Image editing with Irfanview

(e.g. Cropping the Barn Owl from this landscape photo at a size of 700px x 525px):

• Crop the image to the desired height first (leave the width at maximum for now)
  • Click and draw a rectangle on the image where you want to crop it. You can adjust the size & shape of the box by clicking on any edge – then drag & drop.
    • To drag & drop: keep the left mouse button pressed down while moving the mouse – then let go when the line is where you need it.
  • Click ‘Edit‘ -> Crop selection from the top drop-down menu.

• How to set the height (e.g. to 525 pixels):
  • Click ‘Image’ (on the task menu) -> then ‘Resize/Resample’
  • Check ‘Pixels‘ and enter the height you want into the box (in this case 525),
  • Make sure ‘Preserve aspect ratio’ is checked. (For most photos uncheck ‘Apply sharpen…)

• Click ‘OK’.

• Then crop the resized image to 700px width by dragging and dropping as before.

• The size you are cropping to can be seen along the top edge of the screen. (The inner 2 numbers, where it says ‘Selection’.)

You now have the option to add a watermark or text before optimising the file size and saving your image.

Crop &/or resize the photo first (but don’t optimise the file size yet.)

• Click ‘Edit’ -> ‘Insert overlay/watermark image’

• X-Coord: = 30

• Y-Coord: = 30

• Start Corner = Right bottom (or wherever is appropriate for your image.)

• Choose the file location of your image or watermark. (The Choose button will open the folders on your computer – navigate to the image you want.)
  • Watermark images are best created as a PNG file type which allows you to have a transparent background.

• Click on the button to see a preview – adjust the position if necessary.

• Click ‘OK‘

Crop &/or resize the photo first (but don’t optimise the file size yet.)

• Drag and drop to draw a box in bottom LH corner (if a watermark is in RH corner) – or wherever you want the text. Leave some space around the box (don’t draw the box right up against the edge of the photo.)
  • To drag & drop: keep the left mouse button pressed down while moving the mouse – then let go when the line is where you need it.

• Click ‘Edit’ -> then ‘Insert text’

• Type the required text in the box that appears

• Click ‘Append copyright’ to add the copyright symbol

• Click ‘Font’ to open a window where you can select font style & size:
  • For example, try Arial, size 14
• Click ‘Color‘ to open a window where you can select the font colour:
  • Try white – or if this won’t show up – try black.
• Other settings to try:
  • Background = Transparent
  • Text transparency = None
  • Text alignment = Left

Click ‘OK’.

About image copyright

Under ‘File‘ Click the ‘Save for web’ option:  

• Click the  ‘JPEG’ tab (unless you are working with a simple graphic image, such as a diagram – use GIF.)
• Set the ‘Quality’ slider button to about 85; (Outdoor shots with a lot of detail, such as leaves, may need to be saved at a lower quality – perhaps 70.)
• Check the image file size – this should be between 20 and 85 KB. Around 30 – 50 KB is often ideal – but it depends on the image. (Over 100 KB or less than 10 KB might cause problems.)
  • For more information see: Why do I need to edit my images?

Click ‘Save’

• File name: type in a new file name which describes what is in the photo (e.g. barn-owl-flying-daytime)
  (See Naming Images)