| Want to put your art on a web page? Sure. So do I, but those files can be huge. Wouldn't it be better to put up thumbnail images, and then let interested viewers click those thumbnails to see the large versions? Of course it would. But creating all those thumbnails, and then making the page and linking the images to itwell, that sounds like hard work. Fortunately, there's a better way. Photoshop's Web Photo Gallery does the job for you. Layouts range from a simple page of thumbnails, each of which you can click to open a new window with a full- size view; table format, again with thumbnails; scrolling frames , to variations with patterned and colored backgrounds, including the familiar Microsoft navy and gray. You can also choose your own colors for background and type as well as for links. Last, there is a slide show format that changes images every 10 seconds. Figure 24.14 shows the Web Photo Gallery dialog box with the styles showing. Figure 24.14. Each style has a thumbnail view so you can see what you are choosing. 
Try it Yourself Making a Gallery Page Let's practice making a gallery page: | 1. | Before you begin, make sure that all the images you want to include are in one folder. If you are planning to use the image filenames as titles, check the spellings and remove file extensions. Then choose File  Automate Web Photo Gallery. | | 2. | Styles, the first pop-up menu, lets you choose how the pictures will be displayed. Select one of these as described previously. Enter your email address if you want it to appear as an information contact.
| | 3. | In the Source Images section of the dialog box, Click Browse (Windows) or Choose (Mac OS) to locate your folder of pictures, and choose a destination where you'll save the web page. The Options section lets you set up a title banner for your work, determine the sizes of thumbnails and images, and set text and background colors.
| | 4. | Choose Options Banner and enter a name for your page, as well as your own name if you want. Choose a font and size to display your type. There are only four fonts shown, all system fonts for Windows or Mac. If you try to hack the HTML code and put in your own fonts, chances are good that many of your website visitors wont have them and will see the type however it defaults. Bottom line: Don't bother. | | 5. | Choose Large Images from the Options pop-up menu and set a size and quality for the large display images. Add a border if you want. Decide what information must be given.
| | 6. | Choose Thumbnails (see Figure 24.15) from the Options menu and choose whether to use no captions, use the filenames as captions, or add captions in the File Info dialog box for each image. You can also choose a font and size for the captions, and decide whether they'll have borders. If you're using a table or another simple layout, you might select the number of photos in rows and columns . Figure 24.15. You don't have to have names or anything else if you don't want them.  | | 7. | Choose Options Custom Colors and choose appropriate colors for your pages background, banner, headline, and links. | | 8. | Options Security lets you place a copyright or other message on each picture. When everythings ready, click OK. | |
Photoshop will assemble the page according to your specifications. When it's complete, it will automatically open in your default browser. Figure 24.16 shows the web page I set up to show off my husband's newly rearranged home office. Figure 24.16. This office is clearly the home of a sports fan. 
Photoshop lists the images alphabetically . If you aren't happy with the type size or font, the background color , or any of the other settings you've made, now is the time to go back and change them. The File Info dialog box (choose File File Info) holds captions, titles, and other important data. Once youve made your changes, run Web Photo Gallery again to update your pages. |
