Help with Images

[SherylT]

I have a page on my website in which I would like to post business card size ads, which can also link to advertisers website (if they have them).

The page is: www.CrescentRunAZ.com/advertisers.php

The two cards that you see there now were added using "Gallery" feature, because the text on the cards is small, and I wanted readers to be able to enlarge them. Problem is with this, I can't make the cards a link.

Could use your valuable assistance. Is there a particular way that is best to scan business cards to use here as an image rather than using the gallery. I'd like the finished image to be legible.

Thanking you in advance,

[adele1972]

Re: Help with Images

i sherit
you could use the image in a light box...they can then zoon in on image and you will be able to use link....hope this helps :)

[mrmagoo144]

Re: Help with Images

hello you could also use a transparent image and place this over the gallery image. If you don't have a master transparent page, just email me at mrmagoo144athotmaildotcom. Naturally, you willhave to replace the words at with the sign and dot with the period. I will send you several transparent images that you can import and place over any type or picture on a page. because this is an actual image you can link it easily. if you know the pixel size of your pictures, then i will make the transparent image to fit exactly.
hope this helps. example of this is
www.tprspecialties.com the entire navigation bar was done this way. Also each image on the page was done this way
mrmagoo144
www.videopostcards.info

[Bethers]

Re: Help with Images

Mr. Magoo - if you put a transparent image over the existing one - the existing image is no longer clickable to a larger size. And BV will allow for you to do this by using the shapes - and making them transparent. But again - it then defeats the purpose of the gallery.

Now, Adele, just how do you make an image in the lightbox clickable? I don't see that option with lightbox any more than with the gallery feature? With either, she can use a text link under them, but that's not what she's trying to do.

Sheryl - my take on this is - they know what size it's going to show on the site - if you're making the images the same size as the business card - so it's up to them to make it so it'll be readable. I'd not bother using the gallery or lightbox feature and put them in at the size they give them to you - and make it clickable to where they want. That's the standard. Now, I understand, you're trying to do better - and it's nice - but otherwise, I think you should keep it as you have it and add a text link under the picture - which works well, also.

Ouch, I just looked at the page - and they aren't the size of the business card - therein lies the problem. Are they being told they will be?

You also could do the pictures as regular pictures - clickable to another page - that has the larger pic and has a link to the website on it (as a popup where you select the size).

Personally, if they are ok with the size you're doing them on the page, I'd keep the feature as you have it (I like that you make them easier to read) and I'd add that little clickable name of their business under or over each picture.

[Meanderer]

Re: Help with Images

Hi Sheryl,
I visited the site to see what you were doing with the buisness card images. Then as a matter of interest I went to Photos on the menu. Ouch! 5 small photos as clickable links but each photo is around 750 kb each! Roughly 3.5 MB to download on the one page! So you need to resize them using something like the Pix Resizer program available via many links and references on this forum and BV Customer Support Button on bottom of BV working screen.
I also tried your photo slide show and found it one I had to download a plugin of 2.7 mb (if I remember correctly). Then with each photo i had no idea of their file size but I sensed they too must have been more than a Mb each? Maybe 20 mb for one slideshow?
Information I gained from reading a thread a long time ago by Collectors-info, a screen resolution for the web needs only to be around 96 dpi. You will see when you use pix resizer (I use on-line version for varying size photos and maintain dimensions) you can reduce file size by sometimes 95% without loosing image quality on screen.
We must always remember, not everyone has broadband access to view our pages.
Good luck.
Rick

[Collectors-info]

Re: Help with Images

Hi, I think you will have to overcome a few problem with trying to show business cards, only in the fact that they come in all shapes & sizes. This will lead to a lot of distorted images on the main page in you want to keep them looking uniform & in a neat line as you have them now. You can have a click-able light box, but will involve a little more work. But once set up will work a lot faster than the BV one & have a lot clearer images.
There are some temp instructions on this page. LINK

Just a note on the http://www.crescentrunaz.com/photos.php area. With fire fox you need a plug-in that they don’t have on the fire fox plug-in site. You have to go to photodex presenter site & download from there. May be worth putting a link to there download area to enable viewing. (only an idea).

Good luck.
PS. Ditto with Ricks comment on the images

[SherylT]

Re: Help with Images

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'm going to print out all your replies and try and implement the changes.

Great idea on putting a link to Photodex Presenter on the web page as well.

[DCOFFICESERVICES]

Re: Help with Images

Hi Sheryl

The trouble with business cards they are small and if you blow them up they will be distorted and nasty.

Idealy you need their card on a pdf file (they can ask their printer)

When you view the pdf you can zoom in and out and the image doesn't distort.

To capture the image at the desired size I would use a program called snaggit
http://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.asp?CMP=KgoogleStmhome

You can download a free trial and it's probably one of the best programs I have ever used and should solve your problem.

I am in the print business so I am handling pdf's all the time so if you would like me to email say a sample of a business card in 2 sizes I will happy to do so.

Post reply here or better still you send an email through my website below (just in case I sign off)

Kind regards

Darren

[mrmagoo144]

Re: Help with Images

hello sorry i could not respond quicker. here is a link to your home page that i worked on showing the card and the link. see if you like it
www.caughtontape.biz/shhome.html
hope this helps with your decision
mrmagoo144

https://www.videopostcards.info

[SherylT]

Re: Help with Images

Thanks for the latest "helps", Darren & mrmagoo. I have implemented previous changes of resizing pic on photo page and changing the advertiser page to show true "business card size ads". I do like the idea of trying to use .pdf's for the cards Darren. I'll probably be getting original cards from advertisers and having to scan them with Photoshop and make into pdfs.

Let me know if this page loads faster: http://www.crescentrunaz.com/photos.php

P.S. I could not make my pages better without all the great help I receive here.

[Bethers]

Re: Help with Images

Sheryl,
I used to take out a lot of business card size ads for our hotels - but we didn't give them out business cards - did up an ad that size and gave them the artwork. I think the size is good - but like others have stated, just the nature of many peoples business cards will make it hard to read.

Just looking at yours - it's busy for an ad on the page. (Just my thought).

And if you should go back to using the gallery - you can use larger images again - just make sure you click to use the thumbnails for on the page. Page will load fast.

The website itself loaded fast for me - I'm on high speed.

[Collectors-info]

Re: Help with Images

Hi, they are loading faster, But i tend to think of visitors that are on dial up. If you think most of your visitors are on broadband? don't worry about it.
This link will give you an idea of what they may come down to. The main problem is the images have been made smaller with the handles & not fully with a program.

Good luck.

[SherylT]

Re: Help with Images

Thanks again for all your input. In your honest opinion, do you think I should go with pictures of cards or ads, or do you think it would be better for me to just set up advertisers cards using just text and link that to their website? I agree with Beth that many business cards will be just too busy to get a decent image of.

[DCOFFICESERVICES]

Re: Help with Images

What about: a logo, text & a link, that would look nice (Have the logo scaled to a specific size)

Darren

[Bethers]

Re: Help with Images

I think you can leave it up to the customer - tell them this is the size of the ad - show them some mock ups (maybe just text and a link, etc). But if they don't have the image to give you of what is on the business card, then I wouldn't do the business card - as just what you'll need to do to get it on line will make it read with less clarity.

Size wise - yep, it's a good size ad - I think many will opt for something short and sweet - like if it was me - Pinata Palace - Pinatas for the child in each of us. phone number and web address. Using my colors of course.

I think you can do something that will be very successful with this - just keep it simple :)