GUIDE TO SHOOTING RAW PART VII

EXPORTING FILES GUIDE

PHOTO BOOKS

THE CREATION of photo books using one of the many online print companies on the market has become a popular method of displaying digital images. Apple Aperture allows the book layout to be designed with the software using the raw files and then the pages can uploaded directly to one of the online print companies. Although this cannot be done in Lightroom, there are plugins that allow images to be automatically uploaded to one of the many photo-book producers. Blurb (www blurb com), for example, offers a plug-in to import images either to its online Bookify system or to its more advanced download able program. Book Smart Again this simply removes a step in the process, of exporting your files to JPEG before starting to build your book design.

ARCHIVING AND BACK-UP

THE MOST important part of any image management is ensuring that all files are secure and backed up. Most mage download tools, including Lightroom, Aperture and Adobe's photo downloader in Photoshop and Elements, allow a second copy of the images to be saved to a separate drive at time of download. As files are imported into Lightroom or Aperture, they can be referenced from external drives. For browsing purposes. a low-res version of the file is maintained in the program’s folder, therefore the drive containing the image doesn't need to be attached until editing is performed or an export s required. This method avoids the need to maintain high-res files on the computer's main drive, which could quickly clog-up the capacity. Archiving in software can be performed manually or with the use of a plug-in. The Lightroom, Aperture index folder should also be backed up regularly as prompted, in case of file errors.

WEB GALLERIES

SHARING images online is the most effective way of allowing other people to view your work. Whether the aim Is to create a professional-looking website or simply share a series of pictures with family and friends, an online gallery can be easily created from the confines of your raw-conversion software.
     For those not adept with complicated web design, the advantages of producing a gallery in this way means there is no need to resize or compress your files or deal with HTML code. For those familiar with the web gallery creation in Photoshop Elements and CS. Lightroom's system works in a similar way. The files you wish to include in you- gallery must be selected in the filmstrip and the Web tab chosen. Lightroom then offers various templates and designs for the layout. Apart from the different looks, these contain Flash-based and non-Flash based HTML gallery designs. Using Flash designs allows sticker designs and clever transitions, although it can limit the ability to be seen by older machines and wont be displayed on iPad or iPhone devices.
     A web gallery can also be created straight from raw files in Adobe Bridge (Photoshop CS) with the output workspace selected. To display a web gallery requires a hosting package with a website address, which can be bought from sites like www 123-reg com. Alternatively, you can sign up to www photoshop com (for free), which provides 2GB of web space and uses the Photoshop com Publish plug-in to upload your files for sharing.
     For users who already have a website, the FTP details can be inputted  into Lightroom and the galleries uploaded directly to the site. The subfolder specified will then become the quick link to direct people to that page. For instance, with a subfolder called ’Holiday’, the web address will become www yourwebsite com/holiday. While Lightroom can create individual pages with this method, it doesn't offer the ability to create a main page However, with a little clever adjustment using a word- processor program such as Microsoft Word, a gallery page can be adapted to become an opener.

CREATING A WEB MENU PAGE USING LIGHTROOM

1. For each of the image galleries you have created, pick one image that represents it Then place all the galleries into one folder or create a collection of them In Lightroom If possible, rename each with the gallery name to make it easier later Now select or import that folder and move to the Web tab

2    Create an HTMl format design with a grid that contains all your images on one page Multiple pages can be used, but this becomes more complex later Export the wet) page to your desktop and save it as a recognisable name, such as Ham Now find the folder and the Me named index html inside it.
3    Open your word processor and drag your index html Me onto the icon or use File>Open and find the Me You may need to change the file type to mew all Me types'to see and open it

Once open, select View>HTML Source from the tm menu. This code may look scary at first, but simply scroti down to the sixth block of text under where it says <div id-"stage"» and find where it says;
<div class= "thumbnail borderfopleff onmouseover-“window.gridOn( this.parentNode. ID165988_thumb' If onmouseouU'windowgndOf f( this.parentNode);" onclick-~wmdow.location href='content/img072Jarge.htmr>
<div class =‘"itemNumber">2</div>
<a href='content/img072 Jarge html" onclick= "return needThumblmglink;">



5    Replace the content/imag07? Jarge html or your equivalent file name with the web address of the gallery, such as http 7/www yourwebsite com/ holiday so it reads as follows:
<dnr class*"thumbnail borderTopLeft" onmouseovet‘"window.gridOn| this.parentNode. T0165988jhumb' If onmouseout*"wmdow.gridOlf( this.parentNode If ondick*~wmdow.location.
hret=Mtp//www yourwebsite com/hol id ay”>
<div class="itemNumber">2</drv>
<a href >~http://www yourwebsite.com/holiitay~ ondick="retuin needThumblmgUnkfv

6    Do this for each of the images that relate to exh gallery, and once you have finished dick Save without exiting the HTHl view The man folder, including the mdex.html Me. resources and contents folder, should now be uploaded to the root directory of your website via an f TP program or you web management tool.