If your site includes this feature, you use our website admin to create B&A photo "Sets" by uploading a before and an after photo to the tool, giving a title to each, and a short description.
On sites that include the B&A Viewer, there will either be a link to it from the main navigation, or a link on the portfolio page. To see an example of the B&A in action, visit this Cincinnati OH Landscaper site.
The B&A Viewer is a flash based feature that is part of our pre-configured tool set, and cannot be edited on a site by site basis. It is the size that it is, and works the way it works. This means that there are some BEST PRACTICES you can apply that will help maximize the quality of the B&A viewer on your specific site.
- The viewer works best when you take the before and after images from EXACTLY the same location.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but we are constantly sent extremely mismatched photo sets that we're expected to "just photoshop" so that they look correct in the viewer. In most cases, no amount of photoshopping will help a set of images that are just too different, so pay particular attention when you are shooting. It may be a good idea to use some sort of small landmark to shoot from, such as standing at a particular crack in the sidewalk, or shooting from the same fire hydrant. Anything you can use to ensure that your B&A are taken from as close to the same spot as you can.
- Give your photos accurate file names.
This is particularly important if you are not uploading the sets yourself, but are sending them to us to upload for you. We have no way of knowing which photos you want to match together unless you clearly label them, even if it seems totally obvious to you which pics should go together.
When pics come out of the camera to a computer, they usually have file names like DSC00024.jpg. That means nothing to someone who is supposed to do something with that photo.
For B&A photos the recommended syntax for file names is:
name, before or after, set number
For example a good filename set might be:
brownhouse_before_1.jpg, and brownhouse_after_1.jpg
Why put a set number?
Because you may have several sets of the same location, such as both the front and the back of a property. So by including the set number, you can stipulate that although the pics are from the same property, they are a unique set.
For example, if you had more photos of the same property in our previous example, you could call them:
brownhouse_before_2.jpg and brownhouse_after_2.jpg.
Renaming the files will also help you keep them organized if you need them for later use on printed materials or any other reason. You will thank yourself the first time you don't have to wade through hundreds of similar DSC000xx's to find what you are looking for.
- The photos must be cropped to the correct size.
The B&A viewer wants your photos to be 490 pixels high by 455 pixels wide (490px x 455px). You can use the graphics editing tool of your choice to reduce the size of and crop the photos. If you do not have a graphics editing tool, you can always use a FREE online editor such as PIXLR.COM . If you absolutely cannot edit your pics on your own, we can do it for you provided you have followed the 2 preceding steps, however it will be up to us how the photo is cropped.
IMPORTANT: Make sure to make a backup copy of an image before you reduce the size/crop it, that way if you mess up, you can always have the original.
- Save your B&A images in a separate, clearly labeled folder.
Do not include your B&A photos in the same folder of images that you plan to upload to your site's photo gallery. This is especially important if you plan to send your B&A images to us to upload. Keeping the B&A images apart from the gallery images contributes to the organizational accuracy of our customer file for your site and also the speed at which we can complete the upload process.
IMPORTANT: You may want some of the AFTER photos in your sets to also be included in your site photo gallery. In order to do this we will need a separate version of the same photo, sized and cropped to different dimensions. I will be posting a "Photo Gallery Images - Best Practices" guide at some point in the future, but for now, know that we cannot simply use the same photo for both and plan accordingly.
- Create a .zip file of the B&A folder and send it to us via sendspace.com
Creating a .zip file is easy. If you do not know how you can learn here. Once you have created the .zip file, go to sendspace.com and send the file to whichever developer has been assigned to your site via their email address. Sendspace is FREE, and much faster than sending a CD, DVD, or USB drive by mail.
If you absolutely cannot make a .zip file, sending a CD, DVD, or USB drive is fine, but make sure to include some info about which site the images are for. Media with no info as to which site it is for is not helpful and will slow down site development dramatically.
Address your envelope to:
Your Developers Name c/o
Porterware
6710 Molly View Point
Cumming GA, 30041
By taking these items into consideration as you gather and prepare the images for your B&A section, you will get the highest quality results with the least amount of errors and delays. I hope this information is helpful, and if you have any questions, call us and we will be glad to give you further explanation.
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