C
atskill
H
iker
Another interesting program I ran across is Flash Slideshow Maker by ANVSoft. THis is more limited than Jalbum and does require Flash to be installed to work. However it does a nice jib of displaying pictures. The free version simply adds an advertising screen to the end of the slide show. Purchasing removes the advertising slide. Try looking at this slide show made using the program.
Flash Slideshow
Another option is to use Photoshow by Simple Star which allows you to control the exact sequence of images, their various transitions and allows you to add music to the presentation. This is more work and less "automatic" than some other programs but you get better control. The photoshows can be posted to your own website or viewed locally on your computer. The software is "free" with Road Runner broadband. Simple Star also has a website that allows you to do much the same work online and they provide a place to host your album at no cost. Try looking at this slide show made using the program.
Photoshow 5
Perhaps the most interesting new presentation method is PicLens by Cooliris. This actually consists of two parts; a program to help you set up your albums and a browser plug-in. The program is rather straightforward. You supply an image folder and a destination folder and it creates all the files needed for the display. These can be viewed on your own computer or posted to be shared on the Web. Without the browser plug-in the show is a perfectly acceptable image slide show. With the plug-in, available for both Explorer and Firefox, the fun begins! The display becomes a 3D experience which you can best see by clicking on one of the links below. You can download the plug-in from the link above or from the show. Try looking at this slide shows made using the program.
Three Mines
Four Mines
Ricketts Glen
Displaying a rotating sequence of pictures that can be easily viewed but that will continue without user intervention is always interesting. I tried various methods using Java and JavaScript but all were too difficult or lacked something. I switched to a service called Web Pasties which offers this and several other neat services. There are at least two drawbacks. The cost is about $100 per year for a set number of "feeds" and extra "feeds" cost extra money. Every click by a viewer, including me, is a feed. The number of feeds is generous and I have a LOT remaining each year. I keep those feeds but I must continue to pay for the subscription even if they are not used. In addition, the image rotator is limited to 40 slides. In many cases this is enough but in some it is not. I ran across the JW Imagerotator when was trying to find a way to display videos. Using it requires an ability to follow simple instructions and to edit some files. If you want a completely automatic process, then try something else otherwise give it a chance. Try looking at this slide shows made using the program.
Best Hiking Pictures
Taking pictures of my hikes had become almost as important to me as the hiking itself. I sometimes forego bagging a peak to go to a place with better views. I often venture to places I have not been to see new views and take new pictures. Sometimes I return to places to get better or different shots that I missed the last time I was there. Taking photographs for me is a way to document my hikes and a way to share the beauty of nature with others.
I am currently using a Kodak Z650 camera with 6 megapixels and 10x zoom. This camera takes very nice pictures which even look good when enlarged to poster sizes. I have started to get off full auto and experiment with different settings. The camera also takes decent videos and I can now display them on the site!
I got a Canon EOS Xti DSLR for Christmas and am just starting to really learn how to use it. It is bulky particularly since I have a 75-300 telephoto lens along with the supplied kit lens. It is hard for me to carry my pack AND the camera case so I have to figure out how to do both. A case that fits the camera and a separate case for the lens so that I can put both in the pack seems the best bet. There are places where I can take the camera and I have gotten some good pictures. For all the "bother" I have to admit the picture quality and versatility beats the point-and-shoot.
I have been thinking about a new point-and-shoot lately. I am leaning towards the Canon S5 or the Fuji 8000. To be continued...