Miscellaneous Ramblings

• EuroJam 2002
• A Picture's Worth Depends on the Image Quality
• Featured member portfolio

Some marvelous scultpures were created during EuroJam 2002 in Melle, Germany

EuroJam 2002

A Picture's Worth Depends on the Image Quality

Q: I am a member, but have not yet uploaded any pictures because such a large majority of pictures are of poor quality. I am afraid that pictures that look good on my computer will appear too dark or grainy to other viewers.

There is no need to be shy about uploading photos. In addition to our automatic file processing, BHQ also archives the original image as-is; questions about image quality about a set of pictures can be addressed at a later time.

The BHQ upload software does compress photos to reduce file sizes and resize photos to a uniform set of dimensions (no more than 375 pixels on a side). These types of file manipulation can sometimes result in lost image quality for certain images. A digital image has a discrete number of points (pixels). In order to make it smaller we remove pixels, thereby removing information. In order to make it bigger, we add pixels by inventing information based on surrounding points. When an image that's uploaded is too small, 'fuzziness' is created in the enlargement process.

Overall, uploaded photos will look as good (or not) as the amount of time the photographer put into taking and processing the picture. Know how the BHQ upload software works, what your file size and image dimensions are, and how others will attempt to view your work.

You can include uploaded photos in your member portfolio (or not), rotate the image so that it lands right-side-up, and order images in your portfolio to present your favorites on your front page. Work with your photo collection by visiting the Member Preferences page and selecting 'View/Modify photo entries'. If your initial upload tests aren't to your liking, the photo can be deleted from the database by BHQ administrators.

Q: How do I ensure that my fellow artists can discover my work when they need inspiration?

Be sure to enter a descriptive title that accurately defines the photo content. In the heat of the upload moment, it's easy to think short-term. But, no one is ever going to find that great Monster Truck sculpture of yours if you only enter the Title "front view" or "beep beep" or "my favorite from the friday jam".

Also, take the time to properly categorize your entry. Every picture should definately be classified as a 'sculpture type' (or as 'people') and possibly furthur classified by adding in genre or special techniques information.

Fruit Basket by Fabrizio Bolzoni, Marseille, France

This month's featured artist portfolio

Fabrizio Bolzoni deserves an award for building a portfolio faster than any other BHQ member. He went from nothing to over 100 photos in less than a day. Plus, these aren't just quick snapshots, they are some of the nicest photos in the BHQ collection. Fabrizio has included some examples of balloon decor, but the focus of his portfolio is on his detailed non-round balloon figures. His skill at sculpture design and his attention to detail is truly remarkable.

Visit Fabrizio's Portfolio