Photo ID Programs

The next time you're in need of a way to keep track of your employees or family members, turn to your computer. It probably includes a program or two that you can use to make photo identification cards. With just a couple of quick clicks, you'll be able to navigate through the programs to make custom cards. Use cards for security measures at your office or to help your kids keep track of their important home details. Within minutes, you'll know why a picture is worth more than a thousand words.

Photoshop

Photoshop, sold as part of the Adobe Creative Suite, is one of the go-to programs for people interested in tweaking their photos, enhancing images and updating pictures. Although the program comes loaded with tools, filters and palettes, it can also help you create simple photo IDs. To create a photo ID in Photoshop, you would open a new image document, add in the photo and then type in the person's details, such as name and address. Photoshop's movable text offers additional functionality such as layering the words "Cleared" or "Under 18" over the photo on an angle like a watermark or using a bright font color to make it stand out from the rest of the ID.

Although Publisher, the desktop publishing layout and design component of the Microsoft Office Suite, is often relied on to produce materials such as newsletters, business cards, labels and brochures, it's also an ideal program to create photo IDs. If you're familiar with using Word, you'll find Publisher's toolbars and functionality almost identical. Publisher offers a variety of quick-start blank documents, which you can resize to fit the ID card dimensions. Adding the person's image to the card is done through the program's "Insert" menu. Publisher works through text boxes, so you would add a text box to the card to fill in the person's name, company, job title, building number or office number.

Every computer with the Windows operating system comes with a basic drawing and sketching program called Paint. Although Paint may not have as much functionality as its fellow graphics programs, it makes for a simple (and free) way to make photo IDs. When you open Paint, a workspace is automatically created for you. You simply browse to your photo for the ID, open it and adjust the workspace to the card size. Like other graphics programs, Paint lets you select your font, text size and color, then type all of the card details required. You can even create quick ways to distinguish cards by adding a colored background with the "Fill with Color" tool. Use different backgrounds to differentiate work groups, family members, ages or clearance levels.