Photos Not Looking Right?
After clicking on the small "thumbnail" images on this web site, are the screen sized images not looking sharp, looking blotchy or even looking strangely colored? If this is your experience, there are settings you likely can adjust on your computer to get a much better view.
Here's a bit of explanation as to what may be going on:
These and almost all photos you view on the Internet today are "true color" photos. That means they are composed of colored dots (pixels) where the individual pixels can be any of millions of the colors possible for computers to display. Technically that means that there are 24 data bits defining each pixel. The bottom line is that each tiny dot of any photo displayed on your screen can only be seen in its true color if your computer is set to display (either 24 bit or 32 bit) "true color."
Some computers have their software preset at the factory or otherwise set not to display all of the millions of displayable colors. For example, Microsoft Windows computers have some other color display settings including "high color," which is only 64,000 colors, and also have a "256 colors" setting. When photos are viewed with computers set that way, colors in the photos that are not included in the 64,000 or 256 colors will just not look right. Usually this will appear as blotches in the photos, tiny dots in areas or the photos may even have an oil painting kind of look to them.
If you are sure your computer is set to display at least 24 bit "true color," or if you use America Online, click here.
Here's how you can set your software and maybe get a better view of photos with your computer:
With Microsoft Windows 95 or newer (sorry, I'm not familiar enough with Macs to tell you how to do this with those), you can adjust your display settings to "true color" as follows. You may want to print this out first to have it to refer to as you change your computer display settings. NOTICE!
Put your mouse cursor on the "Start" button at the lower left of your screen. Click the left mouse button and then move the cursor to the "Settings" selection you will then see, and then to the "Control Panel" choice that gives you. Click the left mouse button when the cursor is on the "Control Panel" selection and the "Control Panel" window launches on your screen. Look at the icons in this window to find the "Display" icon. Put your mouse cursor on the "Display" icon and double click the left mouse button. This launches the "Display Properties" window. Here click on the "Settings" tab at the top. In the settings shown there, you should see a "Colors" setting that shows the level of color display currently selected for your computer. If you don't see a "True Color" choice showing, click on the little down arrow at the right of the color selection you do see. From the choices there, look for either or both of "True Color (24 bit)" or "True Color (32 bit)." If you don't see a "True Color" setting to choose, your computer hardware is probably not capable of true color display (sorry!). If you see a "True Color" choice, select the "True Color" setting of your choice and click "OK" after making the new selection. Your computer may say that you have to restart your computer for the change to take effect. If so, select the restart. When you get everything going again you will now see things displayed in "True Color." You may be absolutely amazed at the improvements you will notice in the appearance of things on your display now. This will especially help get you the best and proper view of photos like those on this web site!
Note, if you have any problems with your computer from making display settings changes, you should be able to easily switch things back to your previous "high color" or "256 colors" setting.
What else might it be?
1. Some web browser software has a setting to compress graphics for faster display. America Online has such a setting, for example. While faster display seems good, the compression done for it gives most photos an off or blotchy appearance similar to those seen with the low color computer color display settings described above. Unfortunately for viewing photos, AOL normally has the compressed graphics setting as the default setting when you first load the software. You will probably have to change the setting for a proper view of photos on web sites. To find out how to change the graphics display setting in America Online and get the best view of photos . . . click here.
2. All of the things you view on your computer monitor are likely to appear best to you if you calibrate your monitor. Click on this link to go to a web page that we believe explains this correctly, helps you judge your monitor's current calibration and that provides information about how to go about calibrating your monitor if it needs it.
NOTICE:
Richard certainly cannot and also will not be personally responsible for any problems you encounter using the advice given on this page. He has done what is described here many times with good results using his own computers. Use of settings described here and making suggested setting changes is done at your own risk. Richard sincerely hopes that the information on this page is helpful to you and that you always enjoy the best possible view of Internet photos with your computer!
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