National Park Service
Digital Image Archives
Frequently Asked Questions
About this site
How do I find the photograph I need?
What image formats are available?
How do I download JPEG images?
How do I download PhotoCD images?
What are the average download times for each type of image?
What's the best use for each image format?
How do I open Photo CD format images?
Resizing PhotoCD images in Photoshop
Releases
Photo Credits
Contacts
Mailing Address
Web Address
About this site
The National Park Service Digital Image Archive is an online resource designed to provide quality, downloadable digital images for print, web, and multimedia use.How do I find the photograph I need?
Park sites are arranged in alphabetical order. From the index page, you may select links to each area. Areas that are not linked to a park have no images, but we are constantly updating this site as images become available.
Special subjects are also available (National Park Service employees, Youth Conservation Corps workers, etc).
What image formats are available?
Most photos are available in JPEG and PhotoCD format. Some images are available in TIFF format.All JPEG images are provided at 640 x 480 pixels, 72 pixels per inch.
Photo CD images are available at 128 x 192, 256 x 384, 512 x 768, 1024 x 1536, and 2048 x 3072. Depending on the graphics software you use, images may be available from 72 pixels per inch up to 550 pixels per inch.
TIFF images vary in size, and are available at a minimum resolution of 300 pixels per inch.
How do I download JPEG images?
For PC Users:
Internet Explorer: Right click on image and save picture as.
Netscape 4.7 and below: Right click on image and save image as.
Netscape 6 and above: Right click on the picture and save image to disk.
For Mac Users:
Internet Explorer: If using a single button mouse, hold down the control key while clicking on the picture and download image to disk. On a two-button mouse, left click on the image to download to disk.
Netscape 4.7 and below: Hold down the control key, click on image and save image as.
Netscape 6 and above: Hold down the control key while clicking on the picture and save image as.Return to top
How do I download PhotoCD images?
Click on the file name under each thumbnail image to download the PhotoCD image. -- DO NOT CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL IMAGE (thumbnails link to low resolution JPEG images).
What are the average download times for each type of image?
JPEG images (average 275 k to 300 k):
• 56 baud modem - less than 15 seconds.
• T1 Network Connection - less than 5 seconds.
PhotoCD images (average 4.5 MB):
• 56 baud modem - up to 20 minutes.
• T1 Network Connection - less than 30 seconds.What's the best use for each image format?
JPEG (72 pixels per inch): Use for web pages, on-screen multimedia presentaions, or any other use where low resolution images will do.PhotoCD (various resolutions available): Use for print, where high resolution images are a must.
TIFF (300 pixels per inch): May also be used for high resolution print projects.
How do I open Photo CD format images?
PhotoCD images require a suitable graphics software application such as Photoshop, or CorelPaint. There are also downloadable shareware applications for the PC (Graphic Converter 2001 for Windows) and for the Mac (GraphicConverter) that will open PhotoCD files. Please note that to open PhotoCD images in Photoshop (versions 5.5 and lower) you must install the Kodak Color Management System (KCMS) plug-in, included with Photoshop. Photoshop, versions 6.0 and 7.0, automatically open PhotoCD images (please refer to your software user's manual). Photo CD images provide you with the option of opening images in a variety of image sizes and pixes resolutions ranging from 72 pixels per inch to 550 pixels per inch.Resizing PhotoCD images in Photoshop
(NOTE: In Photoshop, versions 5.5 and below, the Kodak Color Management System plug-in which comes with Photoshop must be installed. Please refer to your Photoshop manual for installation instructions)
1). Select the PhotoCD (PCD) image you want to open.
2). When the Kodak PCD Format dialog box opens, select 2048 x 3072 from the "Pixel Size" drop down menu.
3). In the next drop down box, select "Kodak Photo CD 4050 E-6V3.4 as the "Profile."
4). In the "Destination Image" Section, select 550 ppi (pixels per inch) as the Resolution.
5). Select "RGB 8 Bits/channel" in the "Color Space" drop down menu. Click OK to apply settings.
6). When the image opens, select "Image Size" from the Image drop down menu.
7). Make sure that the "Constrain Proportions" box at the bottom of the dialog box is CHECKED.
8). Make sure that the Resample Image box at the bottom of the dialog box is UNCHECKED.
9). For landscape format images, change the height of the image to the new desired height. If "Constrain Proportions" is checked, the width will automatically adjust corresponding to the new height size change. The Resolution will also adjust automatically. NOTE: If the image is vertical, change the width -- the height will adjust automatically).
FYI: If resizing PhotoCD images for commercial printing please keep in mind that the maximum image size that can be obtained at 300ppi is 10.24 inches wide by 6.827 inches high for landscape format images. Reverse these figures for vertical images..Releases
All photographs and images on this web site are "public domain" images. You are free to use these images without a release from the National Park Service. However, the photographs and images must not be used to imply National Park Service endorsement of a product, service, organization or individual.
Photo Credits
Credit photographs to the National Park Service.Contacts
Photo Archivist: Rosa Wilson, 202-513-7230 (Rosa_Wilson@nps.gov).
Web Support/Technical: Rick Lewis, 202-208-4996 (Rick_Lewis@nps.gov).
Mailing Address
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Office of Public Affairs(Photographic Archives)
1849 C Street, NW (Room 7012)
Washington, DC 20240Web address: http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/imagebase.html