How to Use the Polaroid Module

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Getting the Polaroid Module "Just Right"

The Polaroid Module allows lensmasters to quickly upload a single picture to create a Polaroid-like image within the lens, a photo with a white border.

The benefit of the Polaroid Module is that you can upload a large image easily without needing to use or know any HTML.

The Three Bears help explain what to do to get the Polaroid Module, "Just Right" and also some unique ways to use the Module to enhance your lenses.

Note: Lensmasters who have found unique uses of the Polaroid Module are encourage to add their lens to the lens plexo.

Adding the Polaroid Module 

  1. Find the Polaroid Module
    Look under Add Unique Content in the Module picker. You can also find Polaroid under "P" in the A - Z section.
  2. Add the Polaroid Module
    One you find the Polaroid Module add the module to your lens.
  3. Add a Caption
    Give your photo a caption. The length is one line only, so keep it short.
  4. Upload a photo
    Upload a photo from your computer. Simply click the "browse" button and find the image on your computer.
  5. Admire Your Polaroid Photo
    Take a minute to see how a large image enhances the look and feel of your lens.

This Image is Too Small

Information about This Image is Too Small 

Dimensions of this image: 300 pixels width, 360 pixels height

Size of this image: 19 kb.

You can see how the image above looks distorted, because it has been stretched and enlarged to reach the 400 pixels needed for the Polaroid Module.

This Image is Too Big

Information about This Image is Too Big 

Dimensions of this image: 500 pixels width, 600 pixels height

Size of this image: 40 kb

While the 500 pixel image above does not appear distorted, at 40 kb, this image is twice the file size of the 'too small' image and not needed for the Polaroid Module.

This Image is Just Right

Information about This Image is Too Just Right 

Dimensions of this image: 400 pixels width, 480 pixels height

Size of this image: 28 kb

The width of this image above perfectly fits into the Polaroid Module. This size is 28 kb, which is a large file, but not nearly as large as the 'too big' image file.

Determining Polaroid Image Dimensions 

The Polariod Image can be oriented in two different dimensions.

Horizontal
With a horizontal orientation, the 400 pixel width is the largest dimension of the image. The height can vary with any dimension under 400 pixels.

Vertical
With a vertical orientation, the 400 pixel width is the smallest dimension of the image. The height can vary with any dimension over 400 pixels.

Note with the Vertical Image: The vertical image below has a height of 500 pixels, which may be close to the height of many computer screens. A Vertically oriented Polaroid image may fill the entire computer screen.

Horizontal Polaroid Dimensions

Vertical Polaroid Dimensions

Tips for Using the Polaroid Module 

  1. Finding the Polaroid Module
    Look under Add Unique Content in the Module picker. You can also find Polaroid under "P" in the A - Z section.
  2. Getting the Image Size Right is Critical
    The size of the module is based on the width. The optimal width is 400 pixels. The height can vary to create horizonal images, or vertical images.
  3. Adding a Title
    Short titles work best. 47 characters will fit under the image.
  4. Uploading the Image
    Uploading the image is simple. Just click on browse, find the image on your computer and upload the image into the Polaroid Module.
  5. Including Copyright Information and Image Credits
    There is no way to directly add copyright information or image credit to the image. Several ways of doing this are provided below.

The most important thing to know about the Polaroid Module is that the images look best at 400 px wide.

Horizontal Images - Three Bears

Using Horizontal Images 

Dimensions of this image above: 400 pixels width, 218 pixels height

Size of this image: 15 kb

Horizontal images end up being smaller files.

Vertical Images - Three Bears

Using Vertical Images 

Dimensions of this image above: 400 pixels width, 460 pixels height

Size of this image: 38 kb

I find that it is often very difficult to get the vertical images to be much smaller than 30 kb, without losing some of the image clarity.

About the Three Bears - Group of Bears 

This bronze sculpture "Group of Bears" by Paul Manship (1885-1966) depicts a group of three bears on a circular stepped pedestal. Located at the Pat Hoffman Friedman Playground at Fifth Avenue and 79th Street, the piece was a gift from Samuel N. Friedman in memory of his wife, Pat.

The piece was cast in 1960 and unveiled on October 11, 1990 at the playground's dedication.
Pat Hoffman Friedman Three Bears Playground: E79
This small intimate toddler playground is located on the south side of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Group of Bears: E79
This playful work of art called the Group Of Bears is perfectly situated at the entrance to the Pat Hoffman Friedman Playground near the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Central Park.
'Group of Bears' Sculpture by Paul Manship
'Group of Bears' Sculpture by Paul Manship, Central Park, New York City, New York from Museum Planet: slide tours of historic places with narration, photographs and text.
Central Park : New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
The Group of Bears is one of Central Parks highlights.
BEARS - Central Park Photos
More pictures of the bears from Central Park.

Extra Long Vertical Image - Bear Blocks

Using Extra Long Vertical Images 

Dimensions of this image above: 400 pixels width, 800 pixels height

Size of this image: 20 kb

You can see with this extra long image just how much the Polaroid Module lets you stretch the length or height of the image used.

Add a Border to Image

Image too Small? - Add a Border 

Sometimes you don't have an image that is 400 pixels wide. Can you still use this image in a Polaroid Module?

One quick way to fix an image that is too narrow (or has a width of less than 400 pixels) is to add a border to the image, so it is 400 pixels wide. I also add the same amount to the height so it makes a border or another frame around the image.

In the example above of the Three Bears, I took the image that was 'too small' and added a border to make it 'just right.'

Composite Image - A Bear Quilt

Composite Image - Bear Squares

Image too Small? - Make a Composite Image 

If your image isn't quite large enough to fill 400 pixels, you can make a composite image or a quilt from several images.

Adrienne Jenkins did a great job in combining several photographs into a family quilt to illustrate Randy Pausch & Kids in her Randy Pausch Memorial Lens.

Ways of Crediting Photos 

The one drawback to the Polaroid Module is that there is no place to include the copyright or credit information.

The Title only holds 47 characters and does not support html for adding links to the photographer or maker of the image.

Here are a few ways that people have found to include copyrights on their images.
  1. Module Below
  2. Module Above
  3. Image Credits at the Bottom of the Page
    This is illustrated at the bottom of this lens.

Crediting Image with Module Below the Polariod 

I found that adding a Text/Write Module below the Polaroid is an easy way to add Copyright Information for the Photo.

I usually keep the Title blank and add the Copyright Information in the "Enter your text" area.

See the example with Three "Blue" Bears - 1.

Three "Blue" Bears - 1

 

Image Credit: Composite Image. Kirsti A. Dyer



The following image has been used with permission from Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS.

Three "Blue" Bears - 2

Crediting with Module Above the Polaroid 

Poddys came up with the script to use for crediting images above a polaroid module. I modified it slightly for this module.

Here is his original credits from his Bournemouth lens.

The following photograph has been used with permission from
REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS



To use the HTML code copy the code below and change the colors, text and links as needed for your own images.

<p style="background-color: #ddd; border-top: solid 2px; text-align: center; color: black;">The following photograph has been used with permission from
<a href="http://www.realbournemouth.com/" target="_blank">REAL BOURNEMOUTH - HISTORY IN PHOTOS</a></p>

Gummy Bear Kaleidoscope

Polaroid Module - To Add Interest 

The Gummy Bear Kaleidoscope image was included to demonstrate how you can use the Polaroid Module to include interesting visual images on a lens page.

Putting an image in a Polaroid Module is one way of drawing attention to a beautiful illustration, map or other image that you want to stand out on a lens page.

Free Photo Editing Programs and Applications 

There are a variety of different photo editing programs available. Many cameras and computer programs also come with their own.

Some of these applications allow you to change images using only your web browser.
Picasa - free photo editing and photo management software
Picasa is a software download from Google that helps you organize, edit, and share your photos. It's free, and easy to use.
Pixer.us
Pixer.us lets you manipulate, edit, enhance and apply filters to your digital pictures using only your web browser.
LunaPic Online Photo Editor
A completely free photo editor that can be used in your browser.
GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program
GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages.
FotoFlexer - The world's most advanced online photo editor
FotoFlexer is the most powerful online photo editor in existence. It can remove blemishes, change skin/hair color, morph photos and more! 100% free.
Picnik - edit photos the easy way, online in your browser
Picnik makes your photos fabulous with easy to use yet powerful editing tools. Tweak to your heart's content, then get creative with oodles of effects, fonts, shapes, and frames.

Polaroid Your Images - The Easy Way 

Here are a couple of websites that allow you to upload an image and have it turn into a Polaroid-like image available for use on the Internet.
PhotoNotes
Email personal, online, Polaroid-style notes to your family, friends, and loved ones! They can also be found on Facebook.
Instantizer.com
Convert Your Photos into Polaroid(tm)-style images using a free online graphics tool with the Instantizer. Wrap pictures into a polaroid-style frame.

Create a Polaroid-style Image with PhotoNotes 

PhotoNotes gives you several ways to customize an image.

1. Select a photo: Upload or Assorted
2. Select a frame: Square or Wide
3. Select a font: Six different fonts
4. Select a font color: Seven different colors
5. Type your message (Maximum 50 characters)

Once the photo is done you can sent it to an email address or addresses.

Create a Polaroid-style Image with Instantizer 

The Instantizer is a free web service that allows you to create Polaroid effect out of your image on the fly.

Just upload your image, add a brief description, add an angle if you need and hit Upload Picture and you've made a Polaroid Image online.

The link to the image is valid for 24 hours.

Note: Playing around with different dimensions, I discovered that the ideal image size was 300 pixels.

Create Your Own Polaroid with Graphics 

For lensmasters who are more familiar in creating graphics these articles provide information and step-by-step directions for turning your own images in to Polaroid-style images.
Create a Polaroid Effect of your Photo
Photos are often much more interesting when they are displayed like a Polaroid photo. Learn how you can turn your normal photo into something livelier, by adding a realistic Polaroid effect to it.
Create a Polaroid effect
How to Create a Polaroid Effect from photoshoptown.com
Create Polaroid photo effect
From Tuts4PSP a Paint shop Pro tutorials on a different effect to create a Polaroid.
Photoshop Tutorial - Polaroid Images
Photoshop Tutorial on Polaroid Images from - David Gagne.
How to: create a Polaroid collage in Photoshop
An article on How to: create a Polaroid collage in Photoshop from Elena Santos on Softonic.

A Lens Showing How to Add a Photo Frame to a Graphic 

featured lens How-to Photoshop Tutorial: 3-D Photo Frame

If you've got Photoshop, here's a tutorial to make your grahpics look 3-D, adding a frame to a photograph so that it looks like a polaroid snapshot.You will need Photoshop CS, Photoshop Elements, or a graphics program that uses layers and includes ef...

Other Uses for the Polaroid Module 

  1. Quickly Add an Image to a Lens
    The Polaroid module is one of the fastest ways to add an image and a large image to a lens page. If you have the image sized to 400 pixels width, you can quickly upload the image.
  2. Dividers for Lenspage
    The Polaroid module can be used as a divider between sections on a lens page.
  3. Highlight or Feature Images
    The Polaroid module can be used to highlight or feature certain images.
  4. A Polaroid Module Lens
    The Polaroid module can be used as the main modules that emphasize images.
  5. Tell a Story
    Several Polaroid modules can be used in a lens to tell a story.

Innovative Uses of the Polaroid Module 

These lenses were selected to illustrate some of the innovative uses of the Polaroid Module.
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For more than 35 years, the Arlington Ladies volunteers have represented veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard at every funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. Currently 195 Arlington Ladies, volunteer time to pay tribute to nation's...

Using the Polaroid Module - Margaret Schaut 

Margaret Schaut recommends and uses the Polaroid module as a good way of dividing up the page.
How to Make Your First (or Second) Squidoo Lens
Step-by-step, here's how to get started, answers to clear up some confusion, and all the basics to help you be a GREAT lensmaster right off the bat!
Eccentricity :: Margaret Schaut
I've often been told I'm 'eccentric', and the older I get, the worse it seems to get. As I age, though, the less it bothers me.

Using the Polaroid Module - Kirsti A. Dyer 

Since the Polaroid Module was introduced I tend to use it quite a bit to help decorate lenses, set a mood and tell a story.
Loss, Grief and Bereavement
Loss is the disappearance of something cherished, often the death of a person, loss of a relationship, loss of a job or loss of health.
The Arlington Ladies
For more than 35 years, the Arlington Ladies volunteers have represented veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard at every funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.
Freddie Mercury and Queen - The Virtual Concert on Squidoo
If I were going to host a Virtual Benefit Concert for one of my favorite charities, I would choose to feature the amazingly talented Freddie Mercury, lead singer for the Rock Band, Queen to raise funds for HIV / AIDS Awareness.
Josh Groban - The Virtual Concert on Squidoo
If I were to pick a current artist to host a Virtual Concert for Charity, I would pick the very talented, and very giving Josh Groban to raise funds for his own remarkable charity, the Josh Groban Foundation, otherwise known as the Grobanites for Charity.
Project Help Lensraiser on Squidoo
Simply by making a lens on Squidoo, you can be helping protect the troops from traumatic brain injury and raise funds for Operation Helmet, a 100% volunteer, non-partisan, charitable organization.

Using the Polaroid Module - Adrienne Jenkins 

Adrienne Jenkins created a Polaroid quilt of photographs to illustrate Randy Pausch & Kids.
Randy Pausch Memorial or Funeral
Information on the Pausch family's funeral arrangements have been kept private. Details for a public memorial service have not yet been announced for 'Last Lecture' Professor Randy Pausch who passed away on Friday, July 25, 2008 from pancreatic cancer.

Using the Polaroid Module - Poddys 

Poddys found an innovative way of including copyright or permission information above the Polaroid module.
Bournemouth - England's Finest Seaside Resort
When someone mentions Bournemouth what comes to mind? If you live outside of the UK, probably not a lot, since Bournemouth isn't on the list of main attractions that you find in the tourist brochures, especially for visitors from the USA. But to the British public Bournemouth instantly makes you thi

Using the Polaroid Module - Nick Dudley-Jones 

Nick Dudley-Jones has some innovative uses of the Polaroid Module in his lenses on Hagakure and Guniness including using the Polaroid as a divider and using extra long (tall) Polaroid images.
Hagakure
Hagakure (Kyujitai or Shinjitai: meaning In the Shadow of Leaves), is a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior, drawn from a collection of commentaries by the samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, former retainer to Nabeshima Mitsushige, the third ruler of what is now the Saga prefecture in Japan.
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Using the Polaroid Module - Spirituality 

Spirituality offers her insights on using the Polaroid Module in her Cute modules to spice up your lens.
Cute modules to spice up your lens
From the Cute modules to spice up your lens, Spirituality takes a look at the Polaroid Module.

Other Lenses Mentioning the Polaroid Module 

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Image Credits 

This Image is Too Small, This Image is Too Big, This Image is Just Right - © Christy Cohen. Three Bears. Royalty Free Use.

Horizontal Image - Fdecomite. Three Bears Shadows. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

Vertical Image - Shawn Zehnder Lea. The Three Bears. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

Extra Long Vertical Image - Bear Blocks - Composite Images. Kirsti A. Dyer.

Composite Image - A Bear Quilt - Composite Images. Kirsti A. Dyer.

Composite Image - Bear Squares - Composite Images. Kirsti A. Dyer.

Gummy Bear Kaleidoscope - Fdecomite. Gummy Bear Kaleidoscope. Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved.

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Answer Deck Lenses on Photos 

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Time for a little Q&A 

Post your questions on the Polaroid Module below.

I'll do my best to answer them for you here.

Lensmaster

Comfortdoc wrote...

ViktoriaGrace - It looks like you got your Polaroid problems figured out. I couldn't find any rotated Polaroid images in your lenses.

ReplyPosted January 07, 2009

Lensmaster

ViktoriaGrace wrote...

Very great lens. Unfortunately I think I am dense. I have resized my picture, it uploads to squidoo but its uploading horizontally. How do I rotate it so it will be vertical? Anyone that can offer advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

ReplyPosted January 04, 2009

Lensmaster

SemperFidelis wrote...

Thanks for sharing this in the Polaroid SquidU thread. I've saved for future use. I love the Polaroid look of an image! 5* and favorited, ~ Colleen

ReplyPosted November 30, 2008

Lensmaster

flighty02 wrote...

This is a great lens, full of useful tips... thanks for sharing! 5***** and favourited

ReplyPosted November 13, 2008

Lensmaster

Spook wrote...

Fantastic informative lens and I'm still battling with all this, hopefully I can do something with this.

ReplyPosted October 05, 2008

Lensmaster

ChristiannaGarrett-Martin wrote...

This is fantastic information about re-sizing, and very useful to me!!

Is it right to get hits from your images that you have to print screen on the polaroid image, and then tranfer it to your lens via a photo image HTML?

Excellent Lens! 5 star and Favourite.

Christianna

ReplyPosted October 01, 2008

Lensmaster

OhMe wrote...

Very helpful lens. Thank you for the good info. 5*

ReplyPosted September 27, 2008

Lensmaster

ThomasC wrote...

Well Done lens! I gave you stars and an Angel Blessing!
ThomasC

ReplyPosted September 23, 2008

Lensmaster

Margo_Arrowsmith wrote...

Thanks, I lost this when I got a virus. This time it is going onto my squidoo library lens where I won't lose it again!

ReplyPosted September 19, 2008

Lensmaster

Margo_Arrowsmith wrote...

Thanks, I lost this when I got a virus. This time it is going onto my squidoo library lens where I won't lose it again!

ReplyPosted September 19, 2008

Lensmaster

KimberlyDawnWells wrote...

This lens made me hungry. ;) This was AWESOME. Thanks for all the explanations.

ReplyPosted September 19, 2008

Lensmaster

rms wrote...

Congratulations! This great lens is this week's winner of the Choose Your Favorite Giant Lens contest! Visit www.giantsquidshowcase.com to grab your badge!

ReplyPosted September 19, 2008

Lensmaster

casamonika wrote...

This lens was just what I was looking for. Now I can work on making my lenses picture perfect. Thank you! 5*

ReplyPosted September 16, 2008

Lensmaster

Jimmie wrote...

Coming back to recommend this to someone on the Critique Forum. Adding my Angel blessing to this great lens!

ReplyPosted September 05, 2008

Lensmaster

a_willow wrote...

I haven't yet encountered your lens since I've been on Squidoo for less than a month. TheInfamous7 has advice me o come and look but also to submit one of my lenses. Although he is very excited with this lens of mine, after reading your lens I see I still have some job to do - not all of my pictures fit. I'll have to look further for some more of them and replace them. Thanks for info!

ReplyPosted August 10, 2008

 
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Image: Squid Donating. © Kirsti A. Dyer. Some Rights Reserved.