What is the use of Picasa 3 ? Why is it needed ?

Picasa 3 has become very popular with photographers. His role? Sort, edit and share digital pictures on your PC. But it is capable of much more. Did you know, for example, that we can make a poster, call a pell-mell, to create a personalized screen saver or burn a gift CD?

If the functions in Picasa 3 are numerous and often impressive, achieving them is sometimes trickier. The ability to access the same function by different paths can lead to confusion among the user, whether novice or not. There are, for example, three methods to arrive at the tool for creating and editing a montage of photos. That's why we want to guide you through the maze of software from Google and show you its potential. I will explain everything and take you by the hand to help you do more with your favorite pictures. Finally, if it works perfectly with Windows XP and Vista, Picasa is now also for Mac!

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Download Picasa 3

Visit http://picasa.google.com. Click Download Picasa 3. Then click on Save File. Run the exe file and in the next window, click I Agree and then click Install. Then select the photos you want to index. We advise you to check Perform a full scan when you first use to easily find all your photos.

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Create a CD Gift

To provide a slide show to your friends, burn your images on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM directly from Picasa. But be aware that this CD-Rom is intended to be viewed on a computer and not on a DVD player.

1. Consider first to put the pictures in the order in which you want to see. Because once you start writing, you can not change. Click the folder you want to burn on a CD-ROM. Then click Create a CD gift, placed just above the thumbnails.
   
2. In the banner that appears at the bottom of the screen, you can choose the parameters of the CD-ROM. In the Selection and Settings, click Add to select the photos in other folders, and include them in the CD. Then check the records in question. At the bottom of the screen, in Box 1, in the drop-down menu entitled Size photos, choose Original Size. In the Name of CD gift, please fill in the field Name of the CD. This is the name of first file which is selected by default. Change it and possibly replace it by a more explicit.
   
3. If the CD is intended to be offered to friends, select Include Slideshow. Thus, as soon as you close the CD launch, they will only have to press the Play button to start the slideshow. You can also choose to include the Picasa software.
   
4. Just above parameters CD Gift display the number of files and their weight. An important fact to know what support, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, you must burn. If the weight data exceeds 700 MB, use a blank DVD. Then click Burn a disc. The burning operation starts.
   
5. People who offer you the CD or DVD-ROM can not only view the slideshow, but also copy the files on their hard drive, clicking on Save to Disk.

Make a Photo

A photo montage is a kind of pell-mell realized from pictures in a folder. Picasa offers a default, and many tools to customize: placing a background, change the position of the blocks, matching the bulk, mosaic, etc.. It is then possible to share them with friends or to make a screen.

1. In the folder tree in the photo on the left side of the page, select one by clicking it once. The photos in the folder appear in the central part of the page. You have three opportunities to create and edit a photo.
   
2. You can click on the menu Creation/Photo Editing ... or simply access a single click on Create a photo editing, second button from the left, just above the cliches. Otherwise, you can also access the tool for creating installation by clicking the button Editing, at the bottom of the page. The software creates a new page entitled Editing. To return to the main page, click on Photo Gallery.
   
3. By default, Picasa offers a mounting any fact that exposes all the images in the folder. But of course you can remove those who do not like. To do this, click the Pictures tab. Then select one or more pictures by clicking on it. A thin red border indicates that the image is selected. To select multiple, hold down the Ctrl key and click all the images involved. Then click Delete. Do not worry, photos will not be removed from your hard drive, but just the selection for mounting. Those that you removed is shown in the left column. If you have changed your mind and want them back into the pell-mell, as it does, click on the images to select, then click the green cross to Add the selected images.
   
4. It is also possible to add photos placed in another folder. To do this, click +. You are back in the Photo Gallery. Click on another folder and then in the gallery, select the one (s) you want to add. Items that you add are displayed at the bottom of the page. To return to your work in progress, click the Editing tab at the top of the page, or click Back to Editing, below. All photos are now new folder in the left column. As they are all selected, you can, click on the green cross, add them all at once. If, by mistake, you chose the wrong file, delete the images by clicking on the red cross.
   
5. Now for the layout. Click the Settings tab. You can do anything: change the arrangement of images, add a frame, a shadow, etc.. Start by selecting the available photos. Picasa proposes six. To access, click on the first, entitled Pile of images. You can opt for a mosaic, a grid, a contact, clicking in the menu on the description.
   
6. Once you have chosen the location of the photos, you can refine the design. Configuration Mosaic, for example, it is possible to play on the space between the images, by manipulating a cursor space between images. Battery mode images, it is even possible to have the photos manually, dragging and dropping, to rotate and change size. The cursor will turn into a cross.
   
7. You can also use one of your photos as background. There are two solutions: either you right-click on the photo in question and select Set as background. Or, in the section Options of the background check on Use an image, then click on the image and select Use the selected item. It is also possible, if you do not go for an image in the background, apply a color by selecting Color United.
   
8. Finally Choose the size and shape of your assembly. Depending on what you want to do, choose a vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape). Once it is finished, you can use it as wallpaper, click on Desktop background. You can also make an image in JPEG format to send to your friends, or save online to print, then click on Create a timeline. Plus there are pictures, the operation is more extensive.
   
9. At any time, it is possible to edit and modify it, even when it is finished and you click on Create a timeline. We just have to visit the Projects section in the tree folders, and then click Edit. Choose one and double-click it. The timeline is shown. Then click on Edit timeline.

Create a movie

More living a slideshow, a movie puts pictures in your scene by adding music and transitions original.

1. Position yourself on a folder and click the Create Movie button, above the thumbnails, or Film at the bottom of the page, or in the menu Create/Film ... You're in the tool Created Picasa film entitled Movie Maker. A title has been generated automatically, it is the folder you selected.
   
2. Click the first tab Film. In the section Audio Track, you can add music to your movie. Click Add and browse your hard drive to find a MP3 or WMA file to serve as background noise. In the menu, just below, select Add photos to audio. Choose the style of transition between images and time display of images.
   
3. Determine the size of images. If it is to broadcast online on YouTube, as you suggested, do not see too large a size of 640 x 480 will suffice.
   
4. On the Slide tab, you set the end credits of the film. Determine the font and size, and type in the provided field, the introductory text. For example: Our holiday in Goa with guest stars Papa, Mama, ...
   
5. Taking the Pictures tab. It lets you add or delete photos to the selection. Click More, and to go to the library and select other by clicking on it. To select multiple, hold down the Ctrl key and click each photo. Click on the tab Movie Maker to return to your movie. To add to the assembly, select it and click the green cross.
   
6. Finally, click Create a movie. Once Picasa has finished the operation, you can still edit the film, make changes. If you do not have to change, click Export the clip. You now have a video format. WMV, you can send to your friends.

If your recipients do not read the format .wmv, convert it. The site http://online.movavi.com doing it free for all files not exceeding 10 minutes and 100 MB

Design a poster

With Picasa, think big. The software lets you make a poster. To turn your photo poster, the software expands, then cut into several pieces, to allow printing on several sheets of paper. For a satisfactory result, of course, that the definition of the picture is the best possible.

1. Select first from the gallery, the image you want to make into a poster. In the Create menu, select Create a poster.
   
2. You must choose the size of the expansion. The software offers expanded from 200 to 1000%. More expansion is important, and the number of sheets needed increases. Before you embark on a giant poster, start modestly by 200%. You must also specify the type of format: 10 x 15 (one photo) or 20 x 25 (close to the A4). Select 20 x 25. Picasa also offers the option of overlap. This facilitates the mounting post, once all the pieces printed. Click OK. When you are finished, click OK. The dimensions of the page are changed at time of printing.
   
3. Then click on Photo Gallery to return to the photo gallery. Picasa creates, at the end of the file where the original image, a kind of puzzle, the constituent parts of your poster. Do not worry, your original photo is still there in one piece.
   
4. To print your poster, select each section by clicking while holding Ctrl key. The selection appears simultaneously at the bottom of the page. Then click the Print button at the bottom of the page. Picasa offers so many layouts, corresponding to the print size. For A4 size, full page and choose Crop on the page, so as to eliminate borders.
   
5. In the Configuration of the printer section, you may want to check when it is present, the Print Preview option. This limits the risk of errors. Also, click Verify. This option lets you know if the quality of photos is sufficient for printing. Then click on OK.
   
6. If you chose a poster of 200%, you will receive four A4 pages, representing the four pieces in your photo. Click the Print button. It only remains for you to assemble these four pieces running perfectly overlap, so that your poster is like a cubist work.

Give yourself a screen saver

After several minutes of inactivity, your computer screen displays what is called a screen saver.

1. To customize, select the Tools menu, Configure the screen saver. A window on the Settings screen saver opens.
   
2. Click on Settings to adjust the chains. In the Visual Effects menu, choose the type of sequence you want: fade, editing, scanning, panning and zooming, etc.. Then set the time display photos using the horizontal cursor just below. Uncheck the display of captions.
   
3. Select the images to scroll. Check Picasa, and then click Configure. A new window will open. If you have not defined any favorite photos, select the first option: Show the pictures in my album screen saver. Click OK.
   
4. Back in the window Screensaver Google Photos, click OK. Finally, in the Settings of the screen saver window, set the delay before the start of the slideshow screen saver. Then click Apply and OK.

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The tastes and colors ...
A fun feature lets you retrieve pictures from their color. Go to the Tools menu in the main window. Select Experimentation/Browse ..., then one of the colors. If you choose Orange, all images displayed predominantly orange in the gallery.

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Share your photos online

To view your online photo albums, make sure to Picasaweb. With a few clicks you can create photo albums online. The only constraint for the creator of the album, is to have a Google Account.

1. Select one or more photos and click the green arrow at the bottom of the screen, entitled Transfer. You will then be asked to provide your username and password Google.
   
2. In the first field Transfer this album to appear, by default, the folder title. To change, click New and enter the album name to replace the old one. You can also add a short description, such as Our vacation in Goa.
   
3. Choose the size of photos. Plus they are heavy and the transfer will be long. Choose, as you are advised to 1600 pixels. The people with whom you share your photos will be printed in a truly correct.
   
4. The next step is to determine what people will give you to access the album. If it is Public, anyone who knows the address (such www.picasaweb.google.com/UserName/NameAlbum) can visit. Choose Unlisted to ensure that only persons aware could consult.
   Finally, the option Login required before posting requires authorized visitors log in to their Google Account to access the album.
   
5. Once you have selected the security level of your album, click Transfer. When the transfer is completed, to go directly to your online album, click View Online.
   
6. On the main page of Picasa, all the photos online are now marked with a small vertical green arrow, bottom right. If you want to display them, click the small green arrow at the top in the middle of the screen.
   
7. If you have opted for a non-public album, you must launch invitations to your contacts come to admire your photos. Go to your album. Click the Share button at the top of the page. Then complete the fields Enter the e-mail message. Click Send.
   
8. Picasaweb now offers the ability to tag photos, ie to mark. The landmark site in all of the faces in your photos and to appoint the characters. On your Picasaweb page, click My Photos to view all your albums. Then click in the right side of the page, click Adding name tags. Appears a list of thumbnails of the faces detected in your photos. To associate a name, click the thumbnail. The face appears a little bigger, just below. Check your face and enter a name in the Enter the name.
   
9. Go back to your album by clicking the My Photos tab. Click on a picture with figures: a square appears when moving the mouse over one of them, with the name of the protagonist.
   
10. If some faces have been forgotten, you can manually tag. First scenario: a square appears on the photo, but without the name. Then click on Click to name, and enter the name. Second scenario: the face has not even been identified. Then click in the right side of the screen, the button marked with a + sign and a figure next to the word People. You do not have that then put them where the square appeared orange on the photo to enlarge if necessary, and to complete the name, then click Apply.
    
11. This tool will not only know who is on the photos, but also find all images showing doe or doe. So when you click the People tab, all the people you've tagged and photos in which they are displayed. This is a handy trick!