Ways to add names to photos, please?

[rclrocco]

i have quite a few large group photos to which I would like to add the names of the people shown, and then save the named files in Reunion and send to relatives etc. I can do this with MS Paint on a PC - eek - but what's an easy way to do the same with a Mac, please /

[Kim]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

i have quite a few large group photos to which I would like to add the names of the people shown, and then save the named files in Reunion and send to relatives etc. I can do this with MS Paint on a PC - eek - but what's an easy way to do the same with a Mac, please /

You can use any photo editing software, but Macs come with Preview. Just open the photo and are the annotate tool to add text.

You could also use pages. Just insert the photo into a Pages document and then add a caption below.

[rclrocco]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

Many thanks Kim, I'll try Preview this weekend

[Kim]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

Many thanks Kim, I'll try Preview this weekend

Just to be clear....using Preview will place the caption right on the photo.

Using Pages, which is the page layout app that comes with your Mac, will let you place a photo on a page and type the caption underneath.

You COULD create a blank jpg in any photo editing program and keep it as a template. Then open it in Preview. Open the photo you want and copy & paste it into the blank jpeg. Use the Text tool to type your caption and place it where you want it. Then crop the photo and caption and export it as a jpeg. This is the method I use to save obituary clippings I find on Newspaper Archives.

Here is an example.

[rclrocco]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

I thought that would be the case with Pages, Kim, i.e. caption below photo.
My first task is to add names to a coupe of old school photos, say 150 people , so those really need to be right on the person concerned. Ideally also, I'd like to be able to type in at least two different colours, say red and bright blue, so that two of us can compare notes and guesses at people's names. Just black text doesn't always show up on black and white photos.
MS paint lets me do this very easily on a PC, the dark side, by using a transparent text box, i.e. no colour fill and typing within that on a particular person, then deleting the box when happy with the position of the box.
I'm hoping that Preview can do all that as well?

[rclrocco]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

Oops, couple of - line 2 !!

[Kim]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

I thought that would be the case with Pages, Kim, i.e. caption below photo.
My first task is to add names to a coupe of old school photos, say 150 people , so those really need to be right on the person concerned. Ideally also, I'd like to be able to type in at least two different colours, say red and bright blue, so that two of us can compare notes and guesses at people's names. Just black text doesn't always show up on black and white photos.
MS paint lets me do this very easily on a PC, the dark side, by using a transparent text box, i.e. no colour fill and typing within that on a particular person, then deleting the box when happy with the position of the box.
I'm hoping that Preview can do all that as well?

It does....you just click on the font tool in the tool bar and you can change the font, size, and color. If you need any help once you get started, just ask.

[colinc]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

i have quite a few large group photos to which I would like to add the names of the people shown, and then save the named files in Reunion and send to relatives etc. I can do this with MS Paint on a PC - eek - but what's an easy way to do the same with a Mac, please /

This may not suit if there are too many people in an image, but as the Mac has always supported long file names I mostly name my group picture files [not just for Reunion] in the file name.

You can have a file name which is 256 chrs.jpg [Win 10 still limited to 260 chrs for the whole path!].

Cheers, Colin

[Bob White]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

By default, a text box in Pages has no fill. Use a text box. Don't just type text on the Pages document.

Easiest thing is to move the text box away from the photo while entering names so that you can better see what you are typing. When done, partially position the text box over some part of the photo. If part of your text is not displaying, you need to "bring to front" the text box. Once that is accomplished, drag the text box to your desired position. (Note: The text box can be resized & reshaped like any shape graphic by grabbing any corner.)

Final step: Hold down the command key and click on both the photo and the text box. When both are now selected, group them either via the Arrange menu or the Group button over to the right. (Depends on which version of Pages you are using.) Once grouped, they will move, resize, etc. as a single unit. Hope this info helps.

[rclrocco]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

Thanks Kim and Bob for your help. ColinC, as you've probably realised , this was not about naming a file, it was about putting names on the actual people in a group photo, i.e. on the person concerned, so that the file could be emailed to others with the names actually on the photo.

[rclrocco]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

And when there are over 150 people in a group photo, even the Mac 's long file names are going to be a struggle !

[colinc]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

And when there are over 150 people in a group photo, even the Mac 's long file names are going to be a struggle !

That might push the limits, but for me in all cases I can remember the file name is quite sufficient, much easier than any of the other solutions offered and of course does not 'deface' the image.

Cheers, Colin

[Kim]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

That might push the limits, but for me in all cases I can remember the file name is quite sufficient, much easier than any of the other solutions offered and of course does not 'deface' the image.

Cheers, Colin

Colin, I'm not sure the issue is defacing an image here. The purpose is identification. And I'm sure he is working on a copy of the original image. I've been known to actually use circle and arrows on a image to point out a person and ask if it is <?????>. Putting this right on the image allows people to be sure exactly who I am referencing. And of course, once we've agreed on an identity, I can start with a clean copy of the image and caption it or use you method of file naming.

[Dennis J. Cunniff]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

I've been known to actually use circle and arrows on a image to point out a person and ask if it is <?????>. Putting this right on the image allows people to be sure exactly who I am referencing.

I think "Napkin" is a nice app for this kind of markup...

[Bob White]

Re: Ways to add names to photos, please?

Here is a sample of what I have done with a number of group photos. Instead of "writing" on the photo, I have produced a key. Several graphics programs have the capability to produce a pencil sketch. There is usually sufficient space below and above the subjects to add text. I think that I did this one with Photoshop Elements. Just another idea....