Sometimes when you want to upload photographs to online services or self-maintained systems like WordPress you may find yourself in the position of needing to reduce the file-size of the images. After all, your 8 mega-pixel camera takes pictures that are just that – around 8MB sometimes!

There are several programs you can use to reduce the file size of your images but if you have Microsoft Outlook installed then you have everything you need!

Here is a super-fast and easy way to reduce those image file sizes using Microsoft Outlook.

1 ) Put the original image files in one folder on your desktop.

2 ) Create another folder that will hold the set we will make. Lets name them “Start” and “Finish”

3 ) Open the “Start” Folder, and select all the images in that folder.

- Highlight them all, or select one and then CNTRL-A to select all, etc.

4 ) While all of the files are selected, Right Click and SEND TO –> MAIL RECIPIENT

5 ) The “Send Pictures via E-Mail” prompt will open. Choose “MAKE ALL MY PICTURES SMALLER”

6 ) Select the size you want, I usually use LARGE and I find this to be plenty of compression.

- In Vista the option for picture size appears as another window.
- In XP click the SHOW MORE OPTIONS link and the pop-up window will expand.

7 ) Give your computer a few seconds to work its magic. The more files you are reducing, the longer it will take. I have done over 100 at a time before – no problem.

8 ) An email message will appear with all of the reduced size files in the attachments area.

9 ) Select one of the attachments, hit CNTRL-A to select them all, and save them to the FINISH folder you created.

- You can also click once on one of the files, then right click and choose SELECT ALL
- Once all of the files are selected you can drag and drop them into the FINISH folder or cut and paste – whatever is easier for you!

Now you have a folder of images that are usually less than 100KB instead of 4-8 (or higher!) MB a piece.

How easy was that!

Here’s the scenario. You and your spouse both have digital cameras and want to put the photos from them in one folder – but when you do they will be out of order because they have different filenames.

Or maybe you have a group and several people have sent you photos of an event. They all have different filenames and again, they will be out of order in a single photo album folder.

Here is a free, simple solution. Grab yourself a free copy of Namexif. I usually save it to my desktop, but my desktop is very uncluttered. You could save it in whatever folder you like and make a shortcut to your Quicklaunch bar if you like. Or Pin it to your start menu. Or Whatever floats your boat – just remember where it is.

Namexif is a tool to automatically rename photos with the date and time they were shot.

Digital cameras have their own clock and record the date and time of each photo with a precision of one second. Since the date and time is recorded for each photo, Namexif is able to rename these photos with that information.

1. Run the Program
2. First Screen is the Splash Screen (Next>)
3. Legal Agreement (Next>)
4. Photo Selection!

• Select ADD FILES and a menu will open asking you what files you want to add.
• Navigate to the folder where your photos are stored and swipe all the files you want to change the names of.
• Click NEXT and then CHOOSE THE FORMAT. I use the second (default) setting.

• Click NEXT> and don’t blink!
• Click Finish or work on another folder!

Now all of you photos have been renamed! The key is to have the clock set correctly on your camera. Every once in a while you might want to “Synchronize Watches” with your spouse or friend. If the camera clocks are off a few minutes it’s not that big of a deal but the closer together the clocks are the better the photos line up chronologically.

Let’s run through the process one more time:

1. You take photos, friend takes photos
2. Collect all the photos in one folder on your computer
3. Run Nameexif
4. All the photos have been renamed according to their timestamps
5. Reorder the folder
6. Ta-Da!

One caveat! If you have the same type of camera you may initially have the same filenames! In that case or if you are concerned, put the pictures from each camera in their own folders. Run exif on both folders then put the photos in a single folder.