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| © Steve Pollock |
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For the most part these were horizontal images that would be displayed singly onscreen. Maximum image size for these images is either 500x750 or 562x920 pixels, depending on which level of LiveBooks service you've selected. In our experience, the larger images looked very impressive onscreen. Vertical images can be displayed singly or side-by-side in pairs.
Image preparation is simple. Using any recent version of Photoshop, you only need to set height (usually either 500 or 562 pixels) and resolution (72dpi). Then you use Photoshop's "Save for Web" feature to create a JPEG file of the correct size (90- to 110K for a horizontal, 50- to 60K for a vertical). I found that some images required modest increases in color saturation and/or sharpness for maximum impact on the Web.
The next step is to use LiveBooks' proprietary EditSuite software to upload the prepared images to your site. This is done simply by clicking on the desired images, then on "up-load." With my high-speed cable-modem connection, the image files uploaded very quickly. The uploaded images appear as thumbnails on an onscreen "lightbox," arranged in "libraries" that you've identified by subject, theme, date, or whatever other method you choose.
To create a portfolio, you drag these thumbnail images from a library into a portfolio. When you're satisfied with the arrangement, you save the web-book as an online portfolio. To take your Website live, you provide LiveBooks with a URL and site registry information. (The company offers Web hosting at $7.50 a month.) Within 72 hours, your new site will be up and running. If you have an existing site, it will be replaced by the LiveBooks version without any interruption.
Once your site is operational, you use the same up-load/library/portfolio method to update it.
In fact, I found the process to be a lot of fun, almost like an online game. This ease of use should
encourage LiveBooks users to keep their Websites up-to-date -- the key to maintaining their value in
an ever-changing photographic world.
LiveBooks Packages
Folio: One Web portfolio holding up to 64 images; maximum size 750x500 pixels each; $950
Lite: Three Web portfolios holding up to 64 images each; maximum size 750x500 pixels; storage library holding up to 1000 images; ability to add text to images; bio page; $1,950
Pro: All "Lite" features plus virtually unlimited number of portfolios holding 64 images each;
maximum size 920x562 pixels; clients can be allowed to download low-resolution images; $3,900 (upgrade from Folio or Lite, $1,900)
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