Microsoft's Windows XP operating system has a free gadget to resize images like magic. You who regularly read Digital Grandparent (and I thank you!) know I use a lot of Adobe software. Photoshop and Elements are part of my digital photo life, but sometimes I just want to get ‘er done fast, reduce or enlarge photos quickly, and then move on.
Reduce or Enlarge Images in a Snap First, I downloaded Image Resizer, a free program that comes as part of the Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP package. If you just want Image Resizer and not the rest of PowerToys, scroll down the right column of the page I linked above to the list of downloads. Once you're on that page, locate the program called ImageResizer.exe, click the link and download it. From my computer desktop, I just double clicked the file to install it.
I always take digital pictures at a fairly high resolution. My camera allows a variety of sizes from email-friendly up to a format called tiff, which is so big and detailed that only professional print shops use it. Typically, I shoot at my highest jpeg resolution.
Now What? Ok, so, I've taken some photos at a good resolution (12-20 megabyte files), downloaded them to my computer (XP operating system only) and renamed them so I can tell what they are. Names assigned by the camera, like dsc0123, don't do it for me.
Now, I might email some of these pics to my son up north. I might print some and I might enlarge a few.
Each of those uses needs a different size image file -- I surely don't want to email a 20 megabyte file -- it would take him all day to download it. And I can't make a nice print or enlargement from a tiny file.
1. In Windows XP Explorer, I locate the photo I want to resize. I select the photo, set the View menu on the Windows tool bar to thumbnail. Right clicking the photo thumbnail, I select resize picture.
2. A dialog box opens and offers me sizing options. Small is good for email and web sites. Large works for printing. I ok my choice.
3. Image Resizer makes a duplicate photo in the new size. My original hasn't been changed – I can use it again and change it to any size I want.
4. Here comes the coolest part – I can change a bunch of photos all at once by selecting the first one I need, holding control, and selecting the others I need. Following the process above, all the selected images will be resized together.
This is a real time saver – especially if you take lots of pictures or you're into scrap-booking or you have a personal or family website. It also makes photos instant-message ready. The price is right, too, no?