When it comes to resizing files for our slide shows, forget about inches, forget about resolution and forget about file size. The only thing that is important is the actual measurement of height and width in pixels. The video projector we use can only display 1024 x 768. So providing a file larger than this resolution will only produce unnecessarily large files with information that won’t be displayed.
Here are two ways to resize your images….
Method 1 (the easier way)
Download and install the Image Resizer tool from Microsoft. While there, you might want to also grab the thumbnail viewer.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx
After installation, open Explorer and click on the file you want to resize and then right click. The drop down menu will reveal a new option Resize Picture. Click and a dialog box will open. The third option will create a file of 1024x768. This will not effect your original file and will create a downsized copy adding the word “large” to the file name. Use this option for pictures taken in landscape or portrait mode. Note that you can use this utility to size a file to what ever you size you would need, not just the pre-selected sizes. The utility can also resize multiple files simultaneously.
Method 2
PLEASE
NOTE: Be sure to use the Save As
option for your reduced file and save with a different name so the original file
is not overwritten. If you simply
save the reduced file it will replace the original file with a much smaller one
and result in permanent loss of information.
If you do not understand the concept of Save As, be sure to copy the
files you want to reduce into a different folder before proceeding.
Use a photo-editing program like Photoshop, Photoshop Elements or Gimp to reduce the file size.. Again you have to save your resized file with a different name in order to prevent your original file from being overwritten. In the editing program, open the Image Resize dialog box. Be sure the constrain proportions box is checked. Type in 1024 for the width if the image was take in landscape mode or 768 if the image was taken in portrait mode. Don't be concerned if the other dimension filled in by the program does not precisely match the 1024 x 768 ratio. This will be addressed later when the image is put into the slide show creation program. After the file has been resized, choose File >Save As and save as JPEG file with a different name than the original file. Choose a medium compression quality to make the file small.
Method 3
Some of you may not have access to photo editing programs or are limited to using computers that do allow software installation. To resize pictures, you can use free on line programs that work through a Web browser like www.picnik.com To resize in this program, click the Get Started Now button. On the next page, locate the Upload a Photo button. Direct the pop up window to the location of your image and click Open. The image will upload and may take a few moments depending upon size. When the image opens, choose the Resize tab. In the box at the top of the screen, type in 1024 for horizontal pictures or type in 768 for vertical pictures. The program will fill in the other dimension if you have the Keep Proportions checked. Click on OK button. Next click on the Save and Share tab. Create a different name so you do not overwrite your original file. Click on the Save Photo button. You will need to repeat the process for each image.