Pictures & graphics

We use the word "graphics" to represent photographs, drawn or painted images--any visual image except video, which we do not support.

There are many different types of graphic files, because there are different companies making graphic design programs. Also, different file types offer different capabilities.

You can tell a picture or graphic file by its extension--the characters followed by a dot at the end of a file name. Common ones are: bmp, gif, jpg, png, and tif.

We accept photographs and graphic files for all notice categories. Please use jpg or gif files and make sure the file size is 20k bites or less.

File size

The file size is not necessarily related to the physical size of the picture.

What does 20 Kbytes mean? Most photographs coming out of digital cameras are in hundreds if not thousands of Kbytes. In other words, 800 Kbytes is 800,000 bytes of digital information, close to 1,000,000 bytes, or one megabyte of information. So many photographs from digital cameras will need to be reduced in digital size in order to reach our 20 Kbyte limit for posting.

Graphic file size can be reduced by reducing the physical size of the picture, and/or by compressing the digital information in the file.

Compression

File compression means the digital information stored in a file has been reduced by consolidation using a code that is later applied to render the picture when the file is activated. An analogy would be a sponge folded up to remove some air.

Graphic programs

Different graphic programs work...differently, but if yours offers edit functions, then you probably can compress and reduce the size of your graphics. Unfortunately there are too many programs and versions for us to cover their functions here.

Degrees of compression

In meeting the 20 Kb requirement, files with jpg extensions (sometimes seen as Jpeg, pronounce jaypeg) should first be compressed, rather than reduced in picture size. Just making a jpg picture smaller--not compressing it--can distort the picture. First try compressing the file, then if needed reduce the picture size.

Reducing physical size

If you cannot reduce a jpg file sufficiently through compression, then you should try either reduce its physical size or converting to another format (it's not as bad as it may sound - most programs will step you through the process).

Gif files can be reduced in size by making the picture size smaller without distortion, or they can also be compressed.

Conversion

Conversion to a different picture format is another process by which file size can be reduced. Files ending in bmp are often large, and can be converted to either jpg, or gif files with an appropriate graphic program. Gif files are often smaller normally, and are a suitable format for conversion.