File Size Limitations and Self Hosting Images

[jahecker]

I have issues with the quality of images that I post. As everyone knows, the 100k limit severely limits the quality of images which can be uploaded and subsequently the rating the figure receives. In an effort to compensate for this I used my website to host my own pictures and linked to them. This worked out well as I was then able to display higher quality images and got better ratings.

Recently however, the port searching that coolmini does when it creates the thumbnail has triggered firewalls on two different sites which now prevents me from hosting and linking.

I see images with wonderful quality and size which have to be bigger than the 100k.

How are you folks displaying such images doing it?

Do you know of a web server that doesn\'t lock coolmini out?

Given my current skill level in painting I need all the help that good quality images can give me.

Any help from you pros would be very much appreciated.???

 

[kkoene]

file compression

I use PhotoDraw by Microsoft when editing my pics. When I save the file, in the \"Save File As\" window there is an option button. Clicking this will bring up a window that allows you to adjust the file compression. I have found that adjusting it to 20 shrinks the file size to under 100k but still keeps the high resolution. Not sure where this feature is in PhotoShop. When I get home I will look for it and give you an update.

 

[Hawks58]

I dont know if your camara has it or not, but the one I use has pics that are for e-mailing. They are ALOT smaller then the regular ones and IMO dont take that much from the mini.

Otherwise the only hosting sites I know of you got to pay for that allow hot-linking.

 

[edomingox]

good quality at under 100k

I think i know what you mean. the good pics are at 300k-500k. but here\'s what i did.

i opened up MS Paint and did a \"save as...\" as a .jpg. at first i thought it would reduce the size but it didnt. not until i did a \"save as...\" and THEN give it another name. then it took the same picture and turned it from 500k to 50k. And I thought \"what the #*%&...why didnt it do that before\". but anyways, it reduced the file size and kept all the crisp quality as before since my camera is a 3 megapixel.

So, i recommend doing that. you can get the same size and quality AND reduce the file size one way or another. the answer is out there, somewhere. took me a while to figure that out.

 

[jahecker]

I\'m using an Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom camera. It is a 2.1 megapixel with a 10X Optical/27X Digital Zoom, and Macro mode. I compromized on the megapixels for the Ultra Zoom. The camera takes excellent close-ups. I use Adobe Photoshop 6.0.

I am a computer trainer and Photoshop is one of the programs I teach, but unfortunately I don\'t know ALL the intricacies.

I will certainly investigate the compression issue suggested as well as the other options suggested.

Thanks a bunch for your prompt assists.

I welcome any additional insight.

Relative to the web server, I am currently shopping for a paid web server for my site, it has to be one that won\'t block coolmini.:idea:

 

[tabithatan]

regarding getting clear photos....

now I arent the best photographer in the world, also, my pics often suck.... cos I plain suck at takin photos, but I kinda learnt a few tricks from one of the guys I used to work with......

Take ur pic, then download to ur sys, after that....


1. Open ur pics with Adobe Photoshop 6 or later versions


2. crop the pic to what is absolutely necessary.


3. after doing ur adjustments for contrast and other stuff..... for instance if you took the pic with less than optimal lighting.....
go to FILE and then click on SAVE FOR WEB.


4. save as jpg.... I tried savin as gif and other formats, but the jpg format is most optimised. At this point, make sure you click check boxes at the right of the screen...... the boxes to click are

A. Progressive
B. ICC Profile

if you dont click them, I noticed the file looks less optimised and tend to be bigger in size. You can also adjust file quality at this point. I have managed to adjust the quality to up to 90% amazing but true.


5. When you are satisfied with the results, click SAVE.... and ta da! You got your pic.....


Here are some pics I took using my cam.... its a Canon A70... and is at least 3 megapixels... I cropped and edited them with Photoshop


http://www.coolminiornot.com/?id=23751

http://www.coolminiornot.com/?id=23754


I know they look kinda really zoomed in, but its cos I wanna ppl to look closely at the paintin and give comments on how to improve the technique so I dont really mind them seein the flaws....

But my point is.... you CAN get the kinda pics you need....

1. good lighting

2. good dist and angle...you get better results photographing them a little further away..... like 20 to 30 cm or there abouts.. and at an angle.

3. good photoshopping....
but I guess you already know that

 

[Chern Ann]

Originally posted by jahecker
Recently however, the port searching that coolmini does when it creates the thumbnail has triggered firewalls on two different sites which now prevents me from hosting and linking.

The CMON server does not do any \"port searching\", it just goes and grabs the images like any other browser would. Your webhosts are most likely preventing hotlinking, ie images are only sent if the referrer (a variable stored by your browser and set by the webserver) is the same as the webhost.

Finally, as mentioned by other folk, 100k is plenty of space for excellent quality images, and Photoshop 5.5 and above has some of the best compression available. I\'d suggest reading the manual that came with the software.

 

[AAvH-Darkblade]

100K is more than enough for stunning images at a very reasonable size.

Ok, your using Photoshop 6.0, step by step.....

First, open the image in Photoshop and size it to 500 to 600 pixels wide (600px is the max allowed here) at a decent resolution, say 300, printable. This will keep the quality high.

Now we will use the beautiful Photoshop 6.0 feature called \"Save For Web...\"

Go to File>Save For Web ....

A new window will appear, on the right hand side are the controls.

Under settings:

set file type to \"JPEG\"
Compression to \"Medium\" or \"High\"
\"Check\" box Optimize

Also, MOST IMPORTANT, there is a drop-down that is a circle with a triangle, click...
\"Optimize File size\" set this to 100K
then click OK

This will Optimize the image to just less the 100K, from the image I\'m using as I write this of 8.03M it ends up as a 98K file

Now click OK in the main window. It will bring up a File Save Window, save in jpg format. It will do this whole process without changing your original file.


Here is an example Me at my Brothers Wedding, 98k from 8.04M.

Hope this helps, Darkblade