If you think you don’t have the skills or software to make something for Postal Poetry, think again. The online image editor Picnik is free and easy to use. You can upload an image and add some text in a matter of minutes. And Jean says the latest version of Picasa has a really easy text tool, as well. You can find many other free options by doing a search for “online image editing.”
:-)
Turns out my usual photo editing software (Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album) can do this. Adding text isn’t the problem – that’s easy. I had trouble with the pixels/dpi instructions, because the software (Jasc, Picasa…) doesn’t seem to have anything (that I can find) that manipulates to those specs (if I resize to 600 pixels wide, it automatically makes it 450 high, and appears 7 inches wide; I don’t think I can manipulate the dpi). However, Jasc’s cropping options are in simple inches – eg, 3.5 x 5 inches, 4 x 6 inches, so I can do that. The dpi is whatever I shot it at (eg, 180 dpi).
Well, as long as the proportions are right and the image isn’t too small, we can resize to fit. But I’d be astonished if any photo editing software didn’t have a cropping tool.
Sure, Jasc has cropping and resizing, but resizing to 600 pixels wide gets me a 7-inch wide postcard, and resizing to 400 pixels wide gives me something tiny. Fortunately, I can crop to inches with Jasc, so the size I guess should be correct according to your specs. Really, I worked in high tech for 20 years and have been using various kinds of software for as many years, so I don’t know why I’ve had such a hard time translating from what’s requested (not just for postal poetry but other places) for photos to what photo editing software can do!
It’s Thanksgiving morning here. I came by to wish you and yours a very happy day, and to say how much I love the title of this post.
Love the title, too.
Funny that it took me a minute to realize I was looking at tire tracks. Love the image too.
Leslee – Damn, I wish I could sit down with you and see what you’re doing! I don’t have a fraction of your experience with this kind of thing, but that might actually be an advantage – I don’t have too many expectations for how these things are supposed to work. On the other hand, I’ll admit being defeating by certain interfaces. When I first tried out Flickr, for example – about 6 months before Yahoo acquired it – I couldn’t figure out how to do anything, and deleted my account after a couple days of frustration. A while later, when I tried it again, I was in a better frame of mind, I guess… but it still took me longer than it should’ve to figure things out.
Hi Robin and Laura! Thanks for stopping by, and I’m glad you liked the title. I was afraid the Billy Ray Cyrus allusion would be missed by most of my readership.
What a great image! (I missed the BR Cyrus allusion, I confess.) Terrific postal poem.
Hey, thanks! (I won’t hold it against you. What a hideous song that was.)
I’ve been enjoying Piknic, a great site. They have amusing little phrases the pop up while the program is working, in addition to their wide array of fonts and special effects.
I like the leaf heart on this photo, a tiny detail that links nicely to the poem.
That’s a terrific composition – wordwise and also image.
The surprise of pea-ish green!
Under dryblood red!
Anon. – That’s good to hear about Piknic. To be honest, I’ve yet to try it – being a Photoshop devotee – but Dana gave it a thorough vetting.
Sarah – Glad you like it. I spent an inordinant amount of time trying to find a font that seemed worthy of the image, finally settling on what seemed like a safe choice, if not a highly original one.
The photograph is striking – and I think the font compliments the image and the subject.