Odd...

When I go to the threads you mention, I indeed see some portrait photos rotated left by 90 degrees. When I click on it to get the enlarged version they open up in the correct orientation. The waterfall picture in the mentioned thread shows rotated as well (left 90 degrees) but when I do right-click "view image" the image displays properly I landscape as it should.

I'm on my mobile phone now so attempting some uploads right now is not ideal and will try tomorrow.

Pic handling has changed

Dear OzTrainz, Yaron, 

Yep, something has materially changed in the handling of pics,  the old auto-generated "click to see the big version" for uploaded images significantly wider than 750-800 pixels

(but adjusted to display at 750 in the "image posting" GUI pop-up) appears broken too...

Happy Modelling, 

Aim to Improve,

Prof Klyzlr

embedded orientation information

Hi,

just guessing...

According to the description, the error only happens for photos taken vertically (in portrait orientation). Which the camera records in the images' metadata. I would guess the image got rotated by the photo editing software, but the "orientation/rotation" field in the EXIF metadata info got left. So you now have a correct photo with "incorrect" rotation. Which the forum software and browser try to display correctly, rotating it.

Which is the intended behavior for displaying the photo But it may be confused by some combinations of "orientation" vs. "rotation"?

Do you have access to some tool to edit the EXIF info on a photo? Could you try removing the "orientation/rotation" field on one of the weird photos? At least that would confirm my guess or disprove it...

Have fun...

Next Tests

Hi to those watching,

To see what is going on I'll do 4 tests using the same source photo and we'll see how they display.

Case 1 - Original file copied and renamed with an "a" suffix, Saved with no rotation of the saved file but file size reduced to 800 x 600 pixels prior to re-saving with reduced pixel count, then uploaded to this post using the uploader functionality 

Case 2 - Original file copied and renamed with a "b" suffix, Saved with rotation of the saved file to display in vertical format correctly prior to uploading and with file size reduced to 600 x 800 pixels prior to re-saving with reduced pixel count, then uploaded to this post using the uploader functionality

Case 3 - Case 1 photo loaded to this post directly from the MRH server

Case 4 - Case 2 photo loaded to this post directly from the MRH server

Ok - prior to posting Cases 1 and 3 are displaying correctly with a correct vertical fame and the photo displayed correctly in vertical format within that frame. Cases 2 and 4 are displaying at 800 wide with the photo rotated to the right by 90 degrees. 

Let's see what everything looks like after I hit the submit button 

Results

Case 1 - is displaying rotated to the left and the 600 wide pixel dimension has been stretched to 800 pixels 

Case 2 - is displaying with the desired vertical aspect but the 600 wide pixel dimension has been stretched to 800 pixels wide.  When loading the photo, the frame dimensions appeared as 800 wide. 

Case 3 - is displaying correctly

Case 4 - is displaying rotated to the right by 90 degrees with no distortion but at 800 pixels wide (correct dimension for photo height).  

These photos were taken with a Lumix FZ100 digital camera. 
 

I can repeat this trial with photos taken from a later Lumix FZ100 or Nikkon Coolpix B700 to see if the camera makes any difference in how the file appears on the MRH server or in a posted message if required.    

John

When you get the chance try uploading some photos using 750 px as the max dimension instead of 800. I pulled your photos down from the thread with the Canadian trip and looked at the info last night and all the 800's were rotated and the two that were 750 displayed correctly.

 I took one of my photos and posted them to this thread as a test using all kinds of sizes and all displayed correctly. I have since removed my post to reduce clutter.

  In your latest test, if I understand your results, you say that #3 is displaying correctly but here it appears rotated and stretched. All the photos looked stretched regardless of orientation.

 You might try posting a photo copied from another source and see what the results are.

Here's what I'm seeing. 

Clicking fails

Also, for me, your photos 3 & 4 cannot be clicked to enlarge as a separate image.

Douglas

Curioser and Curiouser

Hi all watching,

Thanks for your combined input.

This just got a whole lot weirder. In Rick's screen shot all four photos appear to be stretched sideways. This is a narrow 2' gauge locomotive as the subject. 

Here's the direct link to the case 3 photo on the server 

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/Oztrainz/P1290575a.jpg?50

and case 4

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/Oztrainz/P1290575b.jpg?806

Given that the portrait format photos are displaying correctly when the post is being built and while it is being edited, my suspicion is that the photo from the server is being corrupted somehow when it is being reformatted to be displayed in the post after the post has been completed. Rick, could you do a side-by-side comparison in separate tabs/windows for case 3 in the post and as displayed from the Case 3 link above to compare and report back please?

On the Canadian thread - In the "Cathedral -part 2" post, there were only 2 landscape format photos. These were saved at 800 x 600 pixels (original size was 4320 x 3240 pixels for about 5.5Mb file size)  before being uploaded to the server and they were manually adjusted to 750 pixels wide for display before inserting in the post. All other photos were in portrait format are currently displaying incorrectly. Landscape format photos appear to be working and displaying correctly.  

I'll try for some portrait format photos set for 750 pixels high later today. They will be some hours away. (other commitments).   

Is anyone else seeing what Rick is seeing with all 4 photos stretched?

For Douglas - I don't think the photos will enlarge because they are stored on the server with 800 x 600 pixel dimensions, but they should open as a separate photo with the same dimensions as those shown in the post. Curiouser again. If they don't it could be because of some permissions issue in the background. 

I can set up a 1600x1200 version of landscape and portrait format photos on the MRH server to see if the "click to enlarge" is actually working. This also should highlight if there is any difference between the two display formats

Thanks all again for your input,

I see them all as Rick

I see them all as Rick recounted.

Comparison #3 from post / #3 from direct link

John,

 I'm not totally clear on the separate tabs/windows request. If this doesn't work let me know and I'll post what you need.

From post

 Screenshot 1171 px wide reduced to 750 on submission to MRH

From direct link

Screenshot 918 px wide  reduced to 750 wide upon submission to MRH

Here's something interesting

On a whim I went back to photo #3 in the "next test" post and dragged the stretched and rotated photo onto my desktop. On my desktop it self-corrects! I'm going to use the forum image upload to see what happens. More comments after the upload.

From correct image pulled onto desktop and then uploaded to forum.

Interesting. Even though the image looked screwed up in John's "test" post when it was dragged to my desktop it looks correct. Now, when that correct image is loaded up to the forum it rotates. It does not appear to be stretched.

Here's the image that I saw when dragged to my desktop.

Opened in Mac Preview and screenshot taken.

Hi Rick

Hi Rick,

The screen shot is the correct image with the radiator grille taller than wider. 

If the radiator grille appears wider than it is tall, then something has caused the photo to stretch sideways. What that "something" is, I have no idea.

To clean up the Canadian thread, for portrait format photos, my feeling is that it might be safer for me at present just to post a direct link to the correctly oriented and unstretched photo on the MRH server. It appears that this approach should display correctly when someone clicks the link?

John

Can you post a photo from another source to the forum using the forum upload dialog? 

Here's a photo that is 1600 wide (the max the forum will display). I've uploaded it at 1600 and then reduced it in the image dialog box to 750 wide. If you click on it it should display at the original 1600 wide. 

Drag the 1600 to your desktop and then post it as I did (1600 reduced to 750 in dialog box) and let's see if we get the same results.

OK the forum automatically resized it to 900x1200. I know the forum will go to a max of 1600 horizontal when the image is landscape. Appears we have a limit at 1200 for height. Still will give us some information. Click on the image to expand and post at 750 wide and we'll see what happens.

Downloaded reload.

Hi Rick all watching.

I downloaded the file but it saved at only 1200 pixels high by 900 pixels wide. the downloaded file dispalys on my hard drive correctly as portrait format. I changed the file name slightly and here's the reload manually set to 750 wide before uploading

Before posting, the water tower is displayed correctly in portrait format.  -

This photo should display at 750 pixels wide in portrait mode after posting and open as a new image at 900 pixels wide if clicked on

Submitting post now...

Well...

Hi Rick

At least the water tower stayed upright...

but on (right click) opening in a new tab the photo only displayed at 500 pixels wide by 667 pixels high, not at the 900 wide by 1200 high expected. 

Checking dimensions of uploaded file on the HRH server at  https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/user/36184/imce shows that the file correctly loaded to the server at 900 pixels wide by 1200 pixels high. 

Thoughts??

All good here

I expanded my upload and same for your upload and they spec the same and when imported to Affinity Photo are identical. My best guess now.........not that I'm a heavy literate computer guy......is for you to check out the post using a different internet browser and let's see if there is a change. I'm using Safari 12.0.

Using the later Lumix

Hi Rick, all, 

I'm uploading using Chrome on the Windows side of Macbook Pro.  

using the the later Lumix file is 600 pixels wide by 800 pixels high. 

Again, looks OK before posting.

The direct link to the photo on the server is

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/Oztrainz/P1110929a.jpg?564

And something different from the Nikkon CoolPix B700 - some flowers in the Singapore Botanical Gardens

Looks OK at 600 wide by 800 high in Portrait format before posting. 

Let's see what we get this time, 

And both misfired..

Hi Rick, all,

Looks like the camera brand is irrelevant - It's how the jpg's are being processed by the software when the topic is being loaded for display after it is posted.

direct links to the photos on the MRH server were: 

for the locomotive -  https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/Oztrainz/P1110929a.jpg?409

for the flowers -  https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/Oztrainz/P1010540a%281%29.jpg?316

Looks like this one is gong to require some type of a fix to the forum software. I really haven't changed anything I usually did to upload portrait format photos. Previously they all displayed correctly after posting. Now some of the old threads appear broken when displayed.

I really don't want to have to go back to something like my Corrimal thread and forcibly re-link every portrait format photo I've added. I have at least 5 portrait format photos in the first 14 pages that are now broken that were previously displaying correctly. 

Just to add to the confusion...

John, Rick.

On my iPad, photos 1 and 2 are distorted, while 3 and 4 have the correct aspect ratio. 4 is rotated 90deg clockwise. So different to what you’re seeing, Rick. 

@Ron

Hi Ron,

that was the expected outcome for cases 3 & 4 if you look at the the actual files on the MRH server. Cases 1 & 2 are what is being displayed in "display mode" after posting is done and the files are pulled from the MRH server link into the display posting for display.

Thanks for keeping an eye on me,

What software for photo editing?

Hi,

may I ask what software you're using to prepare the photos prior to uploading?

From what I see, it might be something that does not depend on the camera but rather than a software issue. As mentioned earlier, I think it might be worth checking the EXIF metadata on both a "good" and "bad" example.

Have you tried using a different software preparing the images prior to upload?

Yes, just guessing

Have fun (even when on the side

Hi again, after downloading

Hi again,

after downloading the image (from the thread) and checking the image info in an external program (ImageMagick display), this is not what I expected (screenshot):

Of interest are the "Page geometry: 600x800" and "Orientation: Undefined".

Clicking the deep link on the image works as expected with the loco on the tracks rather than "toppled over"...

Now that is really strange... Some piece of software between the editor used for image prep and the forum software is "too smart"... I'd still suspect some interaction between the EXIF metadata and the "images from just over the edge of the world"

Have fun!

One thing...

This probably won't stop the rotated photos, but instead of setting both height and width in the photo dialog, just set the width (the top box). The other number will be calculated automatically. 

750 is probably the largest it should be set to. Something in the recesses of my mind says that the middle window is formatted to be 800 wide.

test

I re-sized this image on the MRH upload to 600x800 (Like John's photos) and used both height and width boxes. No issues that I can see.

John..... your process is possibly too convoluted for the recent forum changes. If I understand it correctly you are using a MacBook Pro (like me) but with a Windows partition. Can you take a new portrait image with your camera,  an image that has not been imported into your computer yet, and disabling the Windows side of your computer upload it to the forum via the Mac?  If you have another computer with just one operating system you might also try it. Sure looks like a computer incompatibility issue at this point.