Photo annotation software

[+embra]

I feel like I should know this...but I don't! What software are those of you who are annotating your photos using?

 

By annotation, I mean the insertion of captions into the photo in compliance with the NGS guidelines.

 

Don't get even - get odd

[+TeacherMatt]

I have been using MSPaint, but I have found it to be time consuming. If you can find something else I would recommend it.

 

By the way, I would love any feedback on the photos that I post. Am I labeling them correctly? Is the shot right? etc. I know that some of the close ups are out of focus (I had my shutter set at infinity by accident one day ). Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

I have not submitted any photos to the NGS yet, because I am not sure if I have labeled them correctly. Are there many users that do submit photos to NGS? I don't see too many photos in the gallery with the labels on them? Do you just label them later?

 

Thanks for your time.

[walkerk]

I have been using PhotoImpact (by Ulead) but it seems that any photo manipulation software with text annotation capability should work fine.

 

TeacherMatt, your labeling looks fine to me. I have been including a "photo number with cardinal direction" as a third parameter as listed in section II-B of the photo instructions.

[+Geojiggs]

I have always used Microsoft Word. It has a great insert utility for pictures and text boxes. You can draw arrows and alot of things to your pic.

 

Then all I do is copy paste the complete image into paint and save as a *.jpg. Works Great!!

 

Get out There!!!!!

[+TeacherMatt]

Team Brew Crew,

 

Thanks for the idea of using Word . My first thought when I started BM hunting was to label with Word, but I could not figure out how to change the .doc to a .jpg -- that's why I ended up using MSPaint.

 

I am so happy now that I now know how to do it!!! I need to get out and find some more BM's so I can try it out!

 

Thanks!!!

[+embra]

quote:

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Originally posted by walkerk:

I have been using PhotoImpact (by Ulead) but it seems that any photo manipulation software with text annotation capability should work fine.

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I guess that sums it up. Thanks to all who shared what you're doing...it's got me on the right track now. I was confused because I had a few image editing apps *without* text annotation, so I wasn't sure if that was the right vein or not.

 

PhotoImpact costs $80, so I'll probably stick with my non-annotating ThumbsPlus for photo work. Word does set the standard for ease of use, but the 2 pasting steps(only slightly cumbersome) seem to degrade the already marginal resolution of my photos.

 

For right now, the Imaging applet in Windows seems to do the annotation trick with the only hassle of having to draw a filled box, and then drawing a text box within it. It's a little unwieldy to resize both boxes as needed, but it's free and it's there.

 

I'm open to other suggestions of whatever seems to work well.

 

Don't get even - get odd

[Z15]

I like this program a lot. You can easily ad text and position it anywhere in version 6.2.

 

CompuPic

[+Black Dog Trackers]

I use Microsoft Paint. It comes with Windows for free, so many people have it.

 

Here's how I use it. (I have Windows XP with Paint version 5.1) The following is a bit pedantic but will save you time in the long run.

 

Open the picture with Paint. You will see the picture, and the toolbox icons to the left of it and the color palette below it.

 

In the toolbox, click on the large letter A.

 

Click somewhere in the picture area.

 

Type something.

 

In the toolbox, select the lower of the two icons with the cylinder, ball and cube - that's the transparent background mode tool. (You can switch from one to the other at this point to see the difference.)

 

On the color palette, pick the best color for your annotation and note how it looks in the picture as you try some colors. (Remember that some people are color-blind, and the most common type is red-green, so a red arrow on green grass might not be a good choice.)

 

For arrows, I choose the Wingdings-3 font. In this font, the letters f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m make the arrows (4 at vertical and horizontal and 4 diagonals).

 

Pick a big enough font size that will show up well. (If you pick a font that's too big for your text box, you will have to increase the size of the box first.)

 

You can change fonts and font sizes after you type some text, if the dotted line still surrounds your text.

 

Here's the tricky part. Depending on where you put your cursor on the box, you will get 4 different mouse cursor symbols. Microsoft Paint has 2 types of arrow cursors for your text box. The arrow cursor to change the size and shape of your box is a double-ended black diagonal arrow, and you access it at an exact corner of your text box. The arrow cursor to move your text box into position so the arrow points to the right spot is a solid white diagonal arrow. When you get the solid white arrow cursor, move your text box to position while holding down the mouse button.

 

Note: there are 2 other mouse cursor symbols. The one with the four double lines in a cross is to be avoided unless you're finished with your present text box and want to start a new one. The last cursor symbol is shaped like a letter "I" and is for copying and pasting characters in your text box.

 

Click anywhere in the picture to finish off your text box and its dotted border will disappear.

 

You can select Edit Undo if you want to get rid of a text box you made and start over.

[+GeckoGeek]

quote:

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I'll probably stick with my non-annotating ThumbsPlus for photo work.

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What version? I've got 4.5 on this machine and I found the function on the toolbar under Image | Stamp in the image viewer.

[+embra]

Well I'll be...

 

I've got 5.01-R, and sure enough, there it is. I thought it odd that something so otherwise comprehensive lacked annotation. I just couldn't find it. Thanks for pointing that out, GG!

 

Max

Often wrong but seldom in doubt

[ArtMan]

Are pictures that are sent to NGS available on their web site? I haven't found it.

[+embra]

Here are two links:

 

1. Sample photos

 

2. A pdf file of specifications for how to do it.

 

Wait a second...that's probably not what you're asking. If you're asking where one can view photos once they've been sent in, I don't know. Oh well, I'll leave those links for anyone who hasn't seen them.

 

Max

Often wrong but seldom in doubt