So you've taken some gorgeous flower images and want to brighten up your computer with them. A couple of years ago the obvious thing to do would be to install them as screensavers, maybe in a slide show format, so that you could enjoy their bright colors and fine detail whenever you'd been thinking too deeply or dozing off at your keyboard.
Now suddenly modern technology means that screen savers are no longer necessary to protect flat screen monitors. In fact they are worse than useless. Installing a screen saver means that, instead of switching off into power saving mode, your computer is kept busy and power-hungry by displaying your slide show of stunning flower images to an inattentive audience. So what does the modern, eco-conscious photographer do to display their photos in a fun way on their computer?
The answer is of course wallpaper... the virtual sort, not the stuff you decorate the house with. A desktop background or wallpaper can be customised on most modern computer systems. You can choose from an existing library of photos within the computer, download pictures from the internet, or create a folder of your own best images to use, either singly or in a slideshow format.
Using your flower images as wallpaper has several advantages over using them as screen savers. First of all you actually get to see your pictures while you are working at your computer, not just when you've stopped work for a while. Any time that you want the inspiration or calmness of that perfect flower picture, all you have to do is minimize the document you are working on and gaze at your wallpaper for a minute or two to restore a zen state of mind.
The slide show format adds the element of surprise. You can set it to change images every half hour, so you will get a different picture every time you look - maybe a landscape shot of spring flowers when you switch on the computer first thing, or a triumph of riotous colours in a detailed shot of a peony when it's time for a coffee break later on.
If you don't yet have any of your own flower images that you love enough to install as wallpaper, then you could have a look at online flower galleries for inspiration. Most images are available as inexpensive downloads and can easily be used as desktop wallpaper to inspire your own photography to greater efforts.
Just remember that screen savers are now officially out, and check out your computer for instructions on how to customise your wallpaper or desktop background, if you want a cutting edge showcase for your flower images!
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