I’m now sitting in a session on using Flickr www.flickr.com for libraries, but I see a lot of applications for schools. Some of you may already use Flickr, which is a website that allows you to post photos and “tag” them by subject, share them, etc.
They showed us some tools which have great applications for schools. Most of the tools can be found at http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/
Fd’s Flickr Tools. There are tools for making posters, magazine covers, movie advertisement posters, trading cards, etc.
For example, in about 1 minute, I created this fake Magazine cover using a photograph I took yesterday. The tool pulls in your photo and adds the information to make it look like a magazine–it’s very easy! Here’s my “magazine cover.”
http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/output/magazine989668.jpg
You can imagine all the possible applications for student projects, for classroom handouts you are creating, etc. etc.
The workshop was an hour, and this is just the tip of the iceberg on Flickr, but check it out if you haven’t before!
I seriously am not trying to post on each blog comment but this is all good stuff. At the Adobe workshop, I learned Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 which I believe you purchased for the library recently. If you bought 4.0, they told me to tell you to contact your sales rep about getting the upgrade to 5.0.
I created a flash animation web gallery that lets you turn pages like a book in about 4 minutes. Very cool stuff out there. No more PowerPoint in the classroom for showing pictures….please. I beg you all!! ha ha
We just ordered the new version so that is great to know it has those features!!
I set up a flickr account last night and played with the website FD’s Flickr Toys a little bit also.
I see more immediate use for the Flickr Toys, and you can use them (without having a flickr account )to create cool handouts, business cards, fake magazine covers, artsy photos, etc.
The tools are very easy to use and just apply the effect for you.
Flickr itself would take a little more getting used to. But the other interesting thing about it is the sharing part. Like all these other tools, you can network with others who have posted photographs. There are all sorts of “photo groups” on different themes(like there is one for libraries!)
I also just noticed an ad for Google Photo, too, which is new. I haven’t checked that out yet, but I am guessing they are doing the same thing–providing a place for photos and groups.
Plenty to explore!