anything you'd regret sharing with the rest of the population. You probably want to avoid sharing identifying features, such as addresses and people's last names, which may enable strangers to make undesired contact with you. Another thing to check for is embarrassing content. Going over the images with a very discriminating eye before you share them will pay off in the long run.

Using Your Own Web Space for Sharing Digital Photos

Whether your ISP provides the space for free or you've enlisted a paid host to provide you space for your own domain, you can use your W...

Read more »

How to Add Facebook Comments System in Blogger

<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="margin:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:24px;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',Trebuchet,Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br></h3><div class="post-header" style="line-height:1.6;margin:0px 0px 1.5em;font-size:16px;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:'Trebuchet MS',Trebuchet,Verdana,sans-serif"> <div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7975404644688206278" itemprop="articleBody" style="width:300px;font-size:16px;line-height:20px;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:'Trebuchet MS',Trebuchet,Verdana,sans-serif"> <div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center"></div><div class="mblpostthumb"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fKPSFgj92ZfEQ1Kumrh3wa20gfG3nnvTk72WWGUYQt-WCfy3KBoimG3_jqGWrGGIN8KKOzDDhp7OtyfQMQJgibszyjbAaYlyNs6ZRx13seIhRAkB5XTVVpYCoA4JcLm-RXKs-_M5cNuG/s1600/How-to-Add-Facebook-Comments-System-in-Blogger.png" style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fKPSFgj92ZfEQ1Kumrh3wa20gfG3nnvTk72WWGUYQt-WCfy3KBoimG3_jqGWrGGIN8KKOzDDhp7OtyfQMQJgibszyjbAaYlyNs6ZRx13seIhRAkB5XTVVpYCoA4JcLm-RXKs-_M5cNuG/s1600/How-to-Add-Facebook-Comments-System-in-Blogger.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); position: relative; padding: 5px; -webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;" width="265px"></a></div> In the past, we have already covered How to Add Google+ Comments, Disqus Commenting system and LiveFyre Commenting system in Blogger. Recently, one of our users asked us how to add Facebook Comments in Blogger? Today in this article, we will show you How to Add Facebook Comments System in Blogger. We will also discuss the Pros and cons of using Facebook Comments on your website, so that you can make an ingenious decision whether to for it or not.<br> <a name="more"></a><br><br><h4 style="margin:0px">Advantages of Facebook Comments in Blogger</h4>Facebook is the most viral social networking site, so it might be the reason why one should always think about making use of all the features that it provides to the publishers and developers. However, I would not push anyone to start using Facebook comments without knowing its advantage. Every site has their own priorities and concerns but for the sake of an ongoing argument, let us first take a look at the following pros of adding Facebook Comments in Blogger.<br> <br>Whenever someone likes or reply to their comment, Facebook sent an automatic notification to user.  The author or other users might also receive the same notification if they are following the topic.<br><br>Unlike Google+ and others, it provides multiple commenting options. For example, if someone is not a Facebook user then he can use his Yahoo, AOL or Outlook id to comment on your website, so your visitor never gets locked out.<br> <br>Whenever a registered user is caught spamming, Facebook automatically treats him with a security code while the rest of the loyal visitors keep on commenting without any worry. If that spammer didn't even stop then, Facebook holds the authority to disable him from commenting.<br> <br><h4 style="margin:0px">Disadvantages of Facebook Comments in Blogger:</h4>You are totally depending upon Facebook. Though it is a reliable brand, but sometime minor glitches happen. What would you do if Facebook suffers some down time. Since, all the scripts you are using is hosted on Facebook, so you never know when the comments get disappear.<br> <br>Nonetheless, it is unlikely to happen because Facebook is a well-known site with quality backup server. However,  you never know what would be the next thing to come.<br><br><h4 style="margin:0px">How to Add Facebook Comments in Blogger: </h4> <b>Step#1: Creating a New Application:</b><br>The First thing you need to do is to create a separate App ID for your application and that can be done easily through Facebook Developer. Login to your Facebook account and go to<a href="https://developers.facebook.com/apps" style="color:rgb(136,136,136)" target="_blank">Facebook Developers</a> website. This places allow Developers to manage their apps hosted at Facebook, click on<b>Create New App</b> button.<br> <div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9BuMKU68_ChCNphoL3qYncpCOH9oMM4_4wUG6k2NNKVSoKdehhHKXgwMnwGSwhsm3YRDsJxsEDixfa9H7eF2a9FpQrtziNT4wC_iXFRJGFQUsRj-Qv5EG3_TGxo11TL78mLOp7Dr9G0k/s540/Create-app-facebook.png" style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9BuMKU68_ChCNphoL3qYncpCOH9oMM4_4wUG6k2NNKVSoKdehhHKXgwMnwGSwhsm3YRDsJxsEDixfa9H7eF2a9FpQrtziNT4wC_iXFRJGFQUsRj-Qv5EG3_TGxo11TL78mLOp7Dr9G0k/s1600/Create-app-facebook.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); position: relative; padding: 5px; -webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;"></a></div> A Small pop out will appear which would ask you to insert little information about your application. There are two fields, write the App name and press the continue button.<br><div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit2okqScIypL15v8x87jRlm6Ymb3TXUrJdVmymygYGstCnWZfWtBcM1psMPiLXQ3mvAy5MHb6yY_RwcKCALPlVyRkSxEi7dNYuUIhzxi-fQI8TZzsBPesJOmaYjRnbztLTxBKP_pXOhHsO/s540/App-facebook.png" style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit2okqScIypL15v8x87jRlm6Ymb3TXUrJdVmymygYGstCnWZfWtBcM1psMPiLXQ3mvAy5MHb6yY_RwcKCALPlVyRkSxEi7dNYuUIhzxi-fQI8TZzsBPesJOmaYjRnbztLTxBKP_pXOhHsO/s1600/App-facebook.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); position: relative; padding: 5px; -webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear:both;text-align:center"></div></div>Now you will land of a new page which would provide you your application details like App ID, App name and etc. You need to copy these keys and enter them later.<br> <div style="text-align:center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4trnbmwaxpD4pwRkcWnmrNJ0TvrKwmCYw7NKQIKYD2_edCbj6-qsUh6is72PTXnpQVC-O3QWRj1xjGOs3NYJ0nMCZAHH3mXjJ2ESzxLmEmEfQYlz-54pXvMVSFJqfpL7WOausLwevHW41/s540/APP-ID.png" style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4trnbmwaxpD4pwRkcWnmrNJ0TvrKwmCYw7NKQIKYD2_edCbj6-qsUh6is72PTXnpQVC-O3QWRj1xjGOs3NYJ0nMCZAHH3mXjJ2ESzxLmEmEfQYlz-54pXvMVSFJqfpL7WOausLwevHW41/s1600/APP-ID.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); position: relative; padding: 5px; -webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;"></a><br> <div style="text-align:left"><b><br></b><b>Step#2: Installing Facebook Comments in Blogger:</b></div><div style="text-align:left">The First thing you need to do is to Login into your Blogger account. Now from the dashboard go to Template >> Edit HTML and search for the following highlighted HTML attribution. (Quick Tip: This code is usually present at the first lines of your template's coding).</div> <div style="text-align:left"><br></div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align:left"><html ...... xmlns:expr='<a href="http://www.google.com/2005/gml/expr">http://www.google.com/2005/gml/expr</a>'></blockquote> <br><div style="text-align:justify">Now just next to the highlighted code (as shown above) add<b>xmlns:og='<a href="http://ogp.me/ns#">http://ogp.me/ns#</a>'</b>. Once everything is down, it would somewhat look like this. (Quick Tip: Make sure you leave a space between these two codes). </div> <div style="text-align:justify"><br></div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align:left"><html xmlns:og='<a href="http://ogp.me/ns#">http://ogp.me/ns#</a>' ...... xmlns:expr='<a href="http://www.google.com/2005/gml/expr">http://www.google.com/2005/gml/expr</a>'></blockquote> <br><div style="text-align:left">Now you need to search for the <b><i><body></i></b>Tag. After finding it, just below it paste the following code. Make sure to replace the <b><i>YOUR_APP_ID</i></b> with your Facebook application id. </div> <div style="text-align:left"><br></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align:left"><div id="fb-root"></div></div><div style="text-align:left"><script></div><div style="text-align:left"> window.fbAsyncInit = function() {</div><div style="text-align:left">FB.init({</div><div style="text-align:left">appId : 'YOUR_APP_ID',</div><div style="text-align:left">status : true, // check login status</div><div style="text-align:left"> cookie : true, // enable cookies to allow the server to access the session</div><div style="text-align:left">xfbml : true // parse XFBML</div><div style="text-align:left">});</div><div style="text-align:left">};</div><div style="text-align:left"> (function() {</div><div style="text-align:left">var e = document.createElement('script');</div><div style="text-align:left">e.src = document.location.protocol + '//<a href="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js">connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js</a>';</div> <div style="text-align:left">e.async = true;</div><div style="text-align:left">document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e);</div><div style="text-align:left">}());</div><div style="text-align:left"></script> </div> </blockquote><br><div style="text-align:left">Now you need to add Facebook Open graph Meta Tags, We have written a detail tutorial on it that can be viewed from here. However, search for <b><i></head></i></b>and just above it paste the following code. Make sure to replace the<b><i>YOUR_APP_ID</i></b> with your Facebook application id. </div> <div style="text-align:left"><br></div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align:left"><meta property="fb:app_id" content="YOUR_APP_ID" /></blockquote><br><div style="text-align:left"><b><br></b><b>Step#3: Adding Facebook Comments in Blogger:</b> </div> <div style="text-align:left">Last step is to implement Facebook Comments using the HTML Code. In the template, search for <i><b><b:includable id='comment-form' var='post'></b></i> and just below it paste the following HTML Coding. Incase, you are unable to find <b:includable id='comment-form' var='post'> then you can paste it just below <i style="font-weight:bold"><div class='post-footer-line post-footer-line-1'></div> </i><i>(Make sure you repeat the process because there are more than 1 tags on you theme)</i>. </div> <div style="text-align:left"><b><i><br></i></b></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align:left"><b:if</div><div style="text-align:left">cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'></div><div style="text-align:left">     <div</div><div style="text-align:left">    style='padding:20px 0px 5px 0px; margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;'></div><div style="text-align:left">        <script</div><div style="text-align:left">        src='<a href="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1</a>'</div> <div style="text-align:left">        /></div><div style="text-align:left">        <div></div><div style="text-align:left">            <fb:comments</div><div style="text-align:left">            colorscheme='light'</div> <div style="text-align:left">            expr:href='data:post.url'</div><div style="text-align:left">            expr:title='data:post.title'</div><div style="text-align:left">            expr:xid='data:<a href="http://post.id">post.id</a>'</div> <div style="text-align:left">            width='550'</div><div style="text-align:left">            /></div><div style="text-align:left">        </div> </div><div style="text-align:left">                </div></div> <div style="text-align:left">                </b:if></div></blockquote><div style="text-align:left"><br></div><div style="text-align:left"><b style="font-style:italic">Note: </b><span style="font-style:italic">You can also customize the widget of the comment box by adjusting </span><b style="font-style:italic">550 </b><span style="font-style:italic">the numbers in the below code.</span></div> <div style="text-align:left"><br></div><div style="text-align:left"><b>Congratulations:</b> You have successfully learned how to add Facebook Comments  in blogger blog. You can also preview your posts to see everything is working in an order or not. </div> <div style="text-align:left"><br></div><div style="text-align:left"></div><div style="text-align:left">We hope this tutorial has helped you in adding Facebook comments in blogger. Are you using Facebook comments in your blog? If yes, then please take few minutes to tell us about your experience in the comments below.</div> </div></div></div>

How to Add Facebook Comments System in Blogger

In the past, we have already covered How to Add Google+ Comments, Disqus Commenting system and LiveFyre Commenting system in Blogger. ...

Read more »

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the problem — we're too close or too far away or can't figure out how to use the camera's foolproofing features. Sometimes, the problem is that reality stubbornly refuses to comply with our expectations: The sky is overcast, Great-Grandma can't be present for the family photo, or management has decided to cancel a product that appears in the product-line photograph.<br> <br>Fortunately, Paint Shop Pro has a wide range of solutions, ranging from quick-and-dirty fixes to professional-level retouching. Here are some fast solutions to a few common problems.<br><br>Rotating right-side up<br><br> Photos that lie on their side are a pain in the neck. Don't put up with it! Take these simple steps:<br><br>1. Press Ctrl+R — a fast way to pop up the Rotate dialog box.<br><br>2. In the Direction area of the dialog box, click either the Right (for clockwise rotation) or Left (for counterclockwise rotation) option boxes.<br> <br>If you have added layers to your photo, click the All Layers check box. You probably haven't done so, however, or else your neck would already be stiff from turning your head sideways!<br><br>3. Click OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.<br> <br>Chances are, all your sideways photos need rotating in the same direction. Fortunately, the Rotate dialog box remembers which rotation you chose in Step 2; for future corrections, all you may need to do is press Ctrl+R and the Enter key!<br> <br>Photos with too much flash<br><br>If you got a little too close in a flash photo, Paint Shop Pro may be able to help you back off a bit. Try this fast fix:<br><br>1. Choose Adjust --> Brightness and Contrast --> Automatic Contrast Enhancement.<br> <br>The Automatic Contrast Enhancement dialog box comes to your aid. The photo may already look better in the sample in the right window. If so, click OK and skip the rest of these steps.<br><br>The preview window on the right shows the result as you make any changes in this dialog box. If you can't see enough of the picture there, click the button with the magnifier and – icon to zoom out.<br> <br>2. To make the picture darker, click Darker (on the left).<br><br>3. To reduce contrast, click Natural (on the right).<br><br>You can try Flat, too, but it's often too flat.<br><br>4. For the maximum darkening, contrast-reducing effect, click Normal (in the center).<br> <br>For a lesser effect, click Mild.<br><br>5. Click OK.<br><br>Photos with way too much flash are washed out, which may be harder to fix. If, for example, portions of someone's face are practically white, you need to restore skin tone without affecting the rest of the picture. A little work with the Smudge tool can help you push skin color into small white areas. Alternatively, try carefully selecting the entire face area with a feathered edge and then using the Manual Color Correction effect to change the white area to skin tone.<br> <br>Removing unwanted relatives<br><br>Removing unwanted relatives is much easier in Paint Shop Pro than in real life. You're not limited to relatives, though. You can use the same Paint Shop Pro tricks to remove other unwanted features, like power lines or passing automobiles.<br> <br>The task requires some skill and some sort of continuous or repeated background, like the clapboarded side of a building, a grassy field, a rail fence, water, or shrubbery. If the unwanted relative is blocking more than half of some unique feature (like a fireplace, chair, or china cabinet), the job gets nearly impossible.<br> <br>The main tool for the job is the Clone Brush tool, which you use to extend the background over the unwanted feature. For example, you can brush out junk on a lawn by brushing lawn, taken from just below or alongside the junk.<br> <br>Here's the general idea:<br><br>1. Click the Clone Brush tool (two-brush icon) on the Tools toolbar.<br><br>2. Right-click the background you want to brush over your object, in an area that has no unique features.<br> <br>For example, if you're removing lawn junk, right-click in the grass, not near other junk. Don't click too near the object you want to remove, either. Because backgrounds tend to have horizontal strips of stuff, like grass at the bottom, trees in the middle, and sky at the top, clicking to the left or right of the object you want to remove usually works best.<br> <br>3. Drag carefully across the object you want removed.<br><br>If, in Step 2, you right-clicked to the left or right of that object, move the cursor only horizontally before you drag. That precaution ensures that you extend the correct strip of background and don't paint grass, for example, where you want trees. As you brush, the Clone Brush tool picks up pixels from under an X that starts where you right-clicked and follows your motion. Keep an eye on the X to make sure that it doesn't pick up pixels you don't want. You may need to reset the X in a new location periodically; return to Step 2 to do so.<br> <br>You probably need some trial and error to get a feel for the process. Press Ctrl+Z to undo any errors.<br><br>One problem with removing relatives and other objects is that if they were initially blocking a unique object, that object now has a hole in it. For example, the relative may well be blocking one arm of a person or half of a piano (if that relative is fairly wide). Fortunately, many objects are symmetrical; if Aunt Katy's left arm is now missing, you may be able to copy her right arm and paste it in place of the left one. (You can even mirror half a face to make a whole one in some instances. Results may be unsatisfactory.)<br> <br>Use any selection tool (the Freehand tool, for example) to select the object you need to copy. Press Ctrl+F to float the selection, press Ctrl+M to mirror it, drag it to the correct position, and then press Ctrl+Shift+F to defloat it. Press Ctrl+D to remove the selection marquee. You may need to do a little painting and retouching because any light striking the object is now coming from the wrong direction.

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the ...

Read more »

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the problem — we're too close or too far away or can't figure out how to use the camera's foolproofing features. Sometimes, the problem is that reality stubbornly refuses to comply with our expectations: The sky is overcast, Great-Grandma can't be present for the family photo, or management has decided to cancel a product that appears in the product-line photograph.<br> <br>Fortunately, Paint Shop Pro has a wide range of solutions, ranging from quick-and-dirty fixes to professional-level retouching. Here are some fast solutions to a few common problems.<br><br>Rotating right-side up<br><br> Photos that lie on their side are a pain in the neck. Don't put up with it! Take these simple steps:<br><br>1. Press Ctrl+R — a fast way to pop up the Rotate dialog box.<br><br>2. In the Direction area of the dialog box, click either the Right (for clockwise rotation) or Left (for counterclockwise rotation) option boxes.<br> <br>If you have added layers to your photo, click the All Layers check box. You probably haven't done so, however, or else your neck would already be stiff from turning your head sideways!<br><br>3. Click OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.<br> <br>Chances are, all your sideways photos need rotating in the same direction. Fortunately, the Rotate dialog box remembers which rotation you chose in Step 2; for future corrections, all you may need to do is press Ctrl+R and the Enter key!<br> <br>Photos with too much flash<br><br>If you got a little too close in a flash photo, Paint Shop Pro may be able to help you back off a bit. Try this fast fix:<br><br>1. Choose Adjust --> Brightness and Contrast --> Automatic Contrast Enhancement.<br> <br>The Automatic Contrast Enhancement dialog box comes to your aid. The photo may already look better in the sample in the right window. If so, click OK and skip the rest of these steps.<br><br>The preview window on the right shows the result as you make any changes in this dialog box. If you can't see enough of the picture there, click the button with the magnifier and – icon to zoom out.<br> <br>2. To make the picture darker, click Darker (on the left).<br><br>3. To reduce contrast, click Natural (on the right).<br><br>You can try Flat, too, but it's often too flat.<br><br>4. For the maximum darkening, contrast-reducing effect, click Normal (in the center).<br> <br>For a lesser effect, click Mild.<br><br>5. Click OK.<br><br>Photos with way too much flash are washed out, which may be harder to fix. If, for example, portions of someone's face are practically white, you need to restore skin tone without affecting the rest of the picture. A little work with the Smudge tool can help you push skin color into small white areas. Alternatively, try carefully selecting the entire face area with a feathered edge and then using the Manual Color Correction effect to change the white area to skin tone.<br> <br>Removing unwanted relatives<br><br>Removing unwanted relatives is much easier in Paint Shop Pro than in real life. You're not limited to relatives, though. You can use the same Paint Shop Pro tricks to remove other unwanted features, like power lines or passing automobiles.<br> <br>The task requires some skill and some sort of continuous or repeated background, like the clapboarded side of a building, a grassy field, a rail fence, water, or shrubbery. If the unwanted relative is blocking more than half of some unique feature (like a fireplace, chair, or china cabinet), the job gets nearly impossible.<br> <br>The main tool for the job is the Clone Brush tool, which you use to extend the background over the unwanted feature. For example, you can brush out junk on a lawn by brushing lawn, taken from just below or alongside the junk.<br> <br>Here's the general idea:<br><br>1. Click the Clone Brush tool (two-brush icon) on the Tools toolbar.<br><br>2. Right-click the background you want to brush over your object, in an area that has no unique features.<br> <br>For example, if you're removing lawn junk, right-click in the grass, not near other junk. Don't click too near the object you want to remove, either. Because backgrounds tend to have horizontal strips of stuff, like grass at the bottom, trees in the middle, and sky at the top, clicking to the left or right of the object you want to remove usually works best.<br> <br>3. Drag carefully across the object you want removed.<br><br>If, in Step 2, you right-clicked to the left or right of that object, move the cursor only horizontally before you drag. That precaution ensures that you extend the correct strip of background and don't paint grass, for example, where you want trees. As you brush, the Clone Brush tool picks up pixels from under an X that starts where you right-clicked and follows your motion. Keep an eye on the X to make sure that it doesn't pick up pixels you don't want. You may need to reset the X in a new location periodically; return to Step 2 to do so.<br> <br>You probably need some trial and error to get a feel for the process. Press Ctrl+Z to undo any errors.<br><br>One problem with removing relatives and other objects is that if they were initially blocking a unique object, that object now has a hole in it. For example, the relative may well be blocking one arm of a person or half of a piano (if that relative is fairly wide). Fortunately, many objects are symmetrical; if Aunt Katy's left arm is now missing, you may be able to copy her right arm and paste it in place of the left one. (You can even mirror half a face to make a whole one in some instances. Results may be unsatisfactory.)<br> <br>Use any selection tool (the Freehand tool, for example) to select the object you need to copy. Press Ctrl+F to float the selection, press Ctrl+M to mirror it, drag it to the correct position, and then press Ctrl+Shift+F to defloat it. Press Ctrl+D to remove the selection marquee. You may need to do a little painting and retouching because any light striking the object is now coming from the wrong direction.

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the ...

Read more »

Getting Right with Image Usage

Photographs can be highly prized objects, and everyone involved in a photograph may have some rights in it. Here's a list of the major parties to consider when it comes to photographic rights:<br><br>The subjects of the photo. Any people recognizable in the photo have rights to the use of their image, though news organizations have special privileges, and famous people have fewer rights than others. The owners of certain objects and places claim rights to photos of their possessions as well, but these claims are often a matter of controversy.<br> <br>The photographer. A lot of people make money from taking and selling photographs, or they have non-financial interest in the use of their pictures, so the rights of the photographer always have to be considered before you use a photograph.<br> <br>The developer. If a creative or artistic process is used in the developing of a photograph from the original image, the developer could possibly claim rights to its use.<br><br>The publisher. When a photo is published in any form — online, in print, or on CD-ROM — the publisher has many responsibilities and some rights.<br> <br>The viewer. The public at large has the right to be protected from certain kinds of images, although there is tremendous legal activity and controversy over the extent of these rights, and laws (and prosecutorial zeal) vary by nation, by state or province, and even by municipality.<br> <br>You need to understand two concepts in order to use photos without risking legal trouble. The first is that, unlike other items you might buy, you can't just assume that someone who gives or sells a photo to you has all the rights to it that they need to in order to sell it. For example, if someone gives a friend a photo, and that pal gives it to you, then you publish it, the person who handed the photo over to the friend in the first place can sue him and you both for damages — almost no matter what our friend told you when you bought the picture.<br> <br>The only way to protect yourself from these cascading rights concerns is through a scary-sounding legal principle called indemnification. As the purchaser, you need the seller to indemnify you — to agree to protect you from legal liability — from the subjects or photographer or previous publishers. This is a big burden for sellers to take on, and only a few sellers of images on CD-ROMs and stock image Web sites are willing to do so.<br> <br>If you can't get indemnification from your seller, you have to get permissions from the models for any people recognizable in the image and from the photographer. (The seller may claim to be the photographer, but this can be hard to verify.)<br> <br>Well-known people are just a little bit different from the rest of us when it comes to having their pictures taken. You can often use a photo of a public figure without a model release, even in circumstances where you would need one for a private citizen. Of course, the exact legal definition of apublic figure can become the topic of litigation, but you're a lot safer putting a photograph of yourself shaking hands with the mayor on your Web site than of yourself shaking hands with a random passerby.<br> <br>For casual use, most Web publishers simply ignore these concerns and freely use photographs they copied from another Web site, or that they took themselves but lack model releases for. And this is so common that the odds of having trouble from it are low for personal or hobby Web sites. The problem comes when your Web site becomes popular, or if you use it for commercial purposes. Then anyone with a possible claim against you comes forward to get their share of the resources they assume you have. If you created a site for someone else, both you and your customer or friend could hear from the lawyers. Or a rights owner might contact your Web host and get your site shut down. So be careful — pay attention to rights issues from the start.

Getting Right with Image Usage

Photographs can be highly prized objects, and everyone involved in a photograph may have some rights in it. Here's a list of the major p...

Read more »

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the problem — we're too close or too far away or can't figure out how to use the camera's foolproofing features. Sometimes, the problem is that reality stubbornly refuses to comply with our expectations: The sky is overcast, Great-Grandma can't be present for the family photo, or management has decided to cancel a product that appears in the product-line photograph.<br> <br>Fortunately, Paint Shop Pro has a wide range of solutions, ranging from quick-and-dirty fixes to professional-level retouching. Here are some fast solutions to a few common problems.<br><br>Rotating right-side up<br><br> Photos that lie on their side are a pain in the neck. Don't put up with it! Take these simple steps:<br><br>1. Press Ctrl+R — a fast way to pop up the Rotate dialog box.<br><br>2. In the Direction area of the dialog box, click either the Right (for clockwise rotation) or Left (for counterclockwise rotation) option boxes.<br> <br>If you have added layers to your photo, click the All Layers check box. You probably haven't done so, however, or else your neck would already be stiff from turning your head sideways!<br><br>3. Click OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.<br> <br>Chances are, all your sideways photos need rotating in the same direction. Fortunately, the Rotate dialog box remembers which rotation you chose in Step 2; for future corrections, all you may need to do is press Ctrl+R and the Enter key!<br> <br>Photos with too much flash<br><br>If you got a little too close in a flash photo, Paint Shop Pro may be able to help you back off a bit. Try this fast fix:<br><br>1. Choose Adjust --> Brightness and Contrast --> Automatic Contrast Enhancement.<br> <br>The Automatic Contrast Enhancement dialog box comes to your aid. The photo may already look better in the sample in the right window. If so, click OK and skip the rest of these steps.<br><br>The preview window on the right shows the result as you make any changes in this dialog box. If you can't see enough of the picture there, click the button with the magnifier and – icon to zoom out.<br> <br>2. To make the picture darker, click Darker (on the left).<br><br>3. To reduce contrast, click Natural (on the right).<br><br>You can try Flat, too, but it's often too flat.<br><br>4. For the maximum darkening, contrast-reducing effect, click Normal (in the center).<br> <br>For a lesser effect, click Mild.<br><br>5. Click OK.<br><br>Photos with way too much flash are washed out, which may be harder to fix. If, for example, portions of someone's face are practically white, you need to restore skin tone without affecting the rest of the picture. A little work with the Smudge tool can help you push skin color into small white areas. Alternatively, try carefully selecting the entire face area with a feathered edge and then using the Manual Color Correction effect to change the white area to skin tone.<br> <br>Removing unwanted relatives<br><br>Removing unwanted relatives is much easier in Paint Shop Pro than in real life. You're not limited to relatives, though. You can use the same Paint Shop Pro tricks to remove other unwanted features, like power lines or passing automobiles.<br> <br>The task requires some skill and some sort of continuous or repeated background, like the clapboarded side of a building, a grassy field, a rail fence, water, or shrubbery. If the unwanted relative is blocking more than half of some unique feature (like a fireplace, chair, or china cabinet), the job gets nearly impossible.<br> <br>The main tool for the job is the Clone Brush tool, which you use to extend the background over the unwanted feature. For example, you can brush out junk on a lawn by brushing lawn, taken from just below or alongside the junk.<br> <br>Here's the general idea:<br><br>1. Click the Clone Brush tool (two-brush icon) on the Tools toolbar.<br><br>2. Right-click the background you want to brush over your object, in an area that has no unique features.<br> <br>For example, if you're removing lawn junk, right-click in the grass, not near other junk. Don't click too near the object you want to remove, either. Because backgrounds tend to have horizontal strips of stuff, like grass at the bottom, trees in the middle, and sky at the top, clicking to the left or right of the object you want to remove usually works best.<br> <br>3. Drag carefully across the object you want removed.<br><br>If, in Step 2, you right-clicked to the left or right of that object, move the cursor only horizontally before you drag. That precaution ensures that you extend the correct strip of background and don't paint grass, for example, where you want trees. As you brush, the Clone Brush tool picks up pixels from under an X that starts where you right-clicked and follows your motion. Keep an eye on the X to make sure that it doesn't pick up pixels you don't want. You may need to reset the X in a new location periodically; return to Step 2 to do so.<br> <br>You probably need some trial and error to get a feel for the process. Press Ctrl+Z to undo any errors.<br><br>One problem with removing relatives and other objects is that if they were initially blocking a unique object, that object now has a hole in it. For example, the relative may well be blocking one arm of a person or half of a piano (if that relative is fairly wide). Fortunately, many objects are symmetrical; if Aunt Katy's left arm is now missing, you may be able to copy her right arm and paste it in place of the left one. (You can even mirror half a face to make a whole one in some instances. Results may be unsatisfactory.)<br> <br>Use any selection tool (the Freehand tool, for example) to select the object you need to copy. Press Ctrl+F to float the selection, press Ctrl+M to mirror it, drag it to the correct position, and then press Ctrl+Shift+F to defloat it. Press Ctrl+D to remove the selection marquee. You may need to do a little painting and retouching because any light striking the object is now coming from the wrong direction.

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the ...

Read more »

Getting Right with Image Usage

Photographs can be highly prized objects, and everyone involved in a photograph may have some rights in it. Here's a list of the major parties to consider when it comes to photographic rights:<br><br>The subjects of the photo. Any people recognizable in the photo have rights to the use of their image, though news organizations have special privileges, and famous people have fewer rights than others. The owners of certain objects and places claim rights to photos of their possessions as well, but these claims are often a matter of controversy.<br> <br>The photographer. A lot of people make money from taking and selling photographs, or they have non-financial interest in the use of their pictures, so the rights of the photographer always have to be considered before you use a photograph.<br> <br>The developer. If a creative or artistic process is used in the developing of a photograph from the original image, the developer could possibly claim rights to its use.<br><br>The publisher. When a photo is published in any form — online, in print, or on CD-ROM — the publisher has many responsibilities and some rights.<br> <br>The viewer. The public at large has the right to be protected from certain kinds of images, although there is tremendous legal activity and controversy over the extent of these rights, and laws (and prosecutorial zeal) vary by nation, by state or province, and even by municipality.<br> <br>You need to understand two concepts in order to use photos without risking legal trouble. The first is that, unlike other items you might buy, you can't just assume that someone who gives or sells a photo to you has all the rights to it that they need to in order to sell it. For example, if someone gives a friend a photo, and that pal gives it to you, then you publish it, the person who handed the photo over to the friend in the first place can sue him and you both for damages — almost no matter what our friend told you when you bought the picture.<br> <br>The only way to protect yourself from these cascading rights concerns is through a scary-sounding legal principle called indemnification. As the purchaser, you need the seller to indemnify you — to agree to protect you from legal liability — from the subjects or photographer or previous publishers. This is a big burden for sellers to take on, and only a few sellers of images on CD-ROMs and stock image Web sites are willing to do so.<br> <br>If you can't get indemnification from your seller, you have to get permissions from the models for any people recognizable in the image and from the photographer. (The seller may claim to be the photographer, but this can be hard to verify.)<br> <br>Well-known people are just a little bit different from the rest of us when it comes to having their pictures taken. You can often use a photo of a public figure without a model release, even in circumstances where you would need one for a private citizen. Of course, the exact legal definition of apublic figure can become the topic of litigation, but you're a lot safer putting a photograph of yourself shaking hands with the mayor on your Web site than of yourself shaking hands with a random passerby.<br> <br>For casual use, most Web publishers simply ignore these concerns and freely use photographs they copied from another Web site, or that they took themselves but lack model releases for. And this is so common that the odds of having trouble from it are low for personal or hobby Web sites. The problem comes when your Web site becomes popular, or if you use it for commercial purposes. Then anyone with a possible claim against you comes forward to get their share of the resources they assume you have. If you created a site for someone else, both you and your customer or friend could hear from the lawyers. Or a rights owner might contact your Web host and get your site shut down. So be careful — pay attention to rights issues from the start.

Getting Right with Image Usage

Photographs can be highly prized objects, and everyone involved in a photograph may have some rights in it. Here's a list of the major p...

Read more »

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the problem — we're too close or too far away or can't figure out how to use the camera's foolproofing features. Sometimes, the problem is that reality stubbornly refuses to comply with our expectations: The sky is overcast, Great-Grandma can't be present for the family photo, or management has decided to cancel a product that appears in the product-line photograph.<br> <br>Fortunately, Paint Shop Pro has a wide range of solutions, ranging from quick-and-dirty fixes to professional-level retouching. Here are some fast solutions to a few common problems.<br><br>Rotating right-side up<br><br> Photos that lie on their side are a pain in the neck. Don't put up with it! Take these simple steps:<br><br>1. Press Ctrl+R — a fast way to pop up the Rotate dialog box.<br><br>2. In the Direction area of the dialog box, click either the Right (for clockwise rotation) or Left (for counterclockwise rotation) option boxes.<br> <br>If you have added layers to your photo, click the All Layers check box. You probably haven't done so, however, or else your neck would already be stiff from turning your head sideways!<br><br>3. Click OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.<br> <br>Chances are, all your sideways photos need rotating in the same direction. Fortunately, the Rotate dialog box remembers which rotation you chose in Step 2; for future corrections, all you may need to do is press Ctrl+R and the Enter key!<br> <br>Photos with too much flash<br><br>If you got a little too close in a flash photo, Paint Shop Pro may be able to help you back off a bit. Try this fast fix:<br><br>1. Choose Adjust --> Brightness and Contrast --> Automatic Contrast Enhancement.<br> <br>The Automatic Contrast Enhancement dialog box comes to your aid. The photo may already look better in the sample in the right window. If so, click OK and skip the rest of these steps.<br><br>The preview window on the right shows the result as you make any changes in this dialog box. If you can't see enough of the picture there, click the button with the magnifier and – icon to zoom out.<br> <br>2. To make the picture darker, click Darker (on the left).<br><br>3. To reduce contrast, click Natural (on the right).<br><br>You can try Flat, too, but it's often too flat.<br><br>4. For the maximum darkening, contrast-reducing effect, click Normal (in the center).<br> <br>For a lesser effect, click Mild.<br><br>5. Click OK.<br><br>Photos with way too much flash are washed out, which may be harder to fix. If, for example, portions of someone's face are practically white, you need to restore skin tone without affecting the rest of the picture. A little work with the Smudge tool can help you push skin color into small white areas. Alternatively, try carefully selecting the entire face area with a feathered edge and then using the Manual Color Correction effect to change the white area to skin tone.<br> <br>Removing unwanted relatives<br><br>Removing unwanted relatives is much easier in Paint Shop Pro than in real life. You're not limited to relatives, though. You can use the same Paint Shop Pro tricks to remove other unwanted features, like power lines or passing automobiles.<br> <br>The task requires some skill and some sort of continuous or repeated background, like the clapboarded side of a building, a grassy field, a rail fence, water, or shrubbery. If the unwanted relative is blocking more than half of some unique feature (like a fireplace, chair, or china cabinet), the job gets nearly impossible.<br> <br>The main tool for the job is the Clone Brush tool, which you use to extend the background over the unwanted feature. For example, you can brush out junk on a lawn by brushing lawn, taken from just below or alongside the junk.<br> <br>Here's the general idea:<br><br>1. Click the Clone Brush tool (two-brush icon) on the Tools toolbar.<br><br>2. Right-click the background you want to brush over your object, in an area that has no unique features.<br> <br>For example, if you're removing lawn junk, right-click in the grass, not near other junk. Don't click too near the object you want to remove, either. Because backgrounds tend to have horizontal strips of stuff, like grass at the bottom, trees in the middle, and sky at the top, clicking to the left or right of the object you want to remove usually works best.<br> <br>3. Drag carefully across the object you want removed.<br><br>If, in Step 2, you right-clicked to the left or right of that object, move the cursor only horizontally before you drag. That precaution ensures that you extend the correct strip of background and don't paint grass, for example, where you want trees. As you brush, the Clone Brush tool picks up pixels from under an X that starts where you right-clicked and follows your motion. Keep an eye on the X to make sure that it doesn't pick up pixels you don't want. You may need to reset the X in a new location periodically; return to Step 2 to do so.<br> <br>You probably need some trial and error to get a feel for the process. Press Ctrl+Z to undo any errors.<br><br>One problem with removing relatives and other objects is that if they were initially blocking a unique object, that object now has a hole in it. For example, the relative may well be blocking one arm of a person or half of a piano (if that relative is fairly wide). Fortunately, many objects are symmetrical; if Aunt Katy's left arm is now missing, you may be able to copy her right arm and paste it in place of the left one. (You can even mirror half a face to make a whole one in some instances. Results may be unsatisfactory.)<br> <br>Use any selection tool (the Freehand tool, for example) to select the object you need to copy. Press Ctrl+F to float the selection, press Ctrl+M to mirror it, drag it to the correct position, and then press Ctrl+Shift+F to defloat it. Press Ctrl+D to remove the selection marquee. You may need to do a little painting and retouching because any light striking the object is now coming from the wrong direction.

Focusing on Some Fast Fixes for Photo Failures

Despite all attempts by camera makers to make photography foolproof, we all still make less-than-perfect pictures. Sometimes, we're the ...

Read more »