How to Add Images to a Discussion thread?

A very special hello from a not so snowy New England anymore. Yippee!!

This week I wanted to spend some time on something that has always been of particular interest to me and I am sure, so many more of you out there. This is applicable to almost every single class that I have taken here at The Art Institute.

That is; How to admires to a discussion thread?  How often are we asked to please post images to the discussion post showing something we captured or in reference to a photograph that we need to discuss. It is definitely part of the first assignment W1A1 autobiography.

Well today I am going to show you a very easy way to ensure that all the photographs that you find and place into your document can be copied and pasted into your discussion post without any problems. No, we will not be copying and pasting from Word.

Here are the steps that you need to follow to make sure you have no problems going forward.

Step 1:

Make sure that you have a google account. It is very easy to get. Just go to google where you can sign-up for a new account.Once you have registered and updated your profile and security settings you are ready to get going. Once you have signed in you now have your account active, you have access to a host of different Google products.

Step 2:

To create a Google doc all you have to do is click on the grid in the top right hand corner of your web browser.

If you click the more button you can locate the Docs app. and this will take you to the Google doc application. You will also be able to create a shortcut to this application by adding it this grid button for easier access at a later stage. Here I located the Docs app and clicked on it to take me to the create a document page.

I m now ready to create my first document. On this page you can click on the + (plus) sign in the bottom right hand corner of the page to create your document. A Google document allows you to compose and write your assignments here just like any other word processor. The Microsoft Word processor is the required application so many of us start there. You can create your document in Word and copy the entire document and paste it into the Google doc area. I normally use this method because I like the spelling and Grammar checking capabilities of Word. (Why would I want to copy and paste into Google docs if I can just create it in Word, you may ask?)

Well, the downside to this using the copy and paste from Microsoft Word method and pasting it into into your discussion thread; it will not carry the images over.

By copying the assignment from Word into Google Docs. all you have to do is reconnect the locations of the images. Google will ask you to reconnect the locations of the photographs. That is easily done by clicking on the placement holder for the image located on your page and then selecting the insert menu option at the top of the document and clicking insert image option, finding the photograph located on your computer.

This will add the photograph to the document and you can continue with your work.

If you do decide to use only Google then you can add your images directly your post. The best thing about using Google Docs as your word processor is that you can now make a select all option and then copy and paste the entire document directly into your discussion post.

You will not lose any of the images and everything will be pasted there. Now you can make some style adjustments if it appears incorrect. It does not copy any heading settings, special fonts or customizations to the discussion post.

Finally, if you still need to save your document, you can do this by selecting download as option and making the appropriate selection. You can download them to your computer as Word.docx, PDF, Txt and a few other options which makes it a really great tool to use.

So, now you have no excuse for not being able to post images to your discussion posts. There are some great tools out there and they make your life so much easier. Next week I will show you how to reduce the size of your PDF files so that they are not too large, (no more 100MB files) especially when they ask you to create a slideshow from Lightroom. I can reduce a 100MB file down to approximately 3.2MB if you know which options to use and you can keep the resolution and detail to all your images.

Have a great week everyone. I am preparing to shoot a photo story later today with a new musician that I found so I am looking forward to that. 

If you have any questions or would like further information about the processes that I discussed here today then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Have a super week.

Kind regards,

Denzil

Google+ for Photographers Part 2: It's Good for Business

Last week's post focused on getting to know Google+ (G+).  Now that you have a feel for the interface, let's talk about how it can help your photography business.

The single most valuable aspect of bringing your business to G+ is the fact that Google is one of the most-used search engines out there.  With the backing of Google's SEO analytics and various tools and apps, you can be in control of how your business appears when people search for your type of photographic services.  By adding your business address to Google Maps and completing a sleek profile on G+ with high quality images, your brand will look better than those that do not take the time to set up a profile.  Remember, anyone can post anything about your business at any time, and you can take control of your brand identity by making sure your social media profiles are complete and relevant.

Once you have the basics set up, you can search for communities that interest you.  These can help you with networking, continuing education, or even connecting with potential clients.  Try a search for local communities for more specific networking, but these offer a good starting point:

• General photography community: Google+ Photographers
• Wedding photography community: Wedding Photographers
• Fine art photography community: Fine Art Photography
• Photography education community: School of Digital Photography

Using social media to connect with other service providers and vendors is a wonderful way to get some free publicity.  G+ allows you to create circles to connect with others and be specific with what you share with whom.  Connecting a post to another business's G+ page gives you exposure to potential clients.  This is especially relevant to the wedding industry, in which word of mouth plays a huge role in booking clients.  Vendors love seeing professional photos of their product or service in action and will be excited to share it with their current and potential customers.  If I post this ring image on my G+ business page, I will want to be sure that the venue (a golf club, hence the tee and grass used to showcase the ring) and the jeweler both see it.  It is also an appropriate image to share with current, former, and potential clients.  If I wanted to post a discounted print offer to current clients, I would share it only with my "client" circle so as not to clutter the G+ feeds of the vendors to whom the post is irrelevant.  By creating circles, I can select any post to share with clients only, vendors and clients, all my friends, everyone on G+... the possibilities are endless!

The integration of Google's many apps, its keyword optimization, and the power of its name in the search engine business make G+ an important tool for your business.  For G+ tips straight from the experts, follow +GoogleBusiness.  If you already use G+ for your business, do you have any tips or techniques to share that have been successful in promoting your work or connecting with clients?  Please tell us in the comments!

Good luck getting started with your business page!

-Friday Ambassador