What's wrong?

[jeaniesa]

Ed, this is a great improvement over your first version! So great in fact, that I can now see one other small improvement that you could make.

I'm noticing that the "density" of the different photos is different. This is particularly noticeable in the picture of the boy in the top left. See how he seems more faded than the other pictures? You might want to do a quick levels adjustment on the individual images so that they seem so have comparable brightness and contrast - and have a little more "pop".

I love the background color that you chose. I don't think I would have gravitated toward that color myself, but it works! Font is much better too! Way to take our suggestions and run with them!

Jeanie

[roger_ele]

Hi Ed

2nd version is better, I like the flow of the circle and the sizes are much better.

I am not a graphic designer and I am sure there are a dozen ways to do this better, but I went ahead and split this up into layers and played with it.

There are a couple of concepts I discovered while doing this that I would like to share.

-found a color for the background that seemed to harmonize with the photos. Lighter in the middle to darker outside.
-By grouping the two black & whites together they form one object in terms of the composition. Also tried to seperate the colors for balance.
-Used curves adjustment on a couple of the photos to even out brightness and contrast
-Put the two sitting, on the bottom facing in
-Staggered head heights so that no two pairs of eyes next to each other were level with each other.
-Looked at head size and total picture size when resizing
-separated the black & white and color without making a triangle out of the black & white (Iwas afraid the eye would see the pattern and distract from looking at the photos), the black and whites are not level with each other (older boy on left and two little ones on the right)
-Used a font with softer lines for more emotion - left justified text to make it easier to read within the confusion of all of the photos
-have most of the photos touching each other to lead the eye around (I have seen other people do this kind of thing with seperate ovals and drop shadows, but I like this better)
- Was able to get the writing off of the center some for a sense of movement
- Used the girl on the left of the writing partially because of the straight right edge of her photo (since she was originally along the right side up against the edge) and partly because she seemed to facing in.

So much sweeter coming from you - but I hope you like some of these ideas

Roger

[jeaniesa]

Ed, I keep forgetting to say - that picture of the little boy with the puppy is adorable!!!!

Jeanie

[roger_ele]

Ed, I am sorry I didn't ask if it was OK to do the montage before I did it. I forgot that this is the Critique Category and is a little different by design than some of the others.

I am pretty much a visual person (imagine that - probably why I'm here in the first place), the only way I could work out what my ideas were in any depth was to work with it.

Doing this for your wife is such a personal thing that I feel like I might have intruded a little ... please know that I did not mean to at all.

Roger

[Ed_L]

Tyeise...Thanks for the remarks. You folks did a super job!

Jeanie...Thank you. It's amazing what someone else sees that you don't see sometimes. Thanks too for the comment on the pic. If you like that one, I've got another that I'll post for you to do some artwork on.

Roger...Wow! You went through some trouble for that one. I think you have some excellent ideas. Thanks very much. I appreciate the comments from everyone.

Ed

[Ed_L]

Thanks, but I can't accept the kudos. That belongs to the group. You're right though...it was well worth the time and effort. Thanks to all.

Ed