A Quick Guide to Photo Organization For Macbooks

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There’s nothing worse than spending hours searching for an image on your computer. Between old screenshots and blurry photos, your sentimental pictures can get buried amongst the clutter.

Luckily, it’s extremely simple and accessible to sort, organize, and group your important photos together on Macbook computers.

Not sure where to start when it comes to photo organization on your Macbook? Keep reading for some of the best tips and tricks to get your photos sorted and functional.

Declutter Your Pictures

When it comes to Macbook organization, a digital declutter is one of the best options. Though it can be time-consuming, you’ll feel a sense of relief when your laptop has free space.

One of the easiest ways to declutter your Macbook photos is to delete duplicate images. However, it can be tedious to do this manually. You can read more about the free app that deletes extra copies of photos for you!

You’ll also want to go through and delete any old screenshots you no longer need. This will help you free up space and organize your photos easier.

Create Albums

After you declutter your photos, you’ll want to create albums for your photos. There are several ways to do this, so you’ll want to pick an organizational system that works for you. 

You can create albums based on their chronological order, periods of time in your life (e.g., “College”), or what is in the photo. Properly labeling your photo albums allows you to navigate your pictures and find what you’re looking for.

To create albums, you’ll first open the Photos app on your Mac. Next, you’ll click the “File” option on your laptop’s menu bar and select “New Album.” You can also hit “⌘N.”

Once you have your new album, you’ll want to properly name it before adding your photos!

Smart Albums

When creating your album, you may notice an option called “Smart Album.” This gives you the ability to let your computer compile photos for you. 

If you click on “New Smart Album,” you’ll see a pop-up box that allows you to select the criteria that you want to be included in your album. From people to keywords, this makes organizing your photos a breeze.

This option is also extremely practical for photographers, as there are specifications you can choose based on your camera. You can choose photos based on shutter speed, aperture, or and even the lense you used.

Photo Organization, Made Simple

When it comes to Macbook organization, the photos app is one of the last things people think to sort through.

However, keeping your photos organized can help you whether you’re a professional photographer or an amateur Instagram enthusiast, your photo organization is extremely important. 

If you found this guide on how to organize photos on your Macbook helpful, be sure to visit the rest of our website. There, you can find more great technology tips and tricks.

The post A Quick Guide to Photo Organization For Macbooks appeared first on Photoshop Lady.

Computer Nightmares: 7 Effective Tips for Hard Drive Recovery

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Looking for ways to perform hard drive recovery?

Many things can go wrong while you’re using your device. A power surge can fry it and damage the motherboard, an outage can delete hours of progress if you didn’t save your work, and overuse will cause it to go haywire in the long run.

While these won’t cause any permanent damage or loss, a hard drive crash can prevent you from getting your data. What’s worse is that the simplest things like an OS update can cause your system to crash.

While there’s nothing you can do to prevent it when it happens, you can prepare yourself and your device for the inevitable. Read on to learn about the effective tips to recover your data from your hard drive today.

1. Ensure Your Device Doesn’t Have Malware

The first thing you should always check when you suffer from data loss is to check if your device has malware infecting it. You never know if your device contracted a virus while surfing the web. It’s easy to get one with how accessible everything is through the internet.

Malware can hide files from you or delete them from your hard drive. Scanning your hard drive for any virus can help you find out if you need to dive deeper into hard drive recovery. If you find malware that hides or deletes your data, you need not go further than removing it from your device.

The data it hides will then reappear where you left them. Any deleted data won’t recover themselves, though. You need to run recovery processes for them to undo any damage from the malware.

2. Install Recovery Tools Beforehand

This is the best way to prepare your device from losing data. Many online tools can help you restore your data if your device loses them because of an unforeseen event. Installing them on the regular ensures you store your growing collection of data in the long run.

The hard drive recovery software will save any current data you have on your device. This is customizable to allow them to only save specific folders and files. Doing this ensures private data doesn’t get saved on databases where other people can open them.

There are even versions of software compatible with mobile devices. These will allow you to restore your iPhone data even if you do a factory reset on it.

3. Perform Deep Searches on Your Device

Lost data doesn’t always mean deleted data. It can mean that the data moved to another folder where you can’t find them. It happens more often than you think since some malware moves your data around to mess with your device.

They do this so they can enough space in a certain drive to install more programs to cause more damage. When this happens, searching for the file in the same drive will produce no results. If you do a deep search, though, you can recover the lost data.

These searches differ from normal ones in that they take longer. This is because a deep search checks every corner of your device for the file you’re looking for. It can take up to an hour, but doing this saves you the trouble of recovering the data in other ways.

This is also a way to recover deleted photos on Mac. Most Apple devices have a backup of different media somewhere in your device. All you need to do is do a deep search to find them if you lost them.

4. Back-Up and Store Data in an External Device

The scary thing about a system failure is that it’s next to impossible to recover your data from them. It makes having important files and data on your device nerve-wracking since it can disappear with no warning. A great way to have peace of mind is to save any critical data on an external device.

A flash drive and external hard disk drive can be an expensive investment, but it can save you a world of stress when you save your data in them. All you need to do after that is to update the data. This is to ensure you have little to catch up on during recovery.

5. Store Data in the Cloud

Another way you can save your data is by saving them in the cloud. This is like saving your data to an external device, but you can access it any time you want. It also saves you the trouble of getting a device to save your data.

There are lots of storage platforms online for you to choose from. iCloud is the preferred platform if you have an Apple device. Other platforms like Google Drive also provide the same service.

You can store your data on these platforms for free, but the provided space is small. If you opt for a premium membership, though, you can increase your online storage space.

6. Run Backup CDs and DVDs

Backup DVDs are still a valid option for data recovery if you haven’t prepared for the other steps. The main benefit of using these for backup is that they can restore your data faster than most methods. It’s also a good way for you to ensure your device gets restored with the same specifications that you’ve set before saving it on the DVD.

7. Hire a Professional

If all hard drive data recovery methods you’ve tried have failed, then it’s time to contact a professional. Some people can recover data when things look the bleakest. They do this by having direct access to your hard drive.

This makes them a good option if your device is beyond repair. As long as the hard drive doesn’t sustain damage, they can recover your data. They’re often worth the investment if your data is too precious to lose.

Use These Tips for Hard Drive Recovery Today

Want to recover your lost data? These hard drive recovery tips will help you get what you’re looking for. Dive deep into your device and fish out your files and your data today!

Having trouble using your device? Check out more of our guides to learn all you need to know about your device today! You may even learn about some neat tricks you can do to personalize your experience with your device.

The post Computer Nightmares: 7 Effective Tips for Hard Drive Recovery appeared first on Photoshop Lady.

8 Photoshop Tips and Tricks All Photographers Should Know

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Sixty-eight percent of adults edit their selfies before sharing them with anyone.

Statistics show the growing importance of learning advanced editing skills. A photographer cannot publish a photo without altering it in some way.

Photoshop, the industry standard, has plenty of tools to make your photos stand out. Learning those tools on your own can be difficult though.

To help you learn, let’s take a quick look at 8 fantastic Photoshop tips and tricks.

A Note About Photoshop Tips and Tricks

Before we dive into the tips and tricks, remember a good photo is even more important than good editing. If you take a bad photo, no amount of strong editing can save it.

Editing can, of course, improve a photo, but you cannot rely on it solely. But taking great shots is a whole different topic to discuss.

If you’re struggling to find the best photos, businesses like this company can do it for you. Then you can just focus on what you do with Photoshop.

Also, you should be careful when editing humans in photos. People may find it quite offensive if you change their skin tone or body shape.

1. Burn Tool

The burn tool is one of the most important tools for photographers to be able to use with great efficiency.

With this tool, you can darken areas on your photo. This allows you to hide overexposed areas on your photos and focus on certain subjects.

Like an old vignette, the burn tool can also make the background or other parts of your photos fade away. This makes the viewer focus on the subject you don’t burn.

2. Dodge Tool

The dodge tool is the opposite of the burn tool. Instead of making areas darker, the dodge tool increases the light wherever you use it.

This fixes underexposed areas of your photos. And photographers can also use it to draw attention to objects in a photo.

For example, you might want to lighten up the face of your subject in a busy photo. This would make them stand out from the environment around them.

3. Magnetic Lasso Tool

The magnetic lasso tool is a lifesaver for meticulous editors.

This tool allows you to draw a line around an object and select it. After you select it, all edits you make will be in the selected section alone.

The magnetic lasso tool is easy to use because it automatically attaches to objects. You don’t have to draw a perfect line, and you can move the line around if Photoshop picks the wrong spot.

Magnetic lasso tools are useful for any type of photo editing. Combining burning and dodging with this tool also proves effective for detailed editing.

4. Clone Stamp Tool

This is a must have for any photographer, but you have to be careful when you’re using it. You could easily make the next famous photoshop fail, which isn’t as fun when it happens to you.

This is useful for copying large parts of photos or matching colors. Let’s say you have one tree in a photo and want two, the clone stamp tool can grow a second tree for you.

First, you select a part of your photograph you want to clone. Then, you stamp the selected object wherever you want on the photo.

If you move your cursor, Photoshop will move the clone spot. The next time you stamp, the clone stamp will use the new area.

5. Spot Healing Tool

The spot healing tool is one of the famous photography tools used for models. The tool allows you to paint over part of your photo with another color in the photo.

You pick a sample source anywhere on the photo. Photoshop then perfectly matches the sample source’s color. Then, you can cover up spots with the tool.

Portrait photographers often use this to remove a blemish, freckle, or pimple. Nature photographers may use it to get rid of rot on a plant.

6. Layer Masking

Layer masking is an advanced editing tool you may not need for basic photography.

Explaining Layers

Layers are different photos stacked on top of each other. The top layer is your main photo, and layers below that only show if you tell Photoshop to show them.

For example, let’s say you want to make a normal photo of your friend look like they are in Antartica. You could make a second layer on Photoshop with a picture of Antartica.

Using the Masking Tool

With the masking tool, you can pinpoint exactly where you want a photo to show the second layer. For your friend in Antartica, you can cut out just their body and remove the rest of the photo.

And voila! The penguins have a new friend.

This is another tool to be careful with using. A simple mistake can make the whole photo look like a mess.

You might also use layer masking for face manipulation. Comedic face swaps are popular, and this tool is how you do it.

7. Blending Tools

The blending tool is a fun way to combine two photos. Often these photos are similar in nature, but they don’t have to be.

Photoshop stitches the two photos together to make one composite image. One photo is usually more prominent than the other.

You might have seen these types of photos when someone graduates from high school or college. Sometimes photographers blend a baby photo in the background of a graduation photo.

8. Liquify

Liquify is one of the most photo-altering tools you can use. Using liquify, you can make any part of the image widen, shrink, pulled, or puckered.

Controversy about photoshopping and body image in advertising is prevalent. But this tool is not limited to use on human subjects.

Designers who use Photoshop may use the liquify tool to alter an object in their design. It can give the whole photo a warped and purposefully unnatural view.

Next Steps

Because you have learned some Photoshop tips and tricks, you should be able to take your photos to the next level. Check out our other articles to learn more.

The post 8 Photoshop Tips and Tricks All Photographers Should Know appeared first on Photoshop Lady.

How to Find the Best Free WordPress Hosting

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Website owners can spend hundreds of dollars a month on web hosting alone!

But if you operate a WordPress site, it is possible to spend $0 a month on hosting.

That’s right: free WordPress hosting does exist, provided you know where to look.

Of course, with anything that’s free, it’s essential to prioritize quality. Not all cheap WordPress hosts offer lightning-fast speeds and stellar service.

In this post, we discuss tips for finding the best free WordPress hosting that doesn’t sacrifice quality!

1. Identify Your Hosting Needs

What does a WordPress host actually do? Hosting services ensure that your website is accessible on the world wide web.

They also provide storage space for your content. Amounts vary depending on your hosting provider and plan. For example, a free WordPress hosting plan through WordPress itself offers 3 GB of storage.

As you seek out free WordPress hosting, figure out what you need from your WP host.

Are you launching a business website? Promoting a blog with lots of content, including images? If so, you’ll want to look at hosts that provide as much storage space and bandwidth as possible for their $0 price tag.

Hosting services can also influence how quickly your site loads. If you need lightning-fast loading speeds, look for hosts with Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). CDNs can offer a more efficient way of loading content for visitors.

Lastly, some web hosts enable email integration. This can be valuable for website owners who want custom email addresses that match their domain names. If this sounds like a need for you, keep it on your list as you browse free hosting plans. 

2. Research Hosts Who Have Been Around the WP Block

There are thousands, if not millions, of web hosts out there. Some have been around for longer than others. Narrow down your list of free WordPress hosts by prioritizing the ones who’ve been in the industry longer.

For example, X10Hosting, which offers cloud-based hosting, has been serving WordPress site owners for a decade. It’s built quite a reputation for cloud storage hosting, and yes, it has a free package!

You can also host your site for free through WordPress itself. This is always a safe bet, as WP powers a third of the internet! Keeping your free hosting in-house can also help you resolve any technical issues more quickly.

3. Make Room for Growth

As you expand your WordPress site, you may eventually end up wanting to upgrade to premium, paid hosting plans. It’s possible to find these for as little as $2.50 a month!

Depending on your site needs, you may also want to investigate other hosting services, including dedicated server, iRegister, or data center services. 

Make sure the host you choose enables users to scale for growth. Most free hosts will offer some sort of upgrade possibility. After all, they want to make money at some point!

Be wary, however, of hosts that continually nudge users for upgrades. This may signal lower quality $0 packages.

4. Test ‘Em Out

With free WordPress hosting, the truth does lie in the experience. Try on a host for size, and if it doesn’t meet your needs, switch to another.

Of course, switching hosts can be a bit of a pain. To save time and effort, spend time now researching the providers likely to help your WordPress site soar.

Final Thoughts: Free WordPress Hosting

Your WordPress site can be visible to the world at zero cost to you! As you seek out free WordPress hosting, research experienced hosts who will meet all of your storage, loading speed, and content delivery needs.

Once you’ve chosen your host, it’s time to ensure your site is secure. Check out our blog to learn more about the top WordPress plugins for security!

The post How to Find the Best Free WordPress Hosting appeared first on Photoshop Lady.

A Beginner’s Guide to SharePoint

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Microsoft’s SharePoint has been a hit with businesses large and small for its extensive capability and unmatched utility. According to AIIM, 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies use SharePoint to streamline their company operations. So by embracing SharePoint, it seems like you’re well on track for greatness.

Frankly, SharePoint isn’t the easiest service to use, and there’s a bit of a learning curve to it. SharePoint for beginners could be a bit frustrating, but it’s nothing too difficult. Anyone in the IT department can handle it, but what if you don’t have an IT department or IT can’t simply handle it?

However intimidating SharePoint might seem at first, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. If you’re a beginner struggling with SharePoint, read on as we highlight all you need to know about using SharePoint. That way, you can take advantage of the software’s utility to take your business to the next level.

What Is SharePoint?

SharePoint is a web-based service by Microsoft for organizing and streamlining company operations.

With SharePoint, you can store and share company data securely with cloud-based storage. You can also create sites and subsite for teams to improve workflow. Furthermore, you can integrate SharePoint with other applications like Office365 and track tasks that you allocate to staff members or teams.

Getting Started With SharePoint

The best way to get started with SharePoint is by diving right into it. You’d be surprised at just how much you can do without having to learn anything. You don’t have to get everything right at first, once you’re done with SharePoint login, kind of play around with the interface, and explore it as much as you can.

Once you’re done playing around with it, you can get down to business, and here’s how you do it.

Start With the Site Templates

SharePoint allows you to create and personalize your site. It’s through this site that you can organize employee tasks, store and share information, and perform other work-related tasks. 

You can either choose to create a site from scratch or use one of SharePoint’s many templates. Since you’re a beginner, the latter seems much more reasonable. A template is a basic site structure that you can use to create your own. 

SharePoint will guide you through making a site from a template, and it’s as easy as clicking and following the on-screen prompts. You can always add elements to your site using the edit feature once you complete your template site.

Make a Team Site With Access Levels

The template site is just the warm-up. Next, you’d want to know how to make a team site with specific permissions. Team sites are at the core of SharePoint, and it’s why most companies have SharePoint in the first place.

To do so, you need to sign in to Office 365. Next, you’ll follow the team site’s creation wizard’s prompts step by step until you’re done with the team site. You’ll manage user access using email lists that you create during the site’s set up. You can restrict user access to select groups or only specific people.  

Co-Author Company Documents

SharePoint has an incredible feature where you can co-author documents in real time. This basically means that multiple people can work on a single document at the same time. The documents they can work on include Word documents, spreadsheets, and even PowerPoint presentations.

First, you have to allow access to the people you want to work on the document with you. So make you get the second point right. This collaborative feature allows you to work on a single document without clashing with each other. 

Just open the SharePoint site, open the document library, and pick the document you select edit in Office online. To share the document, just click on ”share” and choose whether you want to share the document as an email in Outlook or copy a link that redirects to the document.

Understand SharePoint Columns

SharePoint columns are another excellent SharePoint feature. All your files and other data in your libraries are arranged in multiple columns. These columns group data of the same type together in simple terms

To make finding data easier, you need to organize them into columns. This makes them more accessible to search functions. You can also add metadata descriptions to your files, to give a glimpse of what they contain.

After you sort all your data in respective columns, you can narrow them down to even more intricate categories. It makes it easier to find what you need, especially if you have thousands of files on SharePoint.

Creating Site Pages

For most businesses, a share point site isn’t enough to capture all company operations. As such, you need to create other site pages to accommodate all site activities. These site pages can be for particular departments; for instance, employees can check their payment status on a specific page.

On the left-hand menu, find “pages” and click on it, then click the “+ New” on the menu bar that appears. From there, you can choose from the three types of web pages, which are:-

  1. Web-start pages– Think of them as pages that introduce you to other pages with widgets and dashboard elements.
  2. Wiki pages– These are pages where you can collaborate to create site content
  3. Site Pages– You can go to town with site pages because they are blank pages that you can create a page for whatever reasons.

Acquaint Yourself With SharePoint Views

SharePoint views allows you to filter out any irrelevant information that doesn’t add value to your particular sector. For instance, if you work in human resources, with SharePoint views, you only see stuff that concerns human resources. 

That way, your pages can load faster, and you can quickly access the stuff that you really need.

Go From Beginner to Pro in No Time With This SharePoint for Beginners Guide

SharePoint isn’t a hard-to-use application, and it won’t take you long to go from beginner to pro. SharePoint for beginners is made easier with the service’s user-friendly interface. Plus, Microsoft’s support is always eager to help in case you’re stuck with something.

However, if you’re not getting the hang of things, you can always consider a SharePoint course. These comprehensive courses are guaranteed to make you a SharePoint pro in just a few weeks.

For more informative reads, be sure to check out the other articles on the site.

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