Some amazing photo tools for your Google Drive.

With Google Apps and Google drive for schools, there are a ton of tools at your finger tips.  Google Drive gives you 5 gig of non-Google file storage, so it's great for storing a variety of files.

If you have a Google+ account (Now available for educational institutions!)  You have unlimited photo storage in Google+ and Picasa web albums are a great places for photo storage. Inside of the Picasa web albums, you are given the Picnik photo editor, which is a powerful photo editor that Google purchased and incorporated it into their Google+ and Picasa web products. Google+ and Picasa web albums allow you to place your photos into albums and manage sharing.

Today, I want to show you a great Chrome Extension that allows you to save files right to your Google drive, and then a couple great photo editing apps for those photo files that you save to drive.

Cloud Save - A Google Chrome extension. 
Right Click items on a webpage and save them directly to the cloud. Many cloud storage services are supported. Including Google Drive, Dropbox, Box.net, SugarSync and more. Great for Chromebooks!
Download  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dlbemabjbfhjcccahjioenmkgimjbbkd

Once a photo file is saved to your Google Drive, these photo editors allow you to easily edit the photo right from your drive.

Install Pixlr Editor and the Pixlr Express Chrome apps.  After installing these apps, follow these directions to use these apps for Photo edits to those files you have uploaded to drive.

Step 1: From your Google Drive account, right-click on an image, then go to Open with > Pixlr Editor or Pixlr express.  (Play around with both to see which features are offered in each product.)  If you have already opened the picture in your viewer, you can still do the "Open with" option.

Step 2: When prompted for permissions, click the “Allow access” button to let Pixlr integrate with your Google Drive account

Step 3: After your image is opened into Pixlr, edit your photo as you please. You can then save the photo back to your drive. 

 If you change your mind and want to remove the Pixlr app integration, go to the gears icon in the upper-right-hand corner, then choose “Manage apps.” You’ll be able to remove your third-party apps from there.

Remember, many of you may just want to upload your pictures straight into Picasa web albums and use the Picnik program for your edits.  This is a functional option as well. 

There are many great Google drive applications that add a lot of functionality. These are just a few to get you started!