Package Content
The product package contains the software Photo BlowUp incl. electronic help file and a license key. On request, Photo BlowUp is also available on CD and with printed instructions.
System requirements
The installation of Photo BlowUp requires a functioning Windows operating system. Concerning the hardware the rule of thumb is: the more powerful, the better. The minimum requirements are:
- Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows Vista 10 (each with 32- or 64-Bit)
- Net Framework 4.0
- Several GB of free space for downloaded and/or converted pictures
- During the activation of the program a connection to the internet is required!
Support
If unexpected problems occur while using Photo BlowUpplease contact our Support. You can reach our Support Center directly here on our webseite. Important! To help you as effectively as possible we require the following information:
- The name of the program (Photo BlowUp) and its version number.
- The designation of the used operating system and possibly installed service packs.
- A short error description and indication of frequency (sporadic or regular).
Installation
In this chapter you will find all the important information to help you with the first steps of Photo BlowUp. To install Photo BlowUp proceed as following:
- Save all current data and close all open programs.
- If you bought Photo BlowUp on CD please insert the disc. The setup wizard will start automatically; if not so, please open your CD-ROM drive via ‚My computer’ on your desktop and execute the setup file per double click. (e.g. D:\Setup.exe)
- If you bought Photo BlowUp as a download, version please start the downloaded file with a double click. If you have not yet downloaded the file you can do this on our webseite now.
The setup assistant will guide you step by step through the installation. As usual the following rules apply:
- Next: The button ‘Next’ will open the next installation step.
- Back: The button ‘Back’ go back to the last installations step.
- Install: The button ‘Install’ will start the installation. Until this moment there will be no changes made at your system.
Program start
After a successful installation, you can start Photo BlowUp with one of the following methods.
- Via the start menu: Click on ‘Start –> Programs –> Photo BlowUp’.
- Via the desktop: Double click on the Photo BlowUp symbol on your desktop (if you chose to create one during installation).
- Via the quick start bar: Click on the Photo BlowUp symbol in the quick start bar. (Note: Since Windows 7 the quick start bar is not available by default.)
Important: Prior to the first program start make sure your PC is connected to the Internet. This is required for the activation of Photo BlowUp.
Main Menu
The main menu functions as a browser to select the photos you would like to edit. Two icons on the upper left allow you to alter the thumbnail size and change the sort order between “Name”, “EXIF time” and “Date modified”. To select a file simply left click it once. Multiple files can be selected while holding down “Shift” or “Ctrl” during a left click. This makes the selection for batch processing easier. The first icon in the upper left corner opens a menu with the following entries:
- Photo options: Allows you to rotate and edit your files while in the browser.
- Program: Here you can open this help, change the program language and check for updates.
- Paste to edit…: Opens an image from your clipboard.
- Load project…: Open a previously saved project to continue editing.
The second icon opens a preview for your selected image. This can also be opened by double clicking an image file. The third icon opens the edit menu for you selected image. The fourth icon opens the batch processing menu for all your selected image files.
Photo editing
The first panel provides a quick way to enlarge or shrink an image with a fixed ratio. You can also set custom dimensions. The unit can be changed between “pixel”, “inch” and “cm”. The ratio remains fixed. Using “inch” or “cm” you can also select a resolution. With “Crop source…” you can select a part of your image you would like to enlarge. Photo BlowUp provides different algorithms for varying image sources, which can be selected under “Enhance edge/Sharpen”:
- A high quality clear image: For source images with high quality, sharp, most details and no distortion /noise/ blurring.
- A jpg image from webpage: For images from websites with visually compressed artifacts. During enlargement the distortion will be enhanced.
- A graphic image (text, cartoon, …): For images with smooth and clear edges like vector-based images, texts and cartoons.
The option “Remove noise before enlarging” applies the noise reduction algorithm before the enlargement. After enlargement small details like skin structure, cloth and fur may be lost. “Add fake texture” tries to reapply those details. The strength can also be altered. “Add grain” makes the final result more natural looking by adding noise into the luminance channel. The strength can be altered as well.
Saving the photo
After you are done editing your photo you can save it by clicking “Save” in the lower left corner. Then you can either select a preset or create a new one. Creating a new preset, you can preview a comparison between the original photo and the editing result. You can also change the image quality, file size and compression.
Batch processing
The image list can be edited with the buttons in the lower left. The first panel in the upper right provides the same settings as the single photo editing. The other panel provides settings for saving your images. You can change the file format, save path, naming rules and switch between overwriting the original file.
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