12/08/2011 - Using Picasa to Resize Images

I've had a few questions sent to me about using iPhoto to re-size images for different applications.  To be completely honest I find iPhoto to be incredibly clumsy and almost difficult to use.  The resizing abilities are very limited.  So if you aren't willing to shell out the cash for Adobe Lightroom, which I highly recommend, there are some free options out there.  Specifically Google Picasa.  I know that there are a whole lot of others, this specifically is the only other image editor that I've used.  So I'll stick with what I know.  Picasa has a ton of great features that I won't get into, but download it, its free and explore it.  If you don't like it find or buy another editor.  On a side note for Blogger.com users, it is super easy to get your photos from Picasa to Picasa Web and then your blog.  Its an option for you in your blogger image upload screen.

OK moving on.  Here's what your interface looks like, this is the library view:

At the bottom of the library view you will have multiple exporting options: Send to Google+ (which is where you would have Picasa Web albums), Email, Print, Export (this option is to copy and re-size to a different folder on your hard drive):

In library view you can highlight as many photos as you want and export a group (notice the highlight around the entire second group of images, hold shift and click the first image and the last image to select a group of images):

Or you can double click a single image and export it alone (the image shown is a composite of two images, I hope that isn't confusing):

I'll be showing you how to export to a folder on your computer (the export icon that looks like a folder with an arrow on it).  This is the export window:

First choose or create the destination folder you would like to export to.  Next use the Image Size> Re-size To> then use the slider to select the desired length of the longest edge of your photo.  If you are exporting for web 800 or 1000 is more than large enough.  After that, select your image quality, I would stick with automatic.  Add a watermark if you want, then click export.

Once the export is complete it will take you to the file you exported.

Pretty easy.  If anyone wants me to, I'll do another post on the other export options but this should get you started.  I hope this helps.  Thanks for checking back in and send me anymore questions you may have.