Click Here for printable instructions

A properly formatted picture is...

• Less than 500 pixels wide
  
    *400 pixels wide is recommended for photos uploaded to your home page
    *500 pixels wide is recommended for photos uploaded to your gallery
  
  
• Saved in jpg (or gif) format (not jpEg)
  
  
• Less than 100 kb total weight

Open your image with IrfanView

1. Click on the IrfanView icon on your desktop
   
   
2. Click on File
   
   
3. Click on Open

Resize your image using IrfanView

1. Click on Image
   
   
2. Click on Resize/Resample
   • You will see the Current size, in pixels, listed on the top left corner of the screen
   
   
3. Make sure the "New size:" radio button is selected
   • Do not select "percentage of original:"
   
   
4. Make sure the "Preserve aspect ratio" box is checked
   
   
5. In the Width box type the number of pixels you'd like your picture to be
   • Remember, the maximum width size is 500 pixels
   • When you change the width, the Height will automatically change so the picture stays proportionate
   • It is advisable the that Height of a picture be less than 500 pixels also. So you will want to change the greater of width or height to 500 (or less)
   
   
6. Click OK

Save your image as JPG using IrfanView

1. Click on File
   
   
2. Click on Save as...
   
   
3. Select the directory that you'd like to save this picture and make sure it is listed in the "Save in:" box
   
   
4. Type the name of the file in the File name: box
   
   
5. Select (*.JPG) JPEG - Files in the pull down menu next to "Save as type:"
   
   
6. Click Save

Try to upload

If you've followed the instructions above and resized your picture so it's less than 500 pixels wide and saved in jpg format, it should automatically be less than 100 kb weight. So go try and upload your new picture to your baby's web page! If your image exceeds 100kb but is sized correctly and saved in jpg format, you may need to tweak one more thing to get the setting correct:

1. Open your image file in Irfanview
2. Click File, then Save As
3. At the bottom right side of the window that pops up you should see a button called "Options" - Click That
4. Now you'll see a sliding bar that is titled "Save Quality" ... move that slightly to the left (closer to the "lowest")
5. Click OK
6. Click Save

Now your photo should be under 100kb. If not, do the above again, and move the sliding bar slightly more towards "lowest" until it is compressing it enough.

To check to see if your picture is under 100kb, find the file via My Computer, right-click it, then click 'properties' ... it will tell you the size there.

That's It!

If you follow the instructions above your photos will be a reasonable size for uploading or emailing to friends and family directly!

Macintosh Users

We are not aware of any free programs that are compatible with Mac. If you know of one, please let us know!. The program that most Mac users utilize is Apple's iPhoto - $49.00. Other programs we have found are GraphicConverter (5.31MB, Free to try, $30 to buy) and Viewing Booth Pro (4.25MB, Free to try, $28 to buy). If you download these programs please let us know what you think about them!