Photoshop Elements for Libraries: Preparing Your Photos to Go Online Instructor: Jeanne Moje MacDonald An Infopeople Workshop Winter 2008

This Workshop Is Brought to You by the Infopeople Project Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org.

Workshop Agenda Overview of Photoshop Elements Optimizing images for the web Customize your images Legal considerations Image repositories Show off your work!

Why Photoshop Elements?

Software Features Simple and inexpensive Easily fix your photos Add special effects Organize your photos Dynamic creations

Workspaces And Wizards Welcome Screen  Shortcuts to frequent tasks Organizer Workspace Editor Workspace Create Wizard  Slide shows  Online galleries

Organizer Workspace Menu bar Display and Editor buttons Navigation buttons Find bar Photo browser Task pane Status bar

Editor Workspace Menu bar Workspace buttons Toolbox Options bar Project bin Palettes Palette bin

Software Introduction Hands-on Tour of Photoshop Elements

What Is a Catalog?

Where Are My Photos? A catalog is only a collection of information Actual photos still in original location Don’t delete original photos!

What Does a Catalog Do? Organizes your images Provides a preview of your images Allows quick sorting with tags

Catalog Features Photo Review Add captions Stack photos View file metadata

Exporting for Web and Print

Exporting for the Web Keep original safe  Use “save as” Reduce image and file size  Crop image  Resize image  Change file format to jpg or gif

Print Export Save to highest quality TIFF format setting Talk with your printer for file resolution and color settings! Color-correct your monitor Large file sizes

Camera Settings Megapixels determine image size Camera megapixel settings and corresponding print size  1.0 = 4x6  2.0 = 5x7  3.0 = 8x11  4.0 = 11x14  5.0 = 12x16

Image Size vs. Resolution Image size is measurement of width and height Image resolution is number of pixels per inch (ppi)  More pixels =  Higher resolution =  More detail =  Higher print quality!

Resolution Confusion? Image size Image resolution or ppi Print resolution or dpi Screen or monitor resolution Camera megapixel settings

Print Resolution or DPI Set image resolution to 72 dpi for the web Print resolution (dpi) settings:  professional print quality  high quality  low quality  72 dpi web setting

Color Choices

Color for the Web PC vs. Macintosh color differences Only 216 colors are “safe” for web Fewer colors means smaller file size

Replacing Color in Images Enhance menu  Adjust color cast  Quickly replace colors Many tools available for fine-tuning colors

Pick the Right File Format

Use JPG or GIF? JPG or JPEG (*.jpg)  Photographs  Complex graphics GIF (*.gif)  Flat color, line drawings, text, black & white images  Transparency  Animated images

Other File Extensions TIFF (*.tif) print graphics PSD (*.psd) Adobe Photoshop PDF (*.pdf) Adobe Acrobat WMV (*.wmv) Windows Media File EPS (*.eps) Adobe Illustrator PNG (*.png) Fireworks

Review Web Optimize 1. Crop 2. Resize 3. Set resolution to 72 dpi 4. Set to web safe colors 5. Export to JPG or GIF

Modify Your Images

Quick Change Artist Quickly change the background of your photo!  Magic Wand Tool  Color Picker  Paint Bucket Tool

The Type Tool Add text to your images with the Type Tool Create flair with Text Styles Keep your options open with Layers PSD format vs. JPG

Add Sparkle and WOW

Filters Change the look of your images with Filters  Distortion  Unique lighting Examples:  Glowing edges  Stamp  Emboss

Effects Change the appearance of a layer in your image with Effects Apply shadows, glows, bevels, overlays, and strokes Examples:  Fluorescent chalk  Neon nights + Color burn  Rubber Stamp

Layer Styles Several effects saved as a predefined style Build your own layer styles Some filters, effects, and styles apply only to text

Types of Layers Image Adjustment Fill Type Shape

Filters vs. Effects Effects are connected to the layer where they are applied Effects will update when you modify the layer Filters will NOT update if a layer is changed

GIF Animations Add interest to your web page Prepare your images  Save in GIF format  Arrange in layers Then use Save for Web  Select Animate check box  Frame delay control

Web Image Repositories

Bookmarks to Visit Pics4Learning Smithsonian FreeFoto US Fish & Wildlife Library of Congress Picturehouse Google Images Creative Commons

Discussion Where can you get images for the web?

Legal Issues

Do the Right Thing! Get a signature release from your subjects Copyright considerations Infopeople course materials available

Review Release Examples bookmarks.infopeople.org/ photoshop_elements_bk.html

Show Off Your Work!

Create Wizards Wizard specific to each type of creation Prompts you at each step Easy to use interface Assemble your images into presentations

Online Galleries Quick and easy way to show off your images Uses top item in Version Sets Check photo orientation Add captions to your photos

Slide Shows Showcase your images by adding music and effects Burn a slide show onto a CD or video CD (VCD) Export high quality for onscreen display Lower quality export for web access or

Summary and Evaluation Overview of Photoshop Elements Optimizing images for the web Customize your images Image repositories Legal considerations Show off your work