Digital photo frames often have UGLY black bars on the sides of photos that aren't the exact frame dimensions, with the photo sitting stupidly in the middle of the frame. What's needed is software easy enough for idiots like me that does just 4 things:

1) Provide easy basic editing (crop out junk, adjust lighting/color, remove red-eye)

2) Easily crop remaining image to exact frame shape if possible (make the crop-shape fixed).

3) Easily replace the UGLY black bars by selecting attractive (nature, textured, etc) backgrounds. Perhaps custom text may also be put in these areas (in which case the photo wouldn't necessarily be centered). Drop shadow, etc. effects over the background would further enhance the images that would normally have UGLY black bars.

4) Automatically downsize each image to fit the exact digital frame resolution so digital frame can hold the maximum # of pics, and so it runs smoother.

Although there's tons of editors that do these steps in a complicated routine of editing and batch processing what's grandma supposed to do? Make it intuitive and simple and the demand would be huge.
-- davea0511, Oct 17 2007

Freeware I use http://www.faststone.org/
(Relatively) easy cropping, resizing, etc [neutrinos_shadow, Oct 18 2007]

It should be against the law to have textured backgrounds. Black is beautiful.

Most people shouldn't be taking pictures anyways.
-- mylodon, Oct 17 2007


//Most people shouldn't be taking pictures anyways.// Errrr, why?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 17 2007


The multitudes who use the flash in stadium photography probably should be at least cautioned against it. Their strengths clearly lie elsewhere.
-- Texticle, Oct 17 2007


>It should be against the law to have textured backgrounds.

I see. So according to you those Christmas cards people send out would look better if they didn't have a Christmas theme off to the side with a message. I think you're confusing ugly backgrounds on webpages with how a picture looks in a digital picture frame.

In a picture frame you expect the picture to fill the area, otherwise it looks stupid.

That unused area could also be used to put a witty message ... like: "troll" <hint><hint>
-- davea0511, Oct 17 2007


If your image is cropped to the right frame ratio, then there would be no need to replace black bars with attractive backgrounds.

Hey, if you're interested, I could do the work for you (for a price of course).

Or you could become more skilled in image editing.
-- BJS, Oct 18 2007


How about having an option in the frame to select the desired crop region? Even just a "zoom" button that would (e.g. for a 4:3 image on a 5:3 rame) select between show-all (with side borders), show center (chop top and bottom), show top (chop bottom), and show bottom(chop top). Most pictures would probably look good with at least one of those options.
-- supercat, Jan 19 2009



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