correctmyphotos

I talked to my friend Bob (he is the retired teacher/financial advisor turned artist) the other day and he had bought a new Windows 7 computer to replace his old Mac. Can you believe a Mac user admitting he switched to Windows? Now he had to learn how to import (download) his photos from his camera into the computer so he could fix them with “my” software. Of course, he was talking about CorrectPhoto. Since Bob Is in Florida for the winter and I am up here in Minnesota freezing (it was -15 degrees this morning) I decided to help him out by posting instructions on using Windows 7 functions to import the photos. I have written about downloading and organizing photos using Windows Explorer in previous posts so this post will focus on Windows 7 and my importing preferences.

Photo Import Options
I normally use a card reader when importing pictures but decided to use the USB cable that came with the camera for this example. When I connected the camera cable into the computer Windows 7 automatically installed the driver for my Canon PowerShot G5. Then the Auto Play window popped up giving me several import options. The same option window will appear if you use a card reader or if you plug in the memory chip into a slot on your computer if it supports camera memory chips.

Windows 7 Auto Play Photo Import Options

 I prefer using Windows Explorer to organize and manage my photo files as opposed to Photoshop Elements, Windows Photo Gallery, or other photo organizing software as they tend to take over one’s computer and complicate the process.  The easiest import option is the first one in the list, “Import pictures and videos using Windows”.  The disadvantage of this option is that it forces you to import all of the photos in your camera to a single folder. Since most people are like me and have photos from multiple events in the camera by time they get around to downloading them I generally use the “Open device to view files using Windows Explorer” option. Here is a brief description using both methods.

Import pictures and videos using Windows
Selecting the Import pictures option will pop up the following window.

Windows 7 Import photos with AutoPlay-Enter Folder Name in Tag Field

The first time you use the import function you should click on Import settings and select the settings according to your preferences.  The “Tag” will become the destination folder for the imported photos.

Upload Photo Preference Window

I would suggest setting the Other options as shown. When you click the Import button Windows 7 will automatically create the new folder and transfer the photos to it.  When the transfer is complete Windows Explorer will open and by right clicking on a photo you can select the next action you wish to take. If you just want to look at the photos click on Preview. If you want to edit the photos click on Open with and select the photo editor. 

Right Click on thumbnail to select action

Open device to view files using Windows Explorer.
The the import method I generally use is the “Open device to view files using Windows Explorer as it provides the flexibility to put the photos into multiple folders. When you click on this option the following window will appear.

View camera photo files in Explorer-Select view Large Icons

Actually, when the window pops up it will probably show the “Tiles” view of the photos which are really too small for me. Windows 7 gives you a few more optional views. On the right side of the menu bar click on the little arrow and select Large or Extra Large Icons to increase the size of the thumbnail and it will be easier to select the photos you want to import into a particular folder.

Now left click on the first photo of the group and then hold the Ctrl key down and click on the remaining photos in the group (or, hold the Shift key down and click on the last photo in the group if they are in sequence). Then right click and select Copy.

Select photos to be copied to My Pictures folder

Open the My Pictures folder on your Desktop and select the destination folder for the photos. If you haven’t created a New Folder for the photos you can do so by clicking on New Folder in the Menu bar.

Select destination folder for photos

Then right click on the folder and select Paste and the photos will be transferred to the folder.

Copy photos to selected (Christmas 2009) folder

When the transfer is complete you can open the folder and select the next action or simply close it and go have a cup of coffee or whatever.

Well, Bob, I hope this helps answer the question, “How do I get my photos from my camera to my Windows 7 computer?”  Here are links to some other posts that might be helpful as you explore the wonderful world of digital photography and Windows 7.

A Simple Way to Organize Your Photos

http://www.correctmyphotos.com/2009/12/07/a-simple-way-to-organize-your-photos/

Storing and Archiving Digital Photos-A Simple Way.
http://www.correctmyphotos.com/2009/07/13/storing-and-archiving-digital-photos-a-simple-way/

Previewing Photos in Windows Vista (Win 7) and XP
http://www.correctmyphotos.com/2009/06/29/previewing-photos-in-windows/

Get the Red Out–What to do about Red Eye?

http://www.correctmyphotos.com/2009/06/10/get-rid-of-red-eye-in-photos/

Downloading Photos to Your Computer. Use Windows Explorer.
http://www.correctmyphotos.com/2009/05/21/downloading-photos-to-your-computer-use-windows-explorer/

Crop Photos for a Purpose.
http://www.correctmyphotos.com/2009/02/15/crop-photos-for-a-purpos/

Wayne www.correctphoto.com

ImageTitler™ 3.2 by PictoColor
In my previous post, “Create Your Holiday Photo Greeting Card in Minutes“, I mentioned a program called ImageTitler. PictoColor just released ImageTitler 3.2, an updated version of this simple way to add titles and text to photos. The new version has more fonts and colors to choose from and increases the sizing flexibility.

ImageTitler is really a very simple program to learn and, frankly, gives the impression that it is a “tinker toy” application.  The quality and sharpness of the the text on a photo is really excellent and the speed with which you can title a photo is impressive. Yes, if you have and know how to use Photoshop or Elements you can do much more with text than you can with ImageTitler. However, most of us either do not know how to use Elements or find that it is too time consuming.  Therefore, ImageTitler is the answer to simply add text to a photo. I took this photo of my granddaughter on Thanksgiving, cropped and color corrected it with CorrectPhoto and added the simple title with ImageTitler and was finished in a few minutes.

Photo cropped and color corrected with CorrectPhoto and titled with ImageTitler

ImageTitler Process
The simple steps to add text to a photo is as follows:

In my previous post, Better eBay Sales with Better Photos-The Photo Shoot Setup, I described two setups: indoor with artificial light and outdoor with natural light and compared the two. My preference between the two was using natural light. I also said that I ordered a light tent to use indoors with artificial light. I ordered it from OBN Photographic Equipment and it arrived yesterday. 

OBN 20” Light Tent
The light tent kit (http://www.obnphoto.com/light_tent.html) included a foldable tent, and four backdrops (white, black, gray, and blue), and a storage case.  For my purposes I selected a 20 inch tent but they offer sizes ranging from 12” to 86”. Here is a photo of my initial test set up.

Light Tent Setup-Light Tent from OBN Photographic Equipment

I chose to use the gray backdrop for reasons that I explained in my previous post and took a few test shots with different lamp positions. I also set my camera to aperture preferred (f8) instead of auto exposure for greater depth of field.  Here is an edited photo of a test shot taken with the best lamp position.

Stangl Bird Photo using Light Tent and Edited with CorrectPhoto Editor

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In my previous post I suggested that better photos could lead to better sales. While I don’t have direct evidence to support that statement it seems logical that a potential buyer would be more interested in bidding on an item if the photos were really good verses barely acceptable.  So how do you achieve better photos? Let’s start with the photo shoot set up—your photo “studio”.  I realize that we are not pros so don’t think you need to spend a lot of money and take photography lessons to get great eBay shots.  There are two basic setups; one using natural light and the other using artificial light.

Photo Studio Setup-Natural Light (left), Artificial Light (right)

The basic items you need for either setup is a digital camera, tripod, and back drop. I would also suggest a GretagMacbeth Color Checker Mini Gray Balance Card for reasons I will describe in the next post in this series—Photo Editing.

Digital Camera
You probably already have a digital camera that will work just fine. It should be at least 4 MP and have an aperture preferred mode of shooting.  Depending the on the size of the object you are photographing you may run into a depth of field issue (the front part of the object is sharp and the back is fuzzy) Setting the aperture manually instead of shooting in Auto mode on close up shots will solve this problem. Remember the higher the number the more depth of field you will have.  I use a Canon G5, a 5 MP camera that I have had for a number of years, and get very good results shooting my ceramic birds. 

Back Drop (or Background)
I prefer a neutral background (neutral is black, white, or gray, not biege or tan) Assuming the object you are photographing is small enough to be placed on a table I recommend a neutral gray flat (not shiny) background. White and black are other common choices, however a neutral gray is the best for shooting a colorful object.  I bought a couple yards of a gray fleece at a local fabric store. Before you buy the fabric look at it under natural light to make sure it is really gray and doesn’t have a little blue or other color cast. Also, you can get a smoother background with fleece than with a harder fabric. Note how the fleece is pulled away from the bottom edge of the box to make a smooth background.  If you can’t move the object you will want to remove as much clutter from around it before you shoot. You don’t want other objects to compete with the  item you are trying to sell.

Natural Light Set Up
My natural light set up is outside on our patio. This works in Minnesota in the summer, but I will either use our four season porch or artificial light in the winter. The important thing to note when using natural light is not to set up in direct sunlight. A bright cloudy day is great or wait until the area you selected is in the shade. The ideal setting would be a North facing room with big windows to bring in the natural light. (Now you know why artists like north facing studios.) The main advantage of using natural light is that you avoid shadows and glare that are difficult to avoid using artificial light unless you use a light tent.

Artificial Light Set Up
For indoor shooting I set up on the pool table in our lower level (a fancy name for basement). I have two daylight desk lamps that I position to minimize shadows and glare. You can also use a light tent and position the lights on the outside of the tent to diffuse the light and eliminate the shadows. I ordered one today so I will see how much difference that makes. Here is a photo comparison between the two lighting set ups. I do prefer the natural light approach, but the artificial light set up is pretty good.

Compare Artificial Light (left) with Natural Light (right)

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Use your Digital Camera to create a photographic record of your garden
Every spring my wife and I plan the additions and modifications to the gardens around our house. After spending a cold Minnesota winter this is a welcome exercise.  The majority of our gardens contain perennials, however, we do like to add annual baskets and pots for color. And, every year we try to remember what we planted, where we put the pots, and how well they did.  More often the not the answer to the question is, “Well, I think……”  This year I had the brilliant thought (why didn’t I think about it years ago?) to create a digital photo record of what we planted and how well the plants did.

Pat and Wayne's Back Yard Patio Garden

 This year we decided to plant more of the hanging baskets and pots ourselves rather than purchasing them from the garden centers. So, I took photos of the baskets and pots after we planted them and then yesterday I took photos to record their progress.  We planted four hanging baskets with red and white wave petunias for our front porch and side porch. Each basket contained four plants, two white and two red.  Was that enough? Here is a photo of the the four baskets after planting and one of the hanging baskets taken yesterday.  We are pleased with the result.

Use Digital Photos to Document Petunia Basket Progress

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