posted on October 17, 2005 08:17:53 AM new
Hi!
I was wondering if there is a better way...
I spend time taking photos of the merchandise. Then I use PhotoDeluxe Program on my computer to change sizes. They come out huge, so I spend time re-sizing each to normal looking size. Then I have to name and save each one, so I know which is which. Then I spend time uploding them to my internet providers storage space.
Basically, I spend lots of time dealing with each photo. I have 3-4 on average on each auction.
Is there a better way?
Mostly I wonder if there is a way to have pics uploaded from my Sony Cybershot to the computer in a photo size that can be used directly in auctions, without having to resize and rename each ?
Is there an easy to use program out there?
Please help if you can....
Thank you!
posted on October 17, 2005 08:57:08 AM new
You should have the ability to shoot your pictures at 640 x 480 dpi. My Mavica has several different settings, and I always shoot at 640 X 480 for eBay. I don't have a problem with editing that way, and since most computer screens can't display over 800 lines, there's no need for better quality pictures.
posted on October 17, 2005 09:01:27 AM new
I use Photoshop. For regular photos of merchandise I spend a couple minutes tweaking color balance and light then resize and I am done. It takes longer to copy the pics over to my computer than it does to edit them. Then again I have been working with photoshop for over 10 years so it's second naure. Maybe it's just a matter of time for you because opening, resizing and saving a photo should not even take a full minute.
On pic of my full time merch (stuff that is always in stock) I spend a great deal more time but that's because I have a branded look to those items. I don't mind spending extra time on those because once it is done it is done forever and I can use it until I decide to no longer carry the item.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
An intelligent deaf-mute is better than an ignorant person who can speak.
posted on October 17, 2005 09:27:44 AM new
does your software offer macro?
you can create a macro for resizing and apply to all the pics you are ready to save on your pc.
Why cant you save the pics on your pc and then have Ebay come and upload it to its site??
also if you use multiple pics per item,you can stitch these pictures together and make it one pic.
No matter how you slice it,selling on Ebay is damn time consuming.
[ edited by hwahwa on Oct 17, 2005 09:28 AM ]
posted on October 17, 2005 10:32:32 AM new
Are you a Vendio Member and do you have Windows XP? If so, you may want to look into their XPresss Image Publisher. Here's the skinny on it...
Now Vendio customers running Windows XP can upload images into Sales Manager faster and easier than ever. Vendio XPress Image Publisher lets you easily:
* Upload images directly from your digital camera
* Upload an entire folder of images stored in any Windows directory
* Upload standard or high quality ZoomStream Images
Vendio XPress Image Publisher for Windows XP enables you to efficiently upload images to Vendio using Microsoft's Web Publishing Wizard. The wizard can be accessed from any folder containing an image or when you connect your digital camera to your computer. Simply follow the wizard's short easy steps to upload standard or ZoomStream images to Vendio.
posted on October 17, 2005 11:08:12 AM new
In Photoshop Essentials, I can crop, adjust levels, resize and save for web in probably 20 - 30 seconds per photo. I use SMPro, so I just drop the photos into my auction and they get uploaded when I upload the auction information.
Every consignor gets his or her own folder, wherein are contained the .awb files for the auctions, any Word files associated with the auctions, and a naming scheme that consists of part-name-of-consignor, something with mnemonic value (e.g, NikonF, carverCD), and a number (for practical reasons, I start at 9 and decrement).
I view the folder when I'm putting the auction together, and away I go.
posted on October 17, 2005 11:08:33 AM new
I have an Olympus C5000 Zoom. I can use variou settings, I usually 640x480 for my eBay pics.I use the Camedia software that came with the camera. I can crop, enhance the lighting, contrast, & sharpen the image. I guess that it takes about 10 minutes to do the complete job including taking the picture. I usually take 3 or 4 & then use the best ones. Its nice to be able to shoot extras w/o the cost of film. I have seen some really lousy pictures on some of the auctions that I have looked at. The seller has taken no pride in the quality of their pictures.
posted on October 17, 2005 11:48:07 AM new
First of all, thank you all. I knew I can get some good advice here.
max40:
I am using old software (since '97), that I got when I started ebay, I am so used to it that it's hard (and scary), to change.
It's a good one Adobe, PhotoDeluxe, but sometimes it freezes and gives me trouble and etc, etc...
hwahwa:
My camera seems to have email mode, that will produce pics way too tiny for auctions. Otherwise, in good quality, they are huge. Macro mode on my camera does not change the size of pics. How do I get "... Ebay come and upload it to its site..." you mean the upload pics feauture in the "sell"?
Stiching pics together will make files load too long for people to view.
fenix03:
I just end up spending hours in total on pic alone, I figured there is a better way outhere and I need to find it.
cta:
I have Windows ME. I am not a Vendio user. Program you mention sounds good, but they don't mention if you able to resize pics.
cashinyourcloset:
Photoshop Essentials ... Is that software that you buy or download? Where?
sanmar:
I too like pics to be of good qulaity. I looked at few other programs including the one that came with the camera and one that's offered for free with Comcast, but none have 1 feauture I need, the re-sizing.
Does almost everyone ends up re-naming your pics, so you know which goes with what listing?
If anyone has Sony Cybershot DSC-P92, I would love to hear from you.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! Please, do keep it coming! With some of these ideas I just might survive ...
posted on October 17, 2005 12:35:22 PM new
Just checked a camera review site, and your camera has a setting for 640 x 480 (called a VGA setting). Why don't you try shooting at that setting, and see how large the pictures turn out. If the color and composition are good to start with, you shouldn't have to do any editing.
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/p92_pg3.html
posted on October 17, 2005 01:10:19 PM new
max40 & pandorasbox... Thank you both.
max40: you are so right, there is such a thing, I never found it on my own. It will eliminate lots of time wasting for me. I was a little worried about the quality, it changes with the size. I tested and size is good and quality is fine. I still have to rename and save. Then transfer to the web.
In any case, you already saved lots of boring and wasted time for me and I thank you very much for going the extra mile and checking it out for me!!
posted on October 17, 2005 01:38:23 PM new
cherachel,
I meant to say Photoshop Elements (I'm constantly calling it Essentials). Pandorasbox referred to it subsequently. I personally use version 3, which has a few improvements that I find useful. OTOH, it costs more than v2.
I must respectfully disagree with Max about shooting at the image size that you will upload. I use a 8 MP camera, which admittedly is overkill for eBay, but I find that photos come out much better if you shoot at high resolution and then save-for-web at your desired size and jpeg quality. Just my $0.02. Please don't look at my current auctions for validation, as my camera is in the shop (ARGH!) and I am using a loaner camera.
posted on October 17, 2005 02:39:44 PM new
One of the reasons that your Adobe is freezing is because you are using ME. Get XP Professional & it won't happen anymore. ME is just a step up from 98 which had the same problem. I bought XP Pro on the internet (not OEM) new in box from a reseller in Germany. It is registered to me & I get the latest upgrades automatically.
posted on October 17, 2005 03:52:53 PM new
when you use Ebay pic hosting on the sell page,it will upload the pic from your pc file.
but you said you usually have multiple pics per auction,then if you use this feature,first pic is free,after that it is 15 cents per extra pic.
posted on October 17, 2005 04:35:58 PM new
Glass- he was referring to macros for your computer, not on your camera and there are macros for many programs that allow you to set it to automatically do tedious tasks (Like resizng multiple photos).
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
An intelligent deaf-mute is better than an ignorant person who can speak.
posted on October 17, 2005 05:35:01 PM new
Quote: does your software offer macro? you can create a macro for resizing and apply to all the pics you are ready to save on your pc.
This is what I thought you were referring to.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
An intelligent deaf-mute is better than an ignorant person who can speak.
[ edited by fenix03 on Oct 17, 2005 05:35 PM ]
posted on October 17, 2005 05:36:45 PM new
I honestly think that once you get used to a program, you can edit and save a photo for the web in 30 seconds or under. When I'm on a caffeinated roll, I think it probably takes me 2 or 3 minutes to process 20 photos of 5 different items being saved to different directories. After all, it's not art, it's eBay.
posted on October 17, 2005 05:45:46 PM new
I do my auction and website photos in batches. First set your digital on a decent tripod or clamp and preset the focal range, ISO, and pixel size for similar items in a series. Also pays to set the white point so you get the best exposure for conditions.
After image capture I process them in Adobe Photoshop 5.5 after download them to my Mac. I then run one of several automated scripts to optimize the images and resize them, before saving them as jgeg images suitable for the web. Same goes for Windows users.
posted on October 17, 2005 06:06:46 PM new
PhotoDeluxe is crippled, old and butt slow. Get a different image editor.
____________________________________________
Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on October 17, 2005 06:11:21 PM new
If you can't swing PhotoShop, get PhotoShop Elements. It comes with all sorts of scanners and cameras, or if you have to buy it, it'll be the best 90 bucks you ever spent. Like fenix, I use PhotoShop ( Creative Suite 2). I don't have it for Ebay, but because I like to take pictures as a hobby. For Ebay, I shoot all my shots at full resolution in the camera. Downsizing in the camera will make your shots less than their best. Then I resize in PShop and do any tweaking that's necessary, and usually put a drop shadow frame on them...maybe takes a minute total per shot.
____________________________________________
Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on October 17, 2005 06:18:27 PM new
I think regular PhotoShop is way too complicated and too many features for a normal Ebay seller.
But - I do have to admit I love my PhotoShop Elements 2.0. I wish I had 3.0! Anybody want to send me a copy? I promise not to try to register it or upgrade it!
Who was it that said PhotoShop Elements 1.0? (earlier version) was even easier - was it photosensitive? And it's even cheaper. I used to have it - probably still do somewhere. There isn't much difference in the actual software usability between the two IMHO.
Ahhh - here it is: It was eauctionmgnt. He teaches a class in PhotoShop Elements.
posted on October 17, 2005 06:23:59 PM new
soliciting unlicensed software..tsk tsk...too bad you don't have a Macintosh...
____________________________________________
Habla siempre que debas y calla siempre que puedas....
posted on October 17, 2005 07:11:08 PM new
How about Irfanview?
It's free, it's easy and it has a great batch rename/conversion function that can do a whole bunch of files at once. It will resize, tweak, rename all at once if you want!
posted on October 17, 2005 07:59:17 PM new
Glassgrl,
Aside from the photo catalog functions of 3.0, the only big improvement I found in the editing functions is the healing brush. Using the brush for auction photos has an ethical issue attached, but I use it if the background paper was dirty, and sometimes if I missed a piece of dust on the item itself, but only if it truly is easily removable and all I'm doing is saving myself a reshoot.
Claude
[ edited by cashinyourcloset on Oct 18, 2005 08:07 PM ]
posted on October 17, 2005 08:12:57 PM new
Glass - Do what we did for my step last year. Bought him an older version of Photoshop for much less than normal pricing and then when he got up to speed on it, got the upgrade.
Prof - I only wish now that I could convince him to shoot high res and then SAVE the high res versions. He's a phenomenal photographer but he is computer illiterate and he's afraid to save images to his hard drive for fear of filling it up (he has 200 gigs of hard drive space). There is an agreement already between me and his daughters that when he passes I get control of his photos (split any proceeds derived but the marketing is mine to control) but if he doesn't start saving something at larger than 5x8 96 DPI there is going to be nothing but 20 year old negatives and slides.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
An intelligent deaf-mute is better than an ignorant person who can speak.
posted on October 18, 2005 01:36:18 AM new
I use a Mavica, its great, easy, fast. About average 5 photos each auction, mainly books, even with 2 special lights I have found that if I shoot at 75% resolution at 1.5 lighting setting I don't have to fiddle with the pictures, can just upload right to eBay as is. Over 75% they seem to take too much space.
As far as naming your photos to keep track of them, I used to apply a unique name to each one but it was so time consuming.
Then I came up with an easy-to-use A-Z alpha-numeric system,
like this:
6a6 Shogun
6b3 Trout Fishing
The second number is the number of pics for that item. When I'm uploading to Vendio now, instead of typing in words or anything, it is so easy just to use the numeric keypad on the computer with the small-case letter in the middle and bang off 6a1 enter, 6a2 enter, 6a3 enter, etc.
I keep a record of these in a notebook, check-marking them when uploaded to Vendio, second check-mark when uploaded to auction, and then a X when taken off of Vendio once the item is sold.
It's also extremely easy to find a particular picture in the notebook this way, rather than by title reference, you just go to page 3, or whatever and look it up, can always find the picture reference if you have to, by left-clicking on the pic with your mouse.
Not very complicated really, and I have found this alone saves hours of time every month of previously mind-numbing work.
Good luck!
[ edited by upriver on Oct 18, 2005 01:39 AM ]
