Jan 25, 2011

Having FUN with Images in blogs!

As I am a very visual person, and according to Tony Ryan [see previous post] we should use more images in education, I have opted for posting about creative use of images in blog posts.

Frequently we use our own images for our blog posts as I think these are more powerful and I love the ch'n having 'ownership' over their writing and creative imaging also. I teach my class about photography early on in the year - rule of thirds, light, colour, line, texture etc

So how do I display my images in a creative way?
Well I am glad you asked.
There are hundreds of different displayer apps on the web.
Here is a selection of our favourites:

1.  Flickr [costs yearly fee to be unlimted] we use the free 200 shots version. Also heaps of extras for Flickr images can be found here - many Flickr images can be used with no copy right issues. I generally tell my class to leave a positive comment on the image for the photographer if we have used their photo as a courtesy. Spell with Flickr [great for headers] ★★★★★

2. Capzles - a funky photo displayer, free to use, comment moderation, story and spiral display options, add music etc examples here ★★★★

3. Animoto - easy to use, limited images allowed on free account, apply for education account gives longer movies options, often duplicates the movies ★★★

4. Picture trail - slightly more complex to use, but huge variety of options for shapes and action to your images example here  ★★★★

5. Fotobabble - add images easily and use internal or external microphones to speak over the image selections, excellent for ESOL students and low end readers and reading task, easy to use with little support needed example here ★★★★★

6.  Vuvox - create slideshows from your images, free to use, example here ★★★

7. Blabberize - awesome fun for ch'n - use any person or animal image, draw mouths, record sound and watch it cartoon talk - free to use  ★★★★★

8. Photovisi - collaging for your images, mass of choices, ch'n love it ★★★★

9.  Kizoa - presentation and slideshow presenter with images, slow loader ★★★

10. Voicethread - my favourite and easy for others to comment - share your images and add voiceovers - great for collaborations as others can comment verbally also but comments can be moderated - easy to use, images can also be drawn on without destroying image by individuals. Educators account gives unlimited free voicethreads. Also massive library to search from.   examples ★★★★★

11. Photofunia -  add your image to many backgrounds, including billboards, Warhol patterns, buses etc example used as image for illustrating this post ★★★★★

12. Photopeach - creative display of photos in movie style, add own or selected music, free, easy to use, example here  ★★★★

This is obviously just a wee selection of the fun that can be had using images to enhance your blog posts - let me know of any other funky tried and tested ones you have used.

Have fun with Images!
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8 comments:

  1. margmJanuary 25, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    Hello - I have arrived at this post from the blogging challenge I am doing with Murch. I have really enjoyed reading your post. I am only familiar with voicethread, blabberize and flickr so I am delighted to have stumbled across your post. Your blog looks great and I intend to spend some time here, having a look around. Cheers Marg

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 10:42 PM

    Hey Tammy! Great choice of using images online tools. I love voicethread too and the fact that it is interactive means learning and sharing can occur across schools and countries. Some of these I have not heard of before, so I will be tryin them out. Have you used bighugelabs? (I think that is what it is called.) Do you use the flickr widget on the side of your blog to share the photos of your class. Our school has an account and we try to add photos to it. Thanks again for sharing this post and your experience with the tools.
    Where did you get your featured image from? How did you get the photo into it?

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  3. Mel CashenJanuary 26, 2011 at 12:02 AM

    Hi,

    Thanks for such a comprehensive list of apps for using photos in the classroom. I am familiar with a few of them such as blabberize, fotobabble and voicethread, which I have used with great success. I especially like your post image and am off to check our photofunia now.

    Thanks
    Mel

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  4. CheesyUKJanuary 26, 2011 at 1:01 AM

    Thanks for all the comments

    The Image is from Photofunia - point 11. You select one of their backgrounds, then select your photo and the app puts your image in after you have cropped it.

    Yes I use bighugelabs and it is linked on point 1 under the Flickr section.

    Yes our class blog also has the flickr widget down the side - http://ithinksummerland.blogspot.com/

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  5. Theresa AllenJanuary 26, 2011 at 6:54 AM

    Wow! Great examples and sites! Have you ever tried photostory? I think it's like Photopeach...

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  6. CheesyUKJanuary 26, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    Is that Microsoft Photostory software? No, I am on an Apple Mac and the software we would use would be iPhoto books which have various themes and can be printed into actual books or Comic Life. The above are not software but web apps.

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  7. MalynJanuary 27, 2011 at 12:10 AM

    I am giving in to my initial reaction and at the risk of sounding unprofessional, here goes....

    OMG, how awesome is that picture! There, I've said it and possibly will live to tell the tale. :-) (how can I resist the smiley?)

    Thanks for popping by my post on images and leaving some "love". How come you were cheesynz there and cheesyUK here?

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  8. CheesyUKJanuary 28, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    Malyn - loving the message here thanks - made me chuckle!
    I am Cheesynz AND CheesyUK - a POME living in NZ - hence the two....or possible split personality....HA HA...:-)

    ReplyDelete

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