Images And The Web; Security, Size And Image Quality Page 2

Accurate Color On The Web
For color to be as accurate as it can be in a web image your images need to be in the sRGB color space. This isn’t an issue if you’re using a consumer digital camera because they already have the sRGB color space tag embedded. But if you’re capturing or working in the Adobe RGB color space, be sure to convert them prior to re-sizing and saving as JPEGs.

JPEG Conversion
Photoshop’s (or Elements) “Save For Web” feature will give the highest quality image at a specific target image quality percent or target file size compared to using the more generic “Save As JPEG” option. Additionally, make sure the ICC profile box is checked so the embedded sRGB profile gets transferred to the JPEG.

JAlbum Settings Window
This tabbed interface changes with each “skin,” allowing features, layout and content to be specified before each album is generated.

Step-By-Step Workflow
1. Re-size to the desired long dimension pixel size.
2. Add Unsharp Mask to bring back the sharpness lost in re-sizing.
3. Add copyright text layer.
4. Convert to sRGB color space.
5. Save in JPEG format using Save For Web.

Digital Slide Shows
While you’re working with all these choice images for your web gallery you can easily create an additional folder of images optimized for a digital slide show presentation. Digital projectors, like monitors, only see actual pixels. Both SVGA (800x600) and XGA (1024x768) projectors are common, so it helps if you know in advance which one will be projecting your work. If you are not sure, use 1024x768 (at 72 ppi) in the sRGB color space. For images that don’t fit that aspect ratio exactly, create a black canvas to fill in the empty space so the images are projected in a dark room—only the image will be seen. You can make horizontal images 1024 pixels wide and vertical images 768 pixels high, each using the maximum amount of space in 1024x768 black canvas (background color) template.

JAlbum Image Page
The Chameleon skin created this image page, complete with navigation thumbnails and a PayPal shopping cart built in.

Putting Your Images Up On The Web
Good web gallery software can build web albums from your files quickly and easily. Many imaging programs have some ability to do this, but the new version of JAlbum (7.3) is outstanding. First, it’s a free program. But more importantly it quickly builds elegant web galleries that can be customized easily with a wide range of features and styles. It’s written in Java so it works on Mac, Windows and Linux platforms. And did we mention it’s free? (http://jalbum.net/download)

Your web albums can include features like slide shows, guest books, and RSS feeders. Graphic elements like drop shadows and security features like watermarks and copyrights can be automatically added to all the images. A built-in FTP client will upload your new web galleries to your website, or if you don’t have server space, you can sign up for free space on the JAlbum server.

There are many ways to show your work on the Internet, including a large number of photo-sharing sites but if you want to control the quality of your photographs and project a professional image, prepare them well and share them with style.

Larry Berman and Chris Maher are photographers, writers, and web designers, specializing in image intensive photography sites. For more information visit www.BermanGraphics.com.

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