Posting Images Tutorial

[Mr. Pickles]

This is a VERY detailed, but hopefully simple, look at THREE ways you can post images here on the PhotoCamel. We hope this helps some of you in getting your images in a thread, for all PhotoCamel members to enjoy, critique, educate, and learn from.

Posting Images By Direct Linking

Using the direct linking method, your images WILL appear in the thread. To use this method, your images MUST be "hosted" out in cyberspace, somewhere. More on this below.

To use this method, click on the icon (Insert Image - looks like mountains with the sun/moon) that is "highlighted" in the image shown below. You will get a pop-up dialog that asks for the actual URL (web page) of the hosted image. Typically, you Copy (Ctrl-C) the address from your other site, and Paste (Ctrl-V) the address into the dialog. Click the OK box on the dialog, and your linked image will be included WHERE your text cursor is. So you could type some text, insert an image, and type some text below it, if you wish. See note below if your image does NOT show up.



As for "host sites," there are free ones, like right here at PhotoCamel (click Galleries on the toolbar), and there are pay sites. Popular pay sites are SmugMug , PBase , and ZenFolio. Each have different options and features that make them unique (SmugMug offers print services, gifts, customization tools for your site, for instance), and each have different pricing structures, so check their sites for more information.

As for FREE ones, you need to watch and make sure you can direct link to images you put there. You can at PhotoCamel, so why go anywhere else? A lot of them will not allow that. One popular hosting site that a lot of people use is called PhotoBucket, another is Flickr.

NOTE 1: If you use the FREE PhotoCamel Gallery to host your images, the actual URL you should use is located in text boxes below your gallery image. The one you want to use is called Medium Image. You can click in that text line and it will highlight. Copy (Ctrl-C) the entire line, and paste (Ctrl-V) that into your thread WITHOUT using the Icon mentioned above (the IMG tags are already in that line), OR you can click the "More" icon (looks like a picture) below that, and grab the whole Direct Link line and paste that into the dialog box that pops up when you click the Image File icon. Pretty handy for you.

NOTE 2: If you use PBase (and possibly others), the URL address of your image does NOT contain a proper "extension", so when you paste it, you have to add a ".jpg" (no quotes) to the end. See your hosting site for more information. Some do NOT allow direct linking of images you place there (so your image will NOT show up in your post).

Even with direct linking, we still prefer the image be no more than 800 pixels on the long side. If your image IS larger, our Forum Software will automatically resize it down to 800 pixels. There WILL however be a yellow bar across the top of your thread indicating this, and viewers CAN click the yellow bar, and see the larger size. We still prefer you not post a 10mp sized image though. Most people will not look at it or comment accordingly.

If you need to post a larger version, you could use the option mentioned below called "Posting Images as a Link". This saves PhotoCamel some bandwidth and allows our members with a slow internet connection to enjoy the site and its performance.


Posting Images As A Link

Using this option will NOT make your image appear here in the thread. All that will appear is a "hyper link", that people MUST click on to see your image. Depending on your browser, viewers may see the image in a new window. You MUST have the image hosted elsewhere on the Internet.

To use this method, click on the icon (Insert Link - looks like the Earth with a piece of chain) that is "highlighted" in the image shown below. You will get a pop-up dialog that asks for the actual URL (web page) of the hosted image. Typically, you Copy (Ctrl-C) the address from your other site, and Paste (Ctrl-V) the address into the dialog.



This method is preferred if you wish to post a larger than normal image. Reasons for this would be to show greater detail, weird image artifacts, noise, etc. This method can often times lead to LESS "looks" by viewers. It is typically because cautious people do not click links, without really knowing what is at the end of that link. This option could be considered a good thing / bad thing, so use this appropriately.

Also, you can type some meaningful text (like "My Problem Image" or "Here") into the message Window BEFORE hitting the "Insert Link" button. When you put in your URL in the dialog, the text your typed in, will be the actual link text. Otherwise, whatever your actual address is to the image will be shown as the link text.

NOTE: If you use the FREE PhotoCamel Gallery to host your images, the actual "link" you should use is located in the text box below your gallery image (Linked Thumbnail one). Pretty handy for you.

Posting Images as Attachments

The direct attachment option allows you to NOT have your images hosted elsewhere on the Internet, and WILL allow your images to show up in your thread. To make the PhotoCamel site perform well, we have set limits to the size and type of images that your can attach, but we do NOT feel that we have been too restrictive.

Typically, our members will attach a JPG or JPEG image. This is a VERY common image format, and the image is compressed to make the file size manageable. With that said, we will only display these images in a thread if they are 800 pixels or less on the long side (a landscape image would be something like 600x800 (HxW) as an example). Also, the actual file size can not exceed 155kb.

In order to get to that size, you need to RESIZE the image to make it small enough pixel-wise, and when saving, you may need to lower the compression a bit (say 8 or 9 in Photoshop, 80%-90% in others). If using Photoshop, in the JPG options dialog that comes up with compression setting, the file size shown is LOWER than the actual file size will be. Keep that in mind when saving.

To use this option, it looks confusing, but it is pretty straight forward. Click on the icon (Attachments - looks like a paper clip) that is "highlighted" in the image shown below.



When you click the Attachment icon, a huge new window will open, but don't be scared. The new window is shown below.



The first section is entitled "Upload file from your computer". There are 5 boxes there, and 5 Browse buttons to make it easier. When you click the top Browse button, a typical "find file" dialog will be displayed. use it to highlight the image you wish to upload, and hit Open. That will put the "address" of the file in the text box beside the Browse button. Notice you can do up to 5 images. You do NOT have to attach 5 images. One is fine. We ask you to be cautious of how many images you include in one thread, as if they are all different (person, tree, car, etc), then people may not know how to comment accordingly.

When you are done Browsing and attaching images, click the Upload button that is in that section. It will take a bit of time for your computer to upload them to the PhotoCamel site, so be patient. Once they are uploaded, their filenames will appear in a new section below the browsing section, and above the Attachment Key section. Once they all appear there, click the Close Window button, and you can finish your thread and Submit it.

Note that using this method will put ALL your attached images in a "thin framed section" at the BOTTOM of your thread. All the text your type will appear above the images.

Also of note, in the attachment window, you could use the 2nd section to "copy" images from some hosted site and they will be attached to your thread. This is possible, but if they are hosted elsewhere, it is better that you use the other two options discussed above. Also on this window, entitled Attachment Key, you can see the limitations of file types and sizes that are currently allowed. We won't discuss those here, in case they change in the future, so that is where to check to verify.

That concludes this "brief" tutorial. Obviously, if you have any questions about this (or anything else), be sure and post a thread in out Suggestions/Questions board.

How, lets see those images...

[Paul Shields]

Extremely thorough and should answer all future questions about how to post images on the Camel. Kudos !

[Gautam]

Two points.
(1) Photobucket allows direct linking. I just did that in my first image linked post.
(2) The guide does not tell that a new member can post images only after posting at least 3 non-image containing posts.

[Boyd Alexander]

Thank you so much!...hope you like at least one image!

[Citybuff]

Thanks for the information, will post some images as soon as I sort myself out.

[dannn]

Thanks! I'm new , so this info was nice to know. I will resize my images . Dan F.

[Richard Duncan]

Thanks a million for the thoughtful welcome and guidance.

Although I'm new to this site, I'm not "new" to photography (25yrs!).

As a "Camelion," I like what I'm reading, the courtesy shown and the images shared. Although I'm still a film user, I've begun to develop a growing attachment to My Olympus C-5060 (reads like one of my old Blads!) and look forward to sharing scans and "original" works

Richard

[Paul Shields]

Welcome Richard. Lots of things to do and see on here. Jump right in .

[Richard Duncan]

Will do...seems like the "water" is fine

[Hookemup]

Have to agree with Richard.





Thanks for the image uploading help Mr. Pickles.

[siasl69]

Thankyou, And I'll Just Say Ditto For Richard"s Comment. I"ve Got Some Work To Do.....

[Richard Duncan]

Is there a "print" format for reading these threads off-line and building a notebook of ideas/instructions? Just going to my file/print bar cuts off some of the right side.Thanks.

[jfrancho]

Not that I know of, but if you're savvy enough, you could build you own custom CSS style sheet and use it when on this site. Not for the faint of heart, though.

[ladonna]

Mr. Pickles, Thanks for this information. I was searching for a help tab and could not locate it but soon found just what I needed in your article regarding posting images.

[ladonna]

Mr. Pickles, I am in the process of attaching pictures so that someone can make suggestions as to what I should do to take better photos next time. Also, I have a trial account located at http://ladonnasmithphoto.zenfolio.com
I would like to put picture at zenfolio or photobucket and get the direct link, but I haven't done any retouching to pictures yet in photoshop to get a better result and would not want clients or perspective clients to see these dark photos.

[Jass]

Thank-you Mr. Pickle for this info.
As a newbie; insight is important and you have made this so much easier to understand.
From what I've been experiencing on this site (so far) has been warmth & willingness from older experienced members, to jump without hesitation to help us newbies. With this, I would like to send out a Sincere "Thanks" to All who have mede to warm Welcoming happen.
Regards
kelly (aka Jass)

[Plumber]

Thanks for the quick response. I'll print the information off and go from there. Hopefully you should see a couple of photos if all goes well.

Plumber

[Jayson'sFather]

Thanks to this useful info, I'll try once i have a good picture.

[Slag]

Nice tutorial

[nitrox28]

How many images are you allowed to post in each thread?