![]() Learning Goals
Practice Editing PicturesOne of the best ways to learn how to creatively edit pictures is to see some examples of how other people have modified special photos. The website iheartfaces.blogspot.com has a great site of original photos alongside of edited contribution from a variety of authors. Use these steps to start experimenting with more advanced editing on Picasa:
Spend some time exploring Picasa's additional photo editing features. Refer to Picasa's on-line reference for detailed help on the various edit functions available. If you want more pictures to practice on, download the class practice pictures. Bonus: There are lots of free online editing tools that let you do even more with your photos. Try out Picnik or Fotoflexer to get an idea of how these work. Sharing Your Photos It's easy to share your photos once you have them on your computer. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Using Picasa Web Albums
You can set Picasa on your computer to automatically keep any photos you upload synchronized with changes you make on your computer.
Printing Your PhotosMany people enjoy the convenience of printing at home on your own inkjet, or photo printer. Here is why you don't want to do this:
Bottom Line: Using a professional photo printing service may take a bit longer but will give you a high quality product at a much lower price.
Screen Size vs. Print SIzeOne factor that people don't always consider is that a camera will typically take a photo using a 3x4 ratio. This is photo size is slightly taller and narrower than a standard 4x6 print. If you just send in your photos as is, a small portion of the photo will be cropped from the top and bottom to adjust for the size difference. Hopefully there is no critical part of the picture you will lose in the process. To avoid this problem, crop your pictures to the desired print size before sending them in to print.
Metric vs. US MeasurementsIf you are getting the wrong ratios (e.g. 9x13, A4, etc.) in your cropping tool, it is because Picasa thinks you are using European Metric settings instead of US or Imperial settings. To fix this, you need to set it properly in Windows:
Ordering PrintsYou have two options for getting professional prints:
Fun Photo ProjectsOnce you have a quality Photo Library, it's easy to create all sorts of fun projects using Picasa, here are some of the things to try:
Making a Gift CD or DVDUse these instructions from the Picasa Help file on-line to create a gift CD or DVD for any existing folders or albums in Picasa:
Once you click the Burn Disc button, it's not possible to add more photos to the same CD or DVD. If you need to add additional photos, please use a new disc. Creating a CollageFollowing these instructions from the on-line help, you can quickly create a photo collage:
Slideshows and MoviesRefer to the detailed instructions on-line to make a slideshow or movie of your favourite photos or for a special event: Desktop Background and ScreensaverEasily set your photo as the background image on your computer desktop:
Probably one of the most satisfying things to do is to enjoy your photos as a screensaver, letting your computer display your talent and great memories, when your not busy working on it. Photo BooksAn excellent way to show off and enjoy your photos is to create a quality photo book. For high quality books that you can print and sell, start a digital scrapbooking hobby using Blurb.com. If you want something quick, try a photo book at your local Photo Printing store. Don't Forget to Backup!Remember, whenever you make changes to the photos in your library, you want to preserve your hard work and awesome creations! Take a moment to use Picasa to backup any changes to your library. Can't remember how? Use the link below to refresh your memory: |