Uploading photos (and other files)

WordPress stores images and other attachments in the Media Library, which you can access from the main menu on the left of any of the Admin pages.

Uploading

Handy hint: In general it’s easier to look after your images and files if they are named after what they show, rather than just a number!

To upload pictures (or other files such as pdfs or Word docs for downloading):

  • Click Media then Add New to upload images from your computer.
  • If you are in the middle of editing a page or post, click the Add media button above the light grey editing bar above the editing window. This means you can place the image you just uploaded (or another image you pick from the library – see using images) onto the page at the text insertion point.

You can either drag and drop the files from your desktop, or click the Select Files button and navigate to the folder on your computer from where the upload is to come. WordPress may need a moment to upload the file so try not to click any where else or shut the window.

File sizes

WordPress is set to automatically reduce larger images down to smaller sizes. This means that your website won’t get filled up with massive images that won’t ever be viewed at their full size on a computer anyway. The current settings are to reduce larger photos down to a maximum width or height of 1024×1024 pixels.

Because it has a bit more processing to do on image upload, give WordPress some time when uploading – try not to drop more than 3 or 4 photos at a time into the uploader. You will see the progress of the picture uploads shown as a blue bar.

Uploading sizes

When you upload an image, WordPress labels this as the full-size version and then automatically generates additional, smaller size versions that get used in various places. If the picture isn’t big enough to cover all these size options you will notice that when you come to insert it some of the sizes won’t be displayed. NB: These sizes are pre-defined by the designer to fit the various areas of the site.

The sizes used in this website are:

  • Full (ie: original) size, but a maximum 1024 x 1024 pixels wide or high has been set on image uploads.
  • Large – 650px wide (to fill the width of the main column on a desktop screen) and height matched proportionally.
  • Medium – 300 wide (to fill the width of the right hand column) and matched height. Also use this size when floating within text in the main column.
  • Thumbnail – 190x190px, used for project lists but could also be used for floated small images such as logos.

Image details

When you click on an image thumbnail once it’s uploaded in the library, or if you’re choosing it from what’s there already, you will see a few spaces to enter details about the image on the right hand side. In the Title space, the text is taken automatically from the filename – replace it with a more human and helpful title! Use the Caption space for a description of the image that will appear underneath it when used on the website, and to record any image credits.

Note: When you type into the image fields, the content is saved automatically, you don’t have to do anything. This is the only bit of WordPress where that happens! You might see a spinning circle and the word ‘saving’.

Not getting sued

Please make sure that all photos used on the site are displayed in line with any copyright requirements. Don’t just pull stuff off the internet and stick it up on your site! Better safe than sued. Make use of captions to record image credits and if you can enter them as soon as you’ve uploaded the picture then you won’t forget later on.