The Arts in NYC

How to Add Pictures and Video to Your Blog!

Note: For basic blogging instructions, please see my first post: How to Blog!

Also, please be aware that storage space on this portfolio is limited. If you are going to add pictures to the blog directly, you must optimize them using GIMP. Videos must be edited and hosted on YouTube or Vimeo or another similar web site -- they should not be uploaded to the site directly. (Vimeo's system often produces better quality web video--do check it out!)

Adding Video:

Start writing a new post. I suggest writing your entire post BEFORE you insert any video. You should also collect the URLs (web addresses: "http://...") of the videos you want to use. When everything else is ready, use the tabs at the top right of the editing window to SWITCH from "Visual" view to "HTML" view.

In HTML view, click the "Media" button. A pop-up window will appear, asking for the URL of the video you wish to insert. Paste in the URL, and after saving and closing the pop-up, click on "Preview this Post" at the right to see if it worked.

You can switch back to "Visual" edit to add more text if appropriate. (Videos and photos should always have an explanation or context. They don't fully stand on their own.)

Special Video Note: For some sites, like Vimeo, you will have to copy and paste the video's embed code. This should be found on the page hosting the video. If this is the case, then you can past the embed code directly into your post, as long as you are working in the "HTML" view.

Adding Photos:

Start writing a new post. Just above the space for the body of the post, to the right, there is an "Add Media" section with 2 options:"Add an Image" and "Add Media." Click on "Add an Image." If you want to upload a picture you have on your hard drive, choose the "From Computer" option. If you would like to add a photo from elsewhere on the web, choose the "From URL" option. (Note: PLEASE be aware of copyright issues, and do not use photos that are illegal to distribute!) If you've got a photo online you'd like to use, and you don't know the URL, click on the photo while holding down the control key, and then choose "Copy Image Location" from the menu which appears. Then paste it into the "Link URL" box.

Optimizing Photos:

Reduce the resolution and size of your photos in GIMP before you upload them. (This is an application which is already on your Macbook.) For help with this, see me. If you already know how to manipulate photos, make sure you do the following:

• reduce the photo's resolution to 72 dpi (dots per inch)
• reduce the size. I suggest a maximum width of 500 pixels for this blog.
• crop the image to focus on what is most necessary or most important.
• if you are saving the file as a GIF or PNG file. pick the "interlaced" option. If you are saving it as a JPG pick the "progressive" option. Both of these properties allow the picture to load gradually on the page, first as a blurry image that becomes sharper or clearer.