San Diego State University • Spring 2010

Getting Images from the Web and from your Screen

Your Powerpoint slides, web pages and concept maps will be much more appealing and effective if they include images to illustrate and supplement your message. The web is filled to the brim with great images that are copyright-friendly, so how do you grab them for your own use? Here's how.

Capturing an Image File

Unless the author has put in place some special tricks to prevent it, you can grab a copy of any image you see on the web. Does that mean it's yours to use as you wish? We'll cover copyright and fair use on another page.

Let's pick an image that is in the public domain to practice with. Click on the image to the right to get to the full sized image it came from. Then, do this:

orchid

MAC

PC
  1. Hold CTRL and click on the image
  2. Select SAVE IMAGE AS
  3. Save the image to your working folder
  1. Right-Mouse Click on the Image you want
  2. Select SAVE IMAGE AS
  3. Save the image to your working folder

 

 

 

The orchid image above came from the Public Domain Images site, which means it can be used freely and without attribution. Go to that site and find a few more images you like and practice downloading them.

 

Capturing a Screen Shot

You can capture all or a portion of any screen. This is particularly useful when you want to show what a web site or software application looks like. Images like these are commonly used in tutorials or Powerpoint presentations illustrating some aspect of computer use.

To practice, go to whatever screen you want to capture. It could be a web page, or something you see while using an application like Word or iTunes. Let's just capture this web page you're reading right now.

example screen shot

MAC

PC
  1. Press Command+SHIFT+4
  2. Your cursor will turn into a small cross-hair. Drag it from upper left to lower right to capture a rectangular portion of the screen.
  3. On the desktop, you will now see a file with a name that begins with "Screen shot" and ends with the date and time .
  4. Drag (or upload) the document to your working folder.
  1. Press ALT + PRT SCR (Print Screen).
  2. Go to EDIT > PASTE to paste the image to a document. You should see the specific window you captured.
  3. Save the document in your working folder.
Click here for more information on Mac OSX screen captures.

View How-To Video (PC Windows XP)

View How-To VIdeo (PC Windows Vista)


 

 

 

 

 

 

That's all you need to know!

 

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