Unplggd: Make Your Own Screensaver Using Flickr

A few months back we showed you how to make a your own screen saver in iPhoto using other people’s pictures from photo blogging sites (like Flickr) with an RSS feed. I tried making a more personal screen saver using my Flickr favorites, but unfortunately when I followed these steps I found that the pictures weren’t high-resolution (which didn’t work well with my 27” monitor). With just one extra step, you can turn those low quality Flickr photos into a high-res feed for your screen saver.

1. Copy your Flickr favorites RSS feed. Go to your Flickr favorites page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/(USERNAME)/favorites/. On the bottom left, you will find a “Subscribe to your favorites” link. Right-click the link and select “Copy Link Location.”

2. Create a high quality RSS feed of your favorite Flickr images by going to Flickr Feed Image Re-Sizer. Paste the RSS feed you just copied into the first field, then select a resolution by typing “Large” or “Original” into the next box. Click “Run Pipe.”

3. Right-click “Get as RSS” and select “Copy Link Location.”

4. Subscribe to RSS in iPhoto. Open up iPhone and press (command + U) to open the subscribe window. Paste your new high-res RSS feed by pressing (command + V).

5. Set the Screen Saver in System Preferences. Once it’s all loaded up, go to your System Preferences and select “Flickr Feed Image Re-sizer.” And you’re done!

By Vivian Kim

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