# NEW TO TPF? START HERE! How to upload and post photos



## Alison

In order to directly link a photo from a website to the forum the website where the photo is located the site must allow hotlinking. Or, alternatively you can purchase a subscription to TPF for $25/year that allows direct uploading of photos right off of your computer. The subscription can be purchased through your User CP.

There are several site that currently allow hotlinking. Photobucket and Smugmug are two that are commonly used by users here and have gotten good reviews. If you know of other sites that can host photos and allow hotlinking please feel free to add to this thread and we will try to update it as often as possible.

Once you have the photos uploading, follow these instructions to add your photos in a post:

-Find the photo you want and RIGHT CLICK it then scroll to "properties" and find where it says URL.
-Right click again and "copy" the URL.
-Create the thread where you want to include the image
-Use the IMG tags around your pic.
ie. click the insert image icon near the top of the post boc (it's black and yellow and has mountains on it)
it will produce this
then paste your URL beside the first tag without any spaces
lastly hit the blue insert image icon again.

Hit Submit and your photo should show up!

You also don't need to hit the Img Icon if you find it easier to manually do it yourself.
You can simply type
 inserturlhere
Note, when you actually paste the URL that you copied make sure there are no spaces between the tags and the URL.

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[B][COLOR=red]Jan 03, 2006[/COLOR][/B]

"Should you have an expressed need to post an image that is not yours, kindly provide [B]just the link[/B] to the image, [I]unless[/I] you have, and are able to show that you have, the permission from the photographer to post it here".


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## Corry

Very cool Alison..maybe we can un-sticky the other one?


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## lotusearth

Hi  

Noob here but I just wanted to tell you about another great site that will host your photos for free and has no linking restrictions, no upload limits, and much more! I'm talking about Photochimps.com. It all seems too good to be true but it isn't...so far I'm very happy with this site and I use it all the time now when posting pics for forums. Hope someone finds this useful :mrgreen: 

Peace,
Lotus


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## Meysha

Some people have been having trouble with the automatic rezising that photobucket does somewhat sporadically. So to help with that I've found this site:
Called www.flickr.com which unfortunately does have an upload limit but it's pretty big. But the great thing about it is that it automatically saves a bunch of different sizes for you to link to. So you can link to the original size, large, medium, small or tiny sizes.

It also sort of works as a blog if you want because you can add descriptions to the photos. You can also add labels (that people search for) and notes. Notes are little boxes you can actually put over the photo and you can write a note for it. (bit hard to explain but it's cool).

Only problem is, it's a little confusing to set up - there's lots of options but they're all hidden away and difficult to find sometimes. And it's still in Beta so it can be down sometimes but so far no problems.
If you're worried about people downloading your photos you can set it so people can't access your higher resolution pics, or just make them all private.


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## Royster

i tried to upload 7 images but its only showing 3 of them, what should i do? i followed what you said, is there a limit to how many images i can upload?


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## erniehatt

All seems to much trouble for me. Ernie


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## Hertz van Rental

erniehatt said:
			
		

> All seems to much trouble for me. Ernie


I thought that when I started - but please stick with it.
Once you have things set up it becomes simple.


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## Big Mike

It takes a few times before you really get the hang of it...but once you have the procedure down...it's easy as cake.

An important part of the process is to edit your images before you upload them, whether it's from scans or from a digital camera.  You don't need the PPI to be any higher than 72, and the size of the image in pixels should be around 600x400 give or take.  Also, most image software allows you to set the JPEG compression level when you save the image.  I usually set the compression between 30%-60% and it's not very noticeable when viewed on the web.  

By changing the actual size, PPI & compression of your images, you will be able to get manageable file sizes that are much easier to upload and also easier for other people to view.


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## Jaywalker

I have been looking for 2 hours to try and figure out how to put a picture on here. I am not stupid I promise.....please help me


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## Corry

Re-read the first post in this thread.  Alison explains it step by step there.  First thing you need to do, is get an account at http://www.photobucket.com and upload your pictures there. Then you link it to here, and use image tags, as she explains above. 

Or you can just donate $25 and become a member and you will get all the benefits, including direct uploading! :mrgreen:


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## PhotoB

I'm doing this and I can't get my picture to show up?! HELP!!

My Post

and here's the image link I'm trying to add (from imagestation)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid173/p4ee4cb9bef01d23f9dc3dc5c6aaf8bbe/f3a6058e.jpg


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## PhotoB

never mind.  I got it.


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## manfromh

http://www.imageshack.us is another one


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## travelpics

You can also host photos and submit to a gallery in this Photo Community site


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## macawlvr

My images keep coming up as thumbnails, is there an option to make them a full size photo on the forums page?

Trish...


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## Diego

I tried to upload my Picture via Bilder-Speicher.de, where it`s free. But it doesn`t work. I used it many times before, but this time I can`t post the picture, I only can post the link. Can anybody help me?


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## SleepingWolf

http://imageshack.us/

free, no registration, allows hot linking, allows BIG files!

enjoy


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## aishel

http://www.tinypic.com is another one!


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## pamcakes

i'm new to this site and wanted to thank you for the advice above re: loading pics. i just bought an apple macbook and am having trouble accessing my pics. i have shutterfly and was using irfanview on my pc, but i can't seem to make anything work on my new mac!!!! i'm signed up for a class but i'm just too impatient to wait, LOL! thanks, pam


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## Imagee

I subscribed to TPF this morning, partly because I wanted to upload directly from my computer...but darned if I can figure out how. Can someone help?


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## Big Mike

> I subscribed to TPF this morning, partly because I wanted to upload directly from my computer...but darned if I can figure out how. Can someone help?


Your account has to be activated by an Administrator...I'm sure one of them will get to it by today.


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## Chickenhawk

Hi,

You may not find the activation email, the one I recieved was in my junk email. Check there


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## terri

Imagee said:


> I subscribed to TPF this morning, partly because I wanted to upload directly from my computer...but darned if I can figure out how. Can someone help?


Big Mike is right - your account has to be activated, and I'm not seeing you yet on the list (just double checked). It's all pretty automatic - once you see the green "TPF Subscriber" under your name here, you'll know it's gone through.  

Chickenhawk has a good idea - check your email's junk folder. It could have been misdirected. I had trouble getting set up correctly myself, many moons ago! If nothing happens by tomorrow, I'll make sure the site owner, Chase, looks into it further for you.


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## Imagee

Thanks all. I've been checking my junk mail frequently but nothing yet!


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## Imagee

The activation of my subscription still has not come through. Can someone here find out why? It's been 24 hours.


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## Sspryte

When you post your photos to one of the free sites do you have complete control over who sees your photos? I can you design your own webpage and layout? I currently own my website but I can not affoard the bandwidth to hotlink my photos. I do not want to have to upload my stuff to TWO sites...that takes wayyyy to much time for me to remember what photos I have where. Is there any other easier way to do this?
Michelle


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## Big Mike

> When you post your photos to one of the free sites do you have complete control over who sees your photos?


Some site allow you to have public or private galleries.



> I do not want to have to upload my stuff to TWO sites...that takes wayyyy to much time for me to remember what photos I have where. Is there any other easier way to do this?


You could buy a subscription to this site, which will allow you to upload image directly to the forum...or use more bandwidth on your own web site.


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## Sspryte

Do you know the website addresses for the free galleries? And no I can not buy a subscription or add more bandwidth....I can not affoard it. 
Michelle


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## lukechin

Another alternative one uploadfree.us
.
.


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## dzustaparadox

I'm a noob'nsdewpyd.  Which thread can I upload photo's to without stepping on anyone?


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## lostprophet

dzustaparadox said:


> I'm a noob'nsdewpyd.  Which thread can I upload photo's to without stepping on anyone?



welcome to the forum

just click the NEW THREAD icon and start a new one with your photos in


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## lcskumar

Are there any limitations in terms of quantity in posting photos.How many at a time could be posted.


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## Big Mike

I don't think that we have a set limit to the number of photos...but it would be wise to keep it within reason.  It's only gets confusing when someone posts too many...because there are too many to make comments on.  If you have a whole gallery of images hosted somewhere....post some of the best ones and provide a link to the gallery.  If people are interested, they will visit the gallery and hopefully make comments on it, as a whole.


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## th3_man89

flickr can't hotlink??


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## Big Mike

I think you can now.


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## elis.g

How can I upload and post photos for critique and review?
My "http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/landscape-cityscape/165325-i-need-critique-advises.html" post has gone well visited yet not commented at all.
So maybe I did something wrong!

Please advise.


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## kalli09

th3_man89 said:


> flickr can't hotlink??



that's confusing


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## sbunting108

Thanks a lot  I was unsure how to upload photos


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## Merryheart

I can't figure out how to share photos using Flickr as the host.  Help?


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## vextr

Very cool


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## Fruto

My images keep coming up as thumbnails, is there an option to make them a full size photo on the forums page?


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## SouthernGent5983

I joined the site yesterday and I cannot post photos directly. I keep getting a message that reads "Security error occurred. Please press back, refresh the page, and try again." What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!!


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## goooner

Hi, 
I saw your photo of the old barn, but it was quite large. Try reducing the size and you should be able to post it directly. Alternatively you can link it from sites like Flickr.


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