How to transfer pictures from camera to blog?

[peregrina2000]

Hi, everyone,

I am the resident village idiot when it comes to technology of all sorts, and here is my question of the day. I am watching how some of the people out there walking are able to add pictures to their blogs, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to do that.

I have a digital camera card, which I take out of the camera and put in a USB stick that I then put into the computer. When I open my blog (on blogspot), I see options for adding a picture from my computer or adding a picture from the web. But I don't see how I can add a picture from the camera card directly.

I don't want to download all the pictures onto a public computer, and I assume there must be some way to do this. Can anyone help?

Thanks, Laurie

 

[Andrewere]

H Laurie,

I just tried this on Blogger and it worked fine. On the new post page click the 'add image' icon then click on 'choose files'. On the left is a list of files. Under 'computer' is 'SD card' (my camera's card) and clicking this brings up the list of all photos on the card.Click on one and it will upload. I'm using the updated post editor which can be enabled by scrolling down to the bottom of the settings page.

I find Blogger very difficult in terms of positioning photos and text so I downloaded Windows Live Writer for free and this is a great wordprocessing tool specifically for writing and editing blogs.

I hope this helps,

Andrew.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Andrew,

Thanks very much for this -- I am now editing an earlier despairing post because I have made some great strides since I posted it, thanks to you. BUT I couldn't figure it out completely. Can I ask for some follow-up?

I figured out how to find the camera disk. The drive is entitled Canon-DC (G. There is a folder in it entitled DCIM and in that folder is another one, named 100 Canon. When I open that, there is a huge list of the are folders in it, all numbered img files. Is there any way I can tell which picture corresponds to each number without randomly adding one to the blog and waiting to see which one gets added? In other words, is there any way to view the actual pictures before downloading one?

Making progress!
Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Andrewere]

Hi Laurie,

With the file upload folder open and showing your list of photos, in the top right hand porton of the window you'll see a tiny black triangle/arrow. When you hover the cursor over it it says 'more options' and when you click on it you're given the option of picture thumbnail size.

Your question has reminded me of how few computers on the Via dl Plata allowed you to insert a camera card or memory stick. So I often had to use blogspot on my mobile phone to upload photos and used public computers to write text. Luckily Vodafone phones have blogger/blogspot built in to the camera function and mobile blogging is as easy as texting.

Hope this helps,

Andrew.

 

[alipilgrim]

Hi Laurie,

I've a 2-part answer. The 2nd part is in reply to the PM you sent me re: how I was blogging from the Camino de Madrid.

To answer your above question: it's not easy in Spain, especially as Spanish computerese is gibberish to me. I tried to use my camera stick to upload photos today at the Segovia library and they wouldn't 'see' my USB stick. I went to a private Internet/phone store and I could make it work.

Now I'll quote from the next, yet-to-be-published entry of my blog: allisonswanderlust.blogspot.com

I "heart" my iPhone! I email, read books, do crosswords, take notes, check weather, and can even make voice recordings (but I'm a little self-conscious talking to myself). I have the cell & data features turned off so it really is an iTouch but almost all hotels so far have had free "wee-fee", else I'll ask in the bars I pop in to.  Colmenar had free wi-fi outside the ayuntamiento so I just signed on while standing in the square, as did Mazanares (but I didn't have the code for the latter). Only issue is I can only post one photo per blog entry, so I need to find land-based Internet for more than that.

(basically, I just click on a photo, choose to email to blogger.com, then add text. I can then go to the blogspot website and edit it - all from iPhone)

The library in old town Segovia has free Internet, on Calle Juan de Bravo, the main drag up to the cathedral, located just past St Martin church (#10 on map), but I couldn't download pics from camera. I will try the pay internet place right across square from Tourist Office, above Farggi cafe ion 2nd floor.  Yup, €0.70 per hour, so I loaded more photos.

Thanks, Allison
Sent from my iPhone

 

[dougfitz]

Hi Laurie,
snip
Your question has reminded me of how few computers on the Via dl Plata allowed you to insert a camera card or memory stick.

This was also my experience. Very few albergue had 'modern' PC with the necessary ports or slots to accept either USB devices or a card. I had taken a card reader and USB cable so that I could download photos, and in only a couple of places on the Camino Frances were there machines that were fitted with USB ports.

The other options are 'Internet booths' in some bars, or internet cafes in larger towns. The internet booths were often not much better than the albergue - very old machines without the necessary ports, or the system unit was locked away so that one couldn't plug in a cable or card.

Internet cafes were better, and normally there was someone there with enough skills to help with things such as printing etc, and might perhaps be able to help with getting images transferred.

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, I'm duly humbled, Alipilgrim. I don't even understand much of your post! I am back at the Blog 101 level, nowhere near iphones or wifi!

Many thanks, Andrew, I have now learned how to get pictures from a card to the blog, but based on your comments and Doug's, it might not even be something I need to worry about. I walked the Vdlp last year, and didn't know how to post my pictures on the blog, so the lack of USB ports wasn't a problem for me!

But on the chance I will find some computers that will take my cards, I do have one more question. If I want to post pictures and text, is it best to put the pictures into the blog first and then write around them? I can't figure out how to write some, then add a picture, write more, then add another picture. Every time i add a picture, the pictures all go up to the top of the post. I must be missing something else!

Anyway, many sincere thanks for the help. Those of you who aren't "technologically challenged" have no idea how helpless someone like me feels when I hit a wall like this "picture on the blog" problem was.

One step at a time... only problem is, that the technology keeps moving way ahead of my slow steps at a time! Thanks again, Laurie

 

[Andrewere]

Hi Laurie,

I also have problems placing text and photos in blogger. So, I just write a block of text and insert the photos in a column below. Even then the photos sometimes move around and I often have to cut and paste the text when I've finished the post. You can also write an individual caption for a photo. It's not ideal but I can't find an easy solution online even though many people have the same problem!

Andrew.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks very much for the help, Andrew. My last question (I think) for right now is this -- if I do happen to find a USB port and can figure out how to put the stick and camera card into the proper port, is there any risk that I'll mess up the pictures on my camera card by doing something stupid inadvertently? Or can there be something in the computer that I'm unaware of that does something to my pictures?

Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

One of the biggest risks you can take on a public computer is to put in a flash drive or a chip in a chip reader. It then can transport viruses to your home computer when you plug it in. I am not sure that anyone has gone to the trouble to write viruses for cameras (though you can never underestimate the malice of virus writers), so the chip is probably safe in your camera. Your best protection against a compromised flash drive or chip is to scan it with a virus-protection program before you put it in your own computer. How you do this can be problematic. If your home computer has a good virus protection program, scan the chip/flash drive before you download anything from it. Be careful if your computer is set up to automatically download photos from a chip when it is inserted. You may get the virus before you have a chance to scan it!!

 

[alipilgrim]

Hi again,

The biggest problem I've found is that once you find a computer that will accept your camera stick, is that the pop-up windows, asking what you want to do with it, are all in Spanish! (duh!) so I rely on my memory of what line to click on and go from there.

As far as adding photos to my blog, I find it far easier to write the text first. Then, where you want to add a photo, click the mouse so the cursed is blinking there, then click on the "add photo button". The photo might cone in huge, but if you right-click the photo you can chane it's size and which side of the page it's on. And, to a certain extent, you can click and drag it where you want it.

Good luck!

 

[johnBCCanada]

Hi

I don't thnk this is how you are supposed to do a blog but I did text only and when I got home inserted pictures. I didn't want to spend time and get frustrated trying to figure out how to do this when I could be spending time with new friends, enjoying and exploring a new country. I'm not the most technically gifted and this seemed something that could wait til I got home. I didn't want to spend my limited time in Spain in front of a computer getting frustrated!

john

 

[alipilgrim]

I have close family members back home who are monitoring my trip through my blog so if I can spend one hour every couple of days on a computer to add photos to make it 'come alive' for them, I don't think it's time wasted or that I will miss out on anything.

To each, his own Camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, alipilgrim,

Just wanted to say I have tried to post a comment to your blog but get a red spot that seems to prevent the posting. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

But here is my message -- Beautiful pictures and what great descriptions, Alipilgrim. Thank you so much. Your pilgrim notes are all duly noted in my CSJ guide's margins. Ten more sleeps till I hit the road, so you will be off the Camino de Madrid before I even start. Can't wait, but your blog is a wonderful diversion from the endless dreaming about my next Camino. Laurie

 

[Caminando]

Agreed!

And it's a nice way for your people at home to keep up with your news....

Buen camino