montage of places to remember

[ME100FINN]

Here is a ROUGH montage of places to remember in Japan. I hope to sell a version of this for those leaving the base. Please give me some feedback - what you like/dont like...I want criticism good/bad please. I know I cant please ALL, but majority rules! ;)

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=6696

I got the black background blend idea from someone's gallery here. I'd like to try it with a white background or just plain black and see what it looks like. I just dont want it to look like a collage poster - it will be a matted photo in a frame, so quality (appearance) matters. Doing a single photo is easy, but its hard to maintain a certain look when you add so many photos. I have yet to see a layout that looks like quality.

[Pauline]

very nice Beatrice. I like the black background. It really makes the photos stand out.

[Norm F]

Beatrice,

I love it the way it is. I'm sure it would make a nice keepsake for those people who are leaving. Good job. I love your baby photos as well. The feet are so cute. What a great idea.

[ME100FINN]

I threw this one together too just now. I like it better I think. Layout idea is from the latest issue, of course!
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=6697

[jo]

The second one is my favorite.

Using a photograph and a gradient is how I did my posters (2 of them in my gallery) but I just used a corner (or maybe all corners) for the photo and the rest of the background is one color.

[ME100FINN]

ah, yeah Jo, I recall seeing yours! They work great for similar images. Since I have such a variety in color, season, and feel, it seems like a more difficult task to put them altogether. The other gradient I saw was a bit different - I think it had some beach pics on it and it faded completely to black at the bottom.

Off to bed - soccer games (first of the season) tomorrow! Need to be wide-eye and bushy tail to get some pics (I hope)... will try more posters tomorrow I hope.

[Norm F]

Beatrice,

I think the text titles adds a nice touch for a memorabilia type of thing.

[SCRAPPYGIRL]

Both are great Beatrice, but I think I like the second one best, expecially the font used in Japan

[PaulH]

I like both - on number one - the background on the lower left - about 8 oclock - between the ship and tree lake scene - seems a little bright and distracts from the foreground.

I like the # 2 layout better - but I don't like the upper RH tree pic. Just something about it.

Opinions are my own - your mileage may vary - objects msy appear bigger on your rear view monitor

[Wendy]

Hi Beatrice ...

I like both but if you are looking to sell a version of it to those leaving then I think that the first one is more likely to sell ... the second one is a great effect but the first one shows off the images better :)

Wendy

[Jodi Frye]

I like them both...if you could find a way to squeeze the word ' Japan' into the first one then i suspect you could sell both versions. Art is subjective...we all have different tastes. Heck, you could get a dozen different style layouts together ! :)

[gmill]

Just a couple of thoughts.

Both are very striking, although I think I favor #2. I agree with Paul on the upper right photo of the tree - not sure exactly what it is about it; maybe I just need to see a bit more of the tree.

Also, I'm wondering on #1, how it would look if you did a a soft focus or adjust the hue/saturation on the background (tree) picture. Maybe it's just me, but my attention is taken off the photo's as I try to make out what the background is. And as Jodi said, if you could sqeeze the title in, that would set it off nicely.

[karen donnybrook]

Beatrice, I prefer No.1 but would like to see the background image a lot softer, maybe even washed out grey scale.

[AliciaPelzer]

Absolutley love them ALL.... Very nice!. I would love to try something like that, but since I am still learning, I dont know where I would begin.. :(
Very nice, love the feet too... So precious.

[Juergen D]

Beatrice,
Try #1 in landscape mode, maybe use the lake as background (possibly in B/W??). But leave the individual images as they are now and keep the black canvas.

Juergen

[NMarti]

Beatice
I like no 1 but agree maybe fade the background a bit. The reason being when I first looked at it I didn't realize it was a single photo but thought it was several small ones until I looked closer. I like the layout and think the images you have chosen are beautiful. Maybe with landsape you could open up the center or somewhere else just a bit to add Japan like those before suggested. I also like the lake and think it would be great worked in somehow.

[ME100FINN]

Thanks all! I knew I could get some input from yous! I posted my second quick fix on the snow tree background. I lightened to b/w, blurred, added text, and slightly rearranged pics. See if it is an improvement please... off to soccer games now!!

[jo]

I like that better. The background pic is less distracting.

[karen donnybrook]

Beatrice, Just had a look at your "Japan" poster in your gallery. It looks great and I like the portrait style for a poster - landscape just does not seem right for a poster, does it?

[ME100FINN]

Karen well...I showed my dh the landscape and he paused....then said "it's nice but I dont like it." Then I thought I would wow him with the portrait version...and I got "I like it but it should be landscape!" He said most photo gifts he has seen (of military jets) are landscape. Of course! I said mine will be of Japan and they will be different! LOL But I am going to try more versions... hope I can keep it to three or four choices for easy selection. Portrait is nicer for poster. I think I could use these pics for postcards too... one thing at a time!

[Wendy]

Hi Beatrice ...

I really like the new one ... it looks good :)

Wendy

[ME100FINN]

Hi Beatrice ...

I really like the new one ... it looks good :)

Wendy

thanks! here is #3 - landscape as my dh requested. How do you guys/gals think this would look matted?

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=6719

[Wendy]

Beatrice ...

Oh that looks good too ... I do still prefer the portrait one but give people the choice and I am sure that you will find that both are popular :)

Wendy

[Juergen D]

...it will be a matted photo in a frame, so quality (appearance) matters.

Beatrice,
I didn't know it was supposed to be a poster. I suggested landscape because of what you said in your first post. ;)

Juergen

[jo]

Beatrice, I like each new version better than the last. Frustrating, isn't it, when you start trying different things and have to decide on just one.

[ME100FINN]

Beatrice, I like each new version better than the last. Frustrating, isn't it, when you start trying different things and have to decide on just one.

Thats so true. I am working on one now that has two military jets in the middle and all the montage pictures around the edge to frame that picture. It looks rather nice. Then I put the service member's name and tour of duty dates below that. Nice keepsake! The ideas are coming slowly. I dont think I can narrow it down to just a couple YET. Sigh. When will this end? hee hee

J - my thoughts keep changing through this project. Some images look more like postcards than they do matted/framed prints. The more images you add the more it looks like a postcard. Maybe that is ok, I dont know. Once I get a few, i will print them out and have my dh take them to work and get some more opinions (maybe).

i cant please everyone - so I have to keep repeating myself to keep me on track -- I cannot please everyone. Once I get the final set, I stick to it and dont offer further customizations...well, can you switch this picture for that picture...etc. What the end result is, that is what you pay for (I hope! LOL)

[kayser]

Beatrice- All of them look good! And with a couple options, you'll appeal to more people.

[ME100FINN]

Whew - ok I am done for the night. Here is version #4
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=6720

I have the center image to fix yet (remove the building in the backgound, etc). I may even take a picture during the day and see if it works better. I suspect the night time one will work best though.

So -- time will tell how these sell to the groups. I will make samples of each and let them pick - postcard, 8x10 print, or poster. now to figure out the cost... hmm... need to look at online providers (other than printing).

The other version may get a few tweaks, but not much. I really like each one! What a fun project.

[mom to 4]

Beatrice:

I am not sure which version is one, two or three, but that last one is terrific! I love it. I think they are all good, and you could make one print of each and let people pick the one they want. They are all really good. I just think the last one is really spectacular (did I spell that right????... you get my drift!

NICELY DONE!!!!

[NMarti]

Beatrice,
I like that idea to add their name and rank. Pretty cool! You have done a really great job on these. Perhaps the only thing I would change is have Japan in color so it stands out more. Other than that they are great!