| Creating a photo album website can be a great | | | | only scan 35mm negatives and slides, while others |
| way to share your collection of old shoebox prints | | | | will scan photographic prints as well. |
| or slides (as well as more recent digital photos) | | | | Finally, you need to build your website and find a |
| with the public at large. The first step is to | | | | host to get everything online. There are |
| organize your best photos under various | | | | numerous software programs available online or |
| sub-headings. For example, you might have a | | | | at stores such as Staples or Office Depot which |
| large number of Hawaii vacation photos which | | | | can help you easily create the design of your |
| could be placed under the heading "pictures of | | | | website. You will need to purchase a domain |
| Hawaii". Or maybe photographs from another | | | | name for your site (available from many different |
| beautiful tropical setting which could go under the | | | | online vendors) and then find a web hosting |
| heading of "tropical island photos". Images of | | | | company to place it online by doing a simple |
| urban life might be placed under the heading of | | | | Google search (there are many hosting companies |
| "city pictures" and so forth. | | | | as well). |
| The next step is to edit out the ordinary or | | | | Or you can go the route I went which is to find a |
| mundane photos and only keep the very best for | | | | company which will provide you with software to |
| display. After all, you want your online visitor to | | | | build your site and also host it for you. There are |
| enjoy viewing as many of your photographs as | | | | several companies like this out there. However, |
| possible. This is not always an easy task so it | | | | the one I chose takes things much further. They |
| might be good to get a second opinion regarding | | | | also help you find and select a perfect domain |
| which pictures would display the best. | | | | name for your site and handle all the technical |
| After you have your photographs organized, you | | | | stuff regarding search engine submissions. And |
| need to make sure they are all in digital form | | | | they teach you how to build your site so it will |
| (unless of course, they were all taken with a | | | | generate lots of traffic (as opposed to having no |
| digital camera originally). All camera stores or | | | | one find your site once it is built). The cost of |
| drugstores which still process film can scan your | | | | their extensive website building and hosting |
| photos or slides onto a disc. The price for a | | | | program works out to less than $25 per month |
| scanned disc will vary according to what resolution | | | | and comes with an unmatched library of helpful |
| you require. However, the good news here is that | | | | tools for the beginner. I feel fortunate to have |
| photos scanned for web use do not need to be | | | | discovered this unique company and plan to stay |
| top quality scans to look good. Most computer | | | | with them for a long time. If you would like to |
| monitors display images at 72 d.p.i. (dots per inch) | | | | learn more about them, please click here and |
| and any scan you would receive would exceed | | | | scroll down the page about halfway. No matter |
| this minimum specification. | | | | which method you choose to build your internet |
| If you would like to scan your own images, there | | | | photo album, the pleasure derived from seeing |
| are many excellent scanners available in all price | | | | your photographs displayed online cannot be |
| ranges. Again, for simple web use and display, you | | | | underestimated. While it may seem like a daunting |
| do not need to worry too much about the | | | | task to undertake at first, creating an online photo |
| scanning resolution. However, if you would like to | | | | album is a great way to preserve and pass on |
| be able to make nice enlargements of scanned | | | | those cherished photographic memories that each |
| images, then purchasing a dedicated film scanner | | | | of us have. |
| might make sense for you. Some film scanners | | | | |