How to reduce the size of pictures for posting

[T-Bird]

I took some pics of a really nice "Stilton" that I made for Christmas. I tried to post them here but I think they are too large(2.6+ mb).This is they way they uploaded from my camera. How can I reduce them to fit the required size for posting? T-Bird

[Webmaster]

Hi T-Bird

Good question and we all love pictures and way better to upload to CFO vs linking to pictures stored elsewhere on web as link may and often does become broken over time which results in no picture which often reduces the story line.

The current setting is for max 5MB per attachment such as a picture and a max of 20 attachments such as pictures or 20MB whichever comes first.

So you don't need to shrink your pictures, unless your internet speed is too slow and the software times out before fully uploading.

That said if you wanted to shrink your file size there is often an image size setting on your camera or you could process after copying the picture file to your computer. You could do this with different software depending on what your computer is, (Mac, Windows XP, 7 , Outlook 2010 etc).

[Boofer]

I took some pics of a really nice "Stilton" that I made for Christmas. I tried to post them here but I think they are too large(2.6+ mb).This is they way they uploaded from my camera. How can I reduce them to fit the required size for posting? T-Bird

I've used Paint.net for years.

It's free (although you can make a PayPal donation) and allows me to manipulate my pics any way I want:

• resize
• rotate
• crop
• brighten or darken

They also update the software frequently and regularly.

-Boofer-

[T-Bird]

I tried to upload again, I got a message that said there was an error, I had timed out. I didn't take long to form my post, and I have a high speed cable connection. I uploaded my pics from my camera, and placed them in my pictures folder. I am running Windows Vista. In case you can't tell I'm not very computer saavy. Boofer, If I download the software you are talking about, what do I do then? I really want y'all to see this cheese!

[Boofer]

Here goes nothing:

• Click on the program "Paint.Net" to run it.
• Click File, Open...
• ...where it says "Look In", click on the slider to the right and select the location where your pictures are.
• Double-click on your picture file to open it in Paint.Net.
• Typically I Resize the pic at this point. At the Menu bar, click on Image, Resize.
• The first highlighted number is the width, and I generally type in 1024, which is a decent viewing size.
• The height (768) will fill in automatically because the aspect ratio is maintained. Click on OK.
• Next, you want to save your newly-resized pic, so click on File, Save As (because I can throw away the edited copy and still have the original in case I mess up)...
• ...you need to decide where you want to Save In and type in a memorable/descriptive picture name.
• I like to have a history of cheese makes available so that I can go back in time and see where I screwed up and where I succeeded. Nothing tells the story better than a chronological series of make pics.
• Each cheese style has its own folder. Subsequent makes (Tomme #1, Tomme #2, etc.) get a sub-folder.
• All of the cheese styles are grouped under a major folder called...wait for it...Cheese!
• But you can sort them and file them any way you like.
• Then click File, Exit to leave Paint.Net.
• When you post a message on the forum, click on "Attachments and other options" below the text entry window.
• You'll see another little box open up below it with Attach: as a title. Click on Choose File and select the pic you just edited.
• If you want to add more pics, click on "(more attachments)".

That's about it. You can play around with Paint.Net and see how easily you can rotate pics, brighten or dim, circle a questionable mold spot and place a label next to it, etc. Nice, flexible, FREE program.

-Boofer-

[sor]

If you happen to use Windows, there are tools for XP and Win 7 that give you a resize option when you simply right-click an image. It brings up a dialog to select 'small', 'medium', 'large' or custom resolution, and whether to create a copy or resize the original. Easy.

http://imageresizer.codeplex.com/

[T-Bird]

Thanks boofer, I did what you said. I think it is posted in the blue cheeses section, but it has to be opened. How do I get it to post the pic?

[Boofer]

Thanks boofer, I did what you said. I think it is posted in the blue cheeses section, but it has to be opened. How do I get it to post the pic?

See my reply to your posting attempt.

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

T-Bird, I am responding in this thread because it's where you started asking about this and it's more appropriate.

You say you downloaded GIMP from the link I gave you. I think if you look at my postings you may see the name "Paint.Net". That is what you should have downloaded and installed.

Forget all of the above that I posted. Use this instead:

I use Windows Picture Manager to downsize photos - open your JPEG image with it, choose the editing tab and you'll see one for compressing pictures. There are a couple of options, the one for publications compresses it enough for this purpose.

Today's cameras capture a lot more pixels than you really need to portray your cheese masterpieces. This is far larger than needed:

The original size was 4320x3240.

-Boofer-