Wedding page layout software

[DougAxford]

Peter, What's the big difference between doing the layout in PS or InDesign vs. FotoFusion?

If you are starting with a blank spread, I'm not sure what advantages it might have. I had a quick look at the site, but have not downloaded anything. I'm not sure about you, but I'm getting sick of downloading trial software and never getting time to try it out.

I'm with you on the other layout software - which is why I didn't respond yet. I'd rather have a clean page to start with and force my grey matter to create, rather than fall into reliance on presets.

Finished layout by Tuesday!!!!!!!!! I thought my 1 week turnaround was the fastest. Holy sh**. I know lots of guys that are months ....

Thanks, Doug

[ChrisPerry]

With FF you set up your page sizes and do two page spreads (faster than one page at a time). As you pull in images from the lightbox/palette they drop on the page essentially each on it's own layer. You can zoom in, crop, rotate, make B&W, do gradient fades, sloppy borders, text, etc as you go along and it's much faster than PS. All the pages are open at once as thumbnails and as each image is used it's marked so you know you've used it (or used it twice).

You can then save the project, output it as high res with spreads or individual pages at any size/resolution you want, watermarked or not. Going back in and making changes is super simple, and fast. A real benefit.

Doing shadows, borders, etc it also super fast - much better than doing it all in PS.

I just finished an album for a HS senior - 72 images on 30 sides in about 3 hours, from scratch. You can make or get templates if you'd prefer, but I like working from a blank page and find it faster with more creative possibilities.

[Peter Gregg]

Originally Posted by DougAxford

Peter, What's the big difference between doing the layout in PS or InDesign vs. FotoFusion?

Finished layout by Tuesday!!!!!!!!! I thought my 1 week turnaround was the fastest. Holy sh**. I know lots of guys that are months ....

Thanks, Doug

Layers are handles differently in FF. Actually there are layers, but for the user there are no layers. I know I didn't say that quite right, but the point is I don't have to deal with layers but still get the benefits.

I find the speed of working in FF maybe 10 times as fast for me over PS. Obviously, I get along very well with it. There is no handicap for not being in PS either, you just click on edit and FF puts the picture into PS for me to work on. When I click SAVE it pops back into FF seamlessly.

I think I said I complete the book by Thursday - not Tuesday. Don't take those extra 2 days away from me - lol. I reserve Tuesday for what I call "album day". That is when I create the book, plus give myself a days buffer in case I am doing portrait sessions. By Thursday it is up and online though. I usually make double of what is purchased. So if they buy the standard package with 30 pages (15 spreads) I design 60 pages meaning 30 spreads. It is not hard to make 30 spreads. At about 10 minutes per spread that would be 5 hours. Some actually go much much faster and then there are a few special ones that take longer. So 5 hours to make a book is actually a little on the long side.

Tell you what - make 25 books in a row, and by the time you are done making all 25 I guarantee you will slice 70 percent of your time off the top - lol. As for guys taking months to deliver - I believe you. Sometimes I have a book delivered and in the brides hands while another bride didn't even get her proofs yet. This just happened recently - I did a wedding in October 07, had the book delivered for Thanksgiving while my cousin who got married the same weekend (not down here in Miami) was getting her proofs in time for the same Thanksgiving. I have to admit, I was a little amazed. Wedding was on October 20 I think (from memory). In case you are wondering, I usually use one of 2 companies, Visionart being the fastest.

Peter

[ChrisPerry]

30 sides in 5 hours with editing sounds about right. I do the layout and put it up for proofing then edit when they've approved it. Layout takes 2 or 2 1/2 hours I suppose. I use FF Extreme (the $299 version). They keep improving it and customer service is OUTSTANDING!.

Here's a couple of pages done in FF - no PS or nuttin' like that. Meaning the gradients, borders, shadows, B&W are all FF. (click on thumbnail for larger image)

I'd post a few more but pbase is timing out...ah, technology, ain't it grand?

[pumpdog]

Originally Posted by ChrisPerry

I've not used it. I got into Lumapix' Fotofusion a couple years back and I love it. Ver 4 Extreme is awesome - each update adds very useful features. You can do templates or freeform, output PSD or JPG, web or hi res, etc. I use it for all my template needs (i make my own) for cards, wall art, albums and more. And they've got the best customer service on the planet, bar none!

Chris,

Thanks for the recomendation!!! I am printing out an album as I type with Lumapix. I bought it a few days ago and found it very easy to use. It's a huge time saver. At the time of purchase I was asked how I heard about it and mentioned your name.

Thanks again,
Terry

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