Lost Generation of Images

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Lost Generation of Images

• Preserving your family archives
• using the available technology

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Today is about protecting your digital images and
video
because
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At this point is is too late!!!!
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Introduction

• Look at Digital Image formats
• Storage methods
• Gallery software
• Look at Video to DVD
• DVD Recorders
• Finish with a few gadgets
• And, if time permits, Photoshop Image optimisation

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Digital Images
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Digital Images

• Image Format (JPEG/GIF/TIF/EPS/PDF etc)
• Storage Medium (HD/CD/DVD/Card/Hard Copy)
• Backups/Archives (what is the difference)
• Location (onsite/offsite)
• Storage Software (Jalbum, Portfolio, Picasa)
• Review of Picasa features
• Scans and Photos (copy old images, touch ups)

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Image Formats

• JPG - Joint Photographic Export Group - small,
  web
• GIF - Graphic Image Format - line art, 256
  colours
• TIF - tagged image format - large image, no loss
• EPS - encapsulated postscript - scaleable
  linework
• PDF - portable document format - wide access
• and a multitude of others!
• Most cameras take JPG images.

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Image Formats

• Most cameras take JPG images.
• Jpeg images are heavily optimised
• Jpeg images lose quality every time they are
  saved
• Jpeg is not a great storage format for long term
• TIF is a no loss format
• A better choice for long term storage
• Tif files larger than Jpeg and take a lot of
  space
• Large drives make this less of a concern
• Storage costs have fallen considerably

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Storage

• Hard Drives are up to 400 Gigabytes
• CD hold 700 Megabytes (Mini CD 180 Mb)
• DVD holds 4.2 Gigabytes (2 hours video)
• Dual layer DVD over 8 Gigabytes
• Memory cards up to 2 GB
• Mini Hard Drive up to 60 Gigabytes
• Tape units can hold more but are very expensive
• A 200 Gb drive you can hold 120,000 1.5Mb images.
  
• How do you back up 200Gb. Is it an archive?

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Back Ups

• A back up is a copy of working files. Often done
  each night, or at least on a regular basis.
• Backups are to prevent down time in the event of
  hardware or software failure.
• Most home users dont bother. A major hard disk
  crash will mean a great deal of data can be lost.
• Most PCs have space for a second mirror drive

• So how much of the data stored on your PC is
  backed up?

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Archiving

• An archive differs from a back up.
• An archive is a permanent copy of data kept in a
  manner to prolong its life
• In the home situation an archive if it exists is
  often kept close to the computer. If there is a
  serious fire this will be lost too.

• So how much of the electronic data (images and
  video) do you have archived?

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Location

• On Site
• File Management (software)
• Disk Mirroring,
• RAID (Disk Array)
• CD/DVD/Tape
• Off Site
• FTP
• Server storage (File Guardian by WebDrive)
• Removable Drives

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Gallery Software

• With the storage of a large amount of images
  there becomes a management issue.
• A variety of software exists to help minimise
  this problem
• I have chosen a few example of free or relatively
  cheap software which works well
• There are hundreds more and each will have its
  advocates about why it is the best.
• Try them and choose for yourself.

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JAlbum

• Free web photo album software
• This gallery software makes web albums of your
  digital images. JAlbum aims to be the easiest to
  use and most powerful tool in this category -
  and free!
• With JAlbum, no extra software is needed to view
  the albums, -just your web browser. Unlike
  "server side" album scripts, JAlbum albums can be
  served from a plain web server without scripting
  support. You can also share your albums on
  CD-ROM.
• JAlbum runs on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and
  others and speaks 28 languages. Today JAlbum is
  mentioned over 6.000.000 times on the Internet
  (Google/Altavista) and this site has over 10.000
  visitors per day and a live community. I hope you
  find it your tool of choice for sharing images.
• JAlbum is written after numerous disappointments
  with existing album software. With JAlbum you
  have full control of the look of the generated
  album, not just color theme and basic layout,
  still making an album is just a matter of drag
  and drop a button click if you prefer to use
  one of the many existing looks. JAlbum will
  process your images, make index pages and slide
  show pages and even upload the final album to the
  Internet for your friends to see.

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Extensis Portfolio

• One-Click CD Publishing Archiving
• Collect files, create a catalog, add a copy of
  Portfolio Browser and burn a CD/DVD in one step.
• Collect original images or low-res JPEG
  previews for distribution.
• Automatically change paths of cataloged files
  to a destination disk, allowing you to move
  content offline without having to manually relink
  files.
• Digital Camera Auto-Rotation Portfolio now
  automatically rotates thumbnails and previews
  from digital cameras that record the cameras
  orientation, streamlining photographers
  post-shoot workflow.
• Fast Cataloging Fast cataloging quickly adds
  files to your Portfolio catalog in the
  background, allowing you to start working with
  them instantly.
• Improved File Format Support for MS Office, DNG,
  RAW, Quark, Pro Video
• Full Custom Sort
• Scratchpad Galleries
• HTML Help, Video Tutorials, Sample Catalogs
• Enhanced Item Properties
• Leverage Previews
• Movie Metadata
• Custom XMP Read and CS File-Info Panels
• SmartGalleries
• Express Palette

• Express Palette
• Wide Range of File Format Support
• Built-in Image Conversion
• Roundtrip Metadata
• Saved Cataloging Options
• Full-Screen Previews
• Email or Burn Low-Res Previews
• Custom Views
• Contact Sheet Printing
• Web Page Creation Wizard
• Customizable Toolbar
• Ready-to-Use EXIF Support

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Apple iPhoto

• This version of iPhoto adds a number of
  enhancements and features that allow you to
  organize and share your digital photos faster and
  easier than ever before.
• Increased performance
• Amazing new iPhoto books
• Fully customizable cinematic slideshows?
• Enhanced organization?
• Support for video clips?
• Faster and easier editing?
• Support for photos in RAW format?
• Find photos in an instant?
• Even tighter iLife integration

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Picasa

• Find and enjoy the pictures on your computer in
  seconds.
• A free software download from Google.
• Picasa is software that helps you instantly find,
  edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Every
  time you open Picasa, it automatically locates
  all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had)
  and sorts them into visual albums organised by
  date with folder names you will recognise. You
  can drag and drop to arrange your albums and make
  labels to create new groups. Picasa makes sure
  your pictures are always organised.
• Picasa also makes advanced editing simple by
  putting one-click fixes and powerful effects at
  your fingertips. And Picasa makes it a snap to
  share your pictures you can email, print photos
  home, make gift CDs, and even post pictures on
  your own blog.

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Traditional Photos

• Many of the rules still apply
• Storage methods, copies to family in other
  locations, well protected
• All are still relevant.
• Many people will now scan old volumes to ensure
  they have an electronic copy. It is a long job,
  but allows the images to be more easily shared.
• Taking old images and putting to disk can be done
  by many firms. If you are unsure, ask MaxiLab
  what services they can offer to you.

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Archiving VHS/DVD

• VHS to DVD
• DVD Recorders
• What is a DVD recorder
• Video quality
• Features
• Archiving
• Scratched DVDs

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VHS to DVD

• VHS is an unstable medium for long term storage.
  
• It deteriorates, hates temperature (hot and cold)
  and is prone to jamming and breaking
• Options
• DVD Recorders
• Hard Drive Option
• Commercial Tape to DVD Services
• We will focus on the DVD Recorder

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What is a DVD Recorder

• DVD recorders learn before you buy!
• A DVD recorder is a standalone unit that performs
  similar functions to a VCR.
• At the same time, DVD recording offers much
  better performance and versatility than any VCR.
• With an additional internal Hard Drive they offer
  an affordable home editing and archiving
  capability.
• Some DVD recorders feature an i.Link or FireWire
  input to connect directly to your camcorder.

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Video Quality

• Any DVD recorder will offer better video quality
  than a VCR. DVD recorders that playback in
  progressive scan mode offer flicker-free image
  and eliminate unwanted effects like
  image-blocking or motion skips.
• All DVD recorders feature four or five recording
  modes, which allow you to juggle with two
  features video quality and disc-space.
• If you record from VHS tapes, HQ recording mode
  is no use. No DVD recorder can enhance the
  quality of the original.

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DVD Recorder Features

• At present, there are decks that combine DVD-R/RW
  with DVDR/RW recording, or DVD-R/RW with
  DVD-RAM.
• To transfer your VHS-tape archive to DVD support,
  you can opt for a VCR/DVD combination recorder. A
  combo unit is much simpler (one-touch two-way
  dubbing and other handy functions).
• A DVD recorder with built in hard disk drive
  (HDD) is better for recording and editing.
  Afterwards, you can watch, record (on permanent
  discs or on re-recordable media), and erase from
  the hard drive to make room for something else.
  Your options are wider than ever.
• Last but not least, if you want to make your own
  home movies, you should look into one of those
  units that have a FireWire port (i-Link or
  IEEE-1394), to hook your camcorder.

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Archiving with a DVD Recorder

• The DVD recorders tend to replace the traditional
  VCR.
• Creating Archives
• a DVD recorder will help you keep your video
  archive on DVD discs. The advantages are
• better playback quality
• easier access to recordings with the menu editing
  feature
• less physical space you need for disc storage
• longer shelf life
• Combination Units
• Internal TV Tuner
• Use Various Recording Modes
• HQ (1hr), HSP (1.5hr), SP (2hr), LP (3hr), EP
  (4hr), SLP (6hr)

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A Scratched DVD

• Scratches may cause minor data errors that are
  easily corrected.
• A common misperception is that a scratch will be
  worse on a DVD than on a C. While DVD data
  density is 4x that of a CD, DVD error correction
  is ten times better.
• Major scratches may cause uncorrectable errors
  that will produce an I/O error or show up as a
  momentary glitch in DVD-Video picture.

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Offsite Backups

• One sure way to ensure your data can not be lost
  locally is to store it somewhere else. Many firms
  offer an offsite service
• Kiwiwebs is working with two companies on this.
  One is already going, the other is planned. You
  can get File Guardian today.
• FILE GUARDIANProtect your digital photos and
  other important files from.Hard drive crashes,
  Computer theft, Lost or corrupt files, Human
  error, Natural disasters
• Do away with Tape drive back ups, Manually
  burning to CD, Expensive off-site back
  ups,Worrying about not backing up!
• Only 10 per month per Gigabyte gst

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Tape to DVD Services

• A number of local companies offer VHS and other
  tape types to DVD.
• Kiwiwebs offers this service. Costs are
• 30 straight copy - no editing, up to 3 hours
• 40 for the first tape (includes 1 DVD and
  trimming)30 for the second tape (includes 1
  DVD25 for each subsequent tape (includes 1
  DVD)additional DVD copies at 5.00 each
• Each DVD has a custom printed surface (not
  label)
• Editing services also available at 75 per hour

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Special Offer

• For anyone who may be considering a DVD recorder,
  or even maybe a Video Camera, Harvey Norman have
  arranged a special deal. They are offering a 10
  discount for anyone who produces one of the
  special cards stamped by Kiwiwebs and who is
  paying cash.
• Kiwiwebs are offering a 15 discount on all VHS
  or DV Tape to DVD services.

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Gadgets

• A selection of new and not so new devices to make
  life easier
• Cameras
• DVD Recorders
• iPods
• etc

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Gadgets Fujifilm S9500

• 9 Megapixel
• 28-300 zoom
• Super Macro
• Flash
• Multi-priority
• Mpeg

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GadgetsPanasonic DV Camera

• 3CCD
• MiniDV
• Optical Digital Zoom
• Large Display
• Still Camera
• Firewire

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GadgetsUSB keys
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GadgetsLaser Keyboard

• Optical
• Cordless

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Gadgets - iPod iTrip
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GadgetsPalm Pilot

• Personal Organiser
• Photo Gallery
• Plays Video
• Games
• Word/Excel
• Books
• Alarm

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GadgetsMac Mini

• Intel CoreDuo
• Full Computer
• iLife software
• Superdrive
• Dual Platform
• Virus Safe

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Thank you for listening.Questions???
I also have a few slides on optimising an image
for the internet if any one is interested.
Putting an image online is almost the opposite
of saving an archive image.
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Optimising an imageusing Adobe Photoshop 5.5 or
later
Outline We have a large image we want to put on
our website. We have a space 400 pixels wide and
want to make the image fit this space and be as
small as possible. To do this we have to optimise
the image to make it the optimal shape and
size Making an image smaller is not just dragging
the corner. This makes the image smaller on
screen NOT smaller in file size.
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Convert image from cmyk to rgbComputer screens
are rgb, print is CMYK
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Convert image from tif to jpeg.jpg or .jpeg is
designed for compression of images online
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Change image size to actual sizescaling an image
by reducing its size on screen does NOT reduce
the file size
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Changes so far have created a file 1.6 of our
original file
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Optimising an imageusing Adobe Photoshop 5.5 or
later
The change we have made so far are 1. Taking
original print file of 300dpi CMYK in Tif
Format 2. Converting from CMYK to RGB 3.
Converting from TIF to JPG 4. Altering dimensions
of image to exact size required With certain
packages, such as Adobe Photoshop we can do one
more step optimising an image for the web. This
is taking a file and making it even smaller by
increasing the lossy (distortion) even further.
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Optimising an imageusing Adobe Photoshop 5.5 or
later
The image has less definition, but on screen this
is hardly noticeable, compared to the space and
load time savings it offers. I usually use 30-40
quality, or 60 quality for better quality.
Lossy compression reduces a file by permanently
eliminating certain information, especially
redundant information. The JPEG image file is
an image format that has lossy compression. Using
JPEG compression, the creator can decide how much
loss to introduce and make a trade-off between
file size and image quality.
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Optimising an imageusing Adobe Photoshop 5.5 or
later
SUMMARY
Optimising the image is finding the right balance
between quality and load time. Where any image
on a page is over 100k, I would normally create a
smaller thumbnail and then invite people to click
the image to view a larger version.
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Optimising an imageusing Adobe Photoshop 5.5 or
later
The End