Making photo montage for my wedding

Hey everyone
I am a new MAC user and just bought Final Cut Express. I was reading through the forums and I notice a lot of people are complaining about the quality of their DVD of photos once it's exported. Is there a setting or something I should do to my photos (.jpegs) before I start my slideshow? (Don't have money for photoshop) hope there are little things I can do in the actual program to make sure the photos don't look distorted.
I bought Final Cut Express instead of using Imovie because I'm use to editing with a time line so I thought this would be easier. I plan on learning how to do fancy things as I get use to the program, but my other main concern is how can I zoom in and out of photos, is there a simple button or option I can use?
So I guess that's it for now, just looking for a little help before I dive into this simple yet complex project!
All ideas/helps/thoughts/advice is welcomed
Thanks

What I suggested is not a separate application but a plugin for FCE: you have to download it and drag it into the plugin folder for FCE (the exact location is again in the referred web page). When you open FCE, you find it among the other plugins and effects already available for FCE, ready for use.
This would solve your issue, or at least help quite a bit in zooming in and out photos.
The main point however is that learning FCE takes quite longer than iMovie. So you must take into account that creating your first project, even if short and simple, will take you a while (weeks of hard job) and some good tutorial, for example the very good Tom's Final Cut Express 4 - Editing Workshop. While learning you'll appreciate how powerful and flexible FCE is.
A suggestion for your photos: if you don't have Photoshop I suggest to use iPhoto and export your photos using the File/Export: File Export tab, and select Kind: JPEG or TIFF, and Size: Large or Medium. The purpose is to make the photo size about the double of your FCE movie frame size. For example make the photos 1280x964 (or alike) to fit into a 720x480 NTSC movie: this will make panning an zooming of better quality. If you leave them full size FCE will still work but will require a lot of RAM, so it might needlessly slow down or require changing some configuration options (Memory Cache).
Finally a slideshow on a TV from a video DVD will always have lower quality than a full resolution slideshow on a good iMac monitor... That's not an FCE problem but a format problem. Still if you fix your settings carefully in my opinion you may get good results also on a standard video DVD.
Piero

Similar Messages

Making Photo Montage for Desktop

Hi Guys,
I have a ton of really small photographs in a folder on my desktop that I would like to have in one large picture. I am looking to create something that has all the photos (or at least most) on a grid in one large picture and then set that as a background. I have iPhoto 6, but not Aperture. I think about sixteen or so of these photos would fit on my screen as a background.
Thanks a lot.
C h r i s t o p h

The demo version of OmniGraffle will let you work with up to 10 images per document. I use it to create this 96 image collage 20 x 30" poster.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

I am making a playlist for a wedding and I need to shorten a song how do I do that?

I am making a playlist on my iPod for a wedding but I need to shorten a song, how can I do that?

Right-click the track in your iTunes library, Get Info, go to the Options tab, and set the Start and Stop times as you wish.

Photo Montage Price

Hi all:
I've been approached by a friend of a friend to do a photo montage for her husband for Christmas. Would love to do this for extra money as I'm a stay at home mom and that has been my ultimate goal: preserving memories for people while making extra $$.
Does anyone have ideas on how much I should charge for this service as well as video transfer?
I would appreciate any and all feedback.
Thank you so much!
Susan

Hi
I create these slideshows for people as a hobby-job myself. I scan them with an Epson scanner at 300 DPI, then use Roxio's Motion Pictures (bundled with Toast) to add motion settings to each image. (The scanner has its own image correction when I scan the pics in, it does quite a good job and I have the option of tweaking it or turning it off) The program automatically comes up with its own motion settings; you simply have to tweak these in/out points. I then export a QT file into FCE. Add music there... burn in DVD SP and voila a pics slideshow. Add a custom DVD case insert, dvd label thrown together in Photoshop, and you have yourself a nice finished product.
I require my clients to arrange their photos into groups, around 30 pics. They come up with a song or theme for each group. They put everything in order, and come up with the songs they want.
I charge $1 per picture, plus a $20 initial charge. This includes a copy of the slideshow on DVD. It comes out to around $50/hr that I am actually doing intensive work. I scan at a rate of 2 pics/min; the scanner finds the images itself, I don't really do much color correction either. So, for, say a 200 pic slideshow I spend around 100 mins scanning, 30 minutes messing with motion settings; let them export; then another 90 minutes adding in music, crossfades, text screens etc... Then allow some extra time...
For DVD case inserts there I charge a set up charge of $10...which pretty much gets a client their choice of pic on the front of the DVD case insert with text in a cutesy font; a quote/pic on the back and title again on the spine. Then there's a $1 additional per each DVD. "Custom" DVD labels (printed directly on the disc with a Primera Bravo printer) work the same way. My base price for barebones DVD copies is $10...cheeeeeeeeaaaaap. Keep in mind I do these mostly for people I know, so I try not to gouge.
I too have issues with copyright... Many just play their shows to Mom or Dad, Son or Daughter, etc. But, I have been looking the other way when I know some use them for say a school ceremony or wedding reception. To protect myself, is there anything I can do, other than not using copyrighted music? As in, any sort of document I can draw up or anything that I can make clients sign?
Bret

Ambitious project with 3D Photo Montage, Questions..

Hey guys, I've been using Final Cut for a while, I finally started putting my foot down on Motion 3 (it's been an afterthought, but when I purchased FCS 2, I knew I'd have to learn it sooner or later), and became interested in doing a 3d photo montage, cutting out my subjects from their backgrounds and breathing life into them. I'll be breaking my question down into a lame outline haha just so my question doesn't sound too broad or boring.
The Plan-
I'll be putting together a 5-10 minute photo montage for my sister when she gets married, and I've got plenty of time alloted to do this project.
The Vision-Create a 3d world of photographs of my sister and her soon-to-be-husband, photographs may range up to 80 photographs. Basically animate a single photo that is cut into different layers, then fly/dolly onto the next photograph.
The Question-Can Motion handle such a workload? (I assume yes) Or better yet, is there a workflow I should use? I hear that a Motion Project can get bogged down easily if there's too much stuff.
Other info, these photos are coming from scans, point and shoot cameras, and my nikon d90, all mixed into an Aperture Library, rated, color corrected, etc. Then I send them to Photoshop to break down the photograph into layers.
If you guys have ANY advice, this would be great, I want to put something wonderful together for my sis, this would be my most ambitious project yet.
And one last thing, i did get a tutorial video from Ripple Training, the "Motion 3 Fast Forward" from Mark Spencer (awesome job man), and I did learn how to do it, my question is how far can I take it with Motion?

Down-res your photos as much as you possibly can and you should be ok.
Here's a 2-part tutorial on doing a 3D photo fly-through:
Part 1: http://www.rippletraining.com/movies/Free%20Downloads/motionpsd_in_space960.mov
Part 2: http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/smartin/video/animatingphotoshop_layers_in_motionredux/

Been a Long Time... Need tips for Photo Montage

Hey guys, hope you're all doing well. I've been popping in and out on the forums busy as a bee mainly editing programs and trying to reach home early to cuddle my now 7 month old daughter! Who by the way is awesome.
I've got this photo thingi I have to do before the 25th for a wedding surprise. I've got a majority of the photos and would like to do the project in HDV 720p(because I'm bored of doing standard def animations). I've converted the photos to smart objects and resized them to individual 1280x720 Photoshop projects named in relevance to specific events. Been researching effects and uses of stills in photo montages but need a bit more help. I'm almost fully confused as to where I should start. My main trouble I think, for now, is getting properly organized and figuring what dimensions and so I should work with. Help please? Oh, and I have a voice over of the story they want it to tell.

One thing that can help is interesting transitions - see the animated transitions in this thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=1348891#1348891
Patrick

Why is iMessage taking my incoming emails and then not making them available for my PC to get? Why can I not send a text msg with photos when iMessage is turned off (but MMS is still on).

Apple is great!
Why is iMessage taking my incoming emails and then not making them available for my PC to get? Why can I not send a text msg with photos when iMessage is turned off (but MMS is still on).
I compose an iMessage with the destination as my email address and I attach 2 photos I want on my PC. I send them several times from my iPhone 5C but they never arrive. I look at my ipad later and realize that it's iMessage app is getting ( and swallowing) these emails. I then turn the ipad off. Still can't get the photos through because iphone is now getting them on it's iMessage. I turn off the iMessage feature and try to send photos from text msging. Phone tells me it can't send photos unless iMessage it turned on. What happened to regular MMS text messaging? I go and try to send photos as an email attachment and see that there is no option to attach from the stupid email program. I look up online to learn about the brave new world of apple attachments and send them.
Why is iMessage taking my incoming emails and then not making them available for my PC to get?
The email program on my iphone is not configured to remove messages from the server.
If iMessage is turned off I don't have the issue.
Why can I not send a text msg with photos when iMessage is turned off (but MMS is still on).

Did not work. I've selected iMessage to ON and left it. After a few hours I recieved a message "activation unsuccessful. Turn on iMessage to try again". This has been going on for the past 3 days.

I enabled computer home sharing between my fiance's apple computer and my windows. I am able to play his music on my computer now, however I am making playlists for our wedding, and am unable to transfer any of his songs to my playlists.How can I do this?

I enabled computer home sharing between my fiance's apple computer and my windows computer, so I now can play his music on my computer; however, I am making playlists for our wedding and am unable to transfer any of his songs to my playlists. How can I do this?

Thanks
Are you sure that if I use my windows log in rather than my husbands, then open itunes it won't delete all his hundreds of songs and overwrite with mine?
I want to maintain my own apple ID login and he wants his but without losing his songs.....
how do i transfer the content of my itunes including apps and songs to the new computer. There doesn't seem to be an easy explanation on here. Do I just plug my iPhone in and it will all transfer?

CS4 transitions - how to apply fade/zoom for memorial photo montage - please help

I'm considering doing a photo-only montage for a relative's memorial if I can figure out how to get the look I'm wanting. I want to apply a slow cross zoom AND a fade both, but it looks like I can only do one at a time. How do I apply both of these transitions at once? Or is there another way I can get the look I'm wanting? Any tips or links you may have that would help point me in the direction I'm wanting to go would be greatly, greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you I think you've pointed me in the right direction. Please forgive me for my ignorance as I have just begun using this program. I don't have all the official terms down yet, such as "key frame", so I'll try to explain the best I can what I've done so far. On the timeline, I've got the yellow line on the image and I can click on a dot and drag one end of the line down so that it's diagonal, but it won't stretch across the following image. Is there any way to have the line stretch across all images and add those little dots (are those key frames?) wherever I please? I apologize if this made no sense whatsoever. I just want to fade out one picture and then fade in the following picture using this opacity effect you mentioned. Thank you very much for your time.

What techniques do you prefer for creative photo montage backgrounds?

Hello all,
Do you create your backgrounds in Photoshop? After Effects? Motion? What techniques do you use?
Do you download backgrounds? Use a specific program with templates? Have you seen any photo montages lately with outstanding techniques you would like to imitate?
Feel free to post links.
I want to do something more creative than the basic montages I've been doing and am just looking for ideas.

Back in the days before digital juice and the like, I'd spend about half an online session generating moving backgrounds with a designer/client of mine before adding the content. Abstract stills growing, rotating, long dissolves one to the next, etc, etc. Now I do that sort of bg with one or several jumpbacks.
One of the old chestnuts (I say that because i've been doing it for years-- but clients never seem to get tired of it) Is to put your photos over a jumpback or other bg, apply an 8 point garbage matte, feather the edges, add a little distortion to make them look tilted one way or another, keyframe a little forward motion, dissolve in and out. If you play with the sizes, you can get two, three, four images on the screen all dissolving in and out. With the right sappy music appropriate to the subject, it can be very effective.

Can Premier Pro Do This...???...(need help w/ FAST photo montage!)

well folks...
i'm really in trouble
i moved sony vegas (8.0) from my office pc to my recording/mastering studio's audio pc...(w/ it's quad IV cpu & tons of RAM)
& now...after moving along quite nicely...all of a sudden the project video screen (lower right) went completely RED...& the project doesn't repond to ANY controls...!!!...seized up tighter than a duck's protuberance.
(just like it did on my office pc)
I rebooted the machine, but that didnt help
so...i'll never make my deadline...on a very important dynamic photo montage i'm constructing for my brother's 50th wedding anniversay...so:
I know premier pro is wonderful for movie editing/creating...but...can it do a dynamic photo montage...???...the kind where one photo image transistions to the next...(w/ music)...& if so...does it have great transition effects & fades & text features (for that job) such as scrolling titles, etc...???
if not...can someone recommend me a program that DOES (in the vein of sony vegas)...???
thanx,
mark4man

i got it...i got it...!!!
so...this 1st screen shot is from an old scanned print; & you can see both pix X pix & document size:
obviously if i uncheck Resample Image...i can't change the pixel dimensions...so I simply did this:
so...is this now my optimum pixel dimensions for HD...(for that particular shot)...???
AND...it's OK that the document size differed (down to 2.283" X 1.8") while remaining at 600ppi...for HD...???
(see...i always assumed that, because there are a gazillion pixels on my 46" LED HD TV...I had to make my scan resolution as great as possible to fill that screen)...& you two are telling me that, because the pix dimension width is now 1080...that shot won't look pixelated (up-sampled) when the movie is played on an HD TV...???
if so...i'm good w/ the info you've given me (actually, great).
thanx a gazillion,
mark4man

How To: Make A Photo Montage

I have four photos, closeups of people. What I want to do is to arrange them in a semi-circle, next to each other. And I'd want each photo boundary to fade into the photo next to it.
What I'm trying to do is to create a label to paste onto CDs. I have software that'll allow me to import the finished photo montage and print to the appropriate label. Text, of course, would be superimposed on the photos.
I'd very much appreciate hearing from anyone who has tried a similar stunt. How did you go about it?
Dave

Dave:
You might give Discus a try. It has templates for printing directly on printable discs and many label layouts. These are just some of the labels I've created for DVDs:
Click to view full size
Just so you know it's strongly recommended to not put paper labels on disks, particularly DVDs but also CDs. The labels can unbalance the disk causing playback problems, blister or begin to peel after a while jamming optical drives, especially slot loading drives.
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier versions) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. There are versions that are compatible with iPhoto 5, 6, 7 and 8 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
NOTE: The new rebuild option in iPhoto 09 (v. 8.0.2), Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup" makes this tip obsolete.

Photo montage software?

I need to put together a photo montage. iMovie 9 is installed and I've read some of what the limitations are. iMovie 11 continues to get hammered on the ap store. I want to be able to add titles, music, photos and video. I have a 2009 27" iMac, running snow leopard, with 16GB (recently upgraded) of RAM. Is therer a clear and obvious choice here?
With all the negative reviews of iMovie '11 I admit I'm a bit scared to upgrade. Is my best bet one of the iMovie products (with their limitations) or is their a 3rd party product I should be strongly considering, expecily I want control over images, video, sound and titles...
Thanks all I look foreward for your feedback.

Skor wrote:
iMovie 11 continues to get hammered on the ap store.
I think the results are skewed by folks that are having technical problems.
In my experience, iMovie 11 is a worthy upgrade.
I can't think of anything to recommend that's not going to cost you a lot more than the $14.99 for iMovie '11.
Is there something in particuluar that iMovie '09 is not doing for you that's making you contemplate the upgrade?
Matt

Photo Montage

Can anyone tell me how I can create a photo montage on a single 8 1/2 x 11 so that all of the hard edges kind of dissolve into each other, and then make it more opaque?
I'm trying to make a DVD cover for a Christmas project and I want this montage to be in the background of the text.
Thanks,
Steve

Steve,
I take it that you are trying to place several pictures on one document. It is advisable to have the resolution of the blank canvas and the picture files identical. Here is a technique for making the edge around a picture appear soft with a white background:
1. Duplicate background layer
2. Create white layer between these two layers
3. Working on top layer, make a selection with one of the marquee tools, go to Select>inverse, then select>feather and try 25 - may need more or less
4. Hit delete on keyboard
5. Select>deselect
You can do this for each picture and place them on the canvas. Each picture will be on its own layer and can be positioned with the move tool.
This should provide smooth transition yet preserve individuality.
Ken

How do I see my pictures that are in my aperture library in finder? I would like I be able to select photos in finder when I am making photo books online without having to export them first from aperture jinto a new folder. Is there any way to view

How do I see my pictures that are in my aperture library in finder? I would like I be able to select photos in finder when I am making photo books online without having to export them first from aperture jinto a new folder. Is there any way to view and download my pictures directly from finder?

SamanthaR22 wrote:
How do I see my pictures that are in my aperture library in finder? I would like I be able to select photos in finder when I am making photo books online without having to export them first from aperture jinto a new folder. Is there any way to view and download my pictures directly from finder? [Emphasis added.]
The digitization of data has introduced a complexity to our interactions with it that we continue to struggle with. "Picture" and "Photo" now mean different things in different contexts. In this case (and in general) defining our terms clearly is the first step towards understanding what we are trying to do. Understanding is the path that allows us to do it.
All pedantic, but please stick with me here .
You record a set of instantaneous data with a camera.
That data is processed by your camera and saved to a file.
The file format is usually either RAW or JPG.
You transfer those files to your computer, and you import them into the program Aperture (often in one operation).
From each camera-file imported, Aperture creates a record in its database (called, imho unhelpfully, a Library) and an Image that you see in the Aperture Browser and Viewer.
Aperture links the Image and the imported file.
The imported file is called, within Aperture, an Original.
Every Image has an Original.
The Image is not the Original. The Image is what you see in Aperture.
The Original is a file that is stored on your computer.
You can make changes to an Image.
Aperture calls these changes Adjustments.
Adjustments are saved to another file attached to the record in the database. Let's call this file the Changes File.
Aperture uses these two files attached to the record in the database to create the Image.
Image = Original + Changes File.
The Image is not a file.
Because the Image is not a file, it cannot be shared with other programs. It exists only inside of Aperture.
In order to share an Image with another program, you must first create a file of the Image.
You do this by exporting Images ("File ▹ Export ▹ Version" is the command in Aperture; should be, imho, "File ▹ Export ▹ Image").
You may ask, "Why all the complexity? Why doesn't Aperture save Images as files?" The answer is simple: Images can require less — and in many cases very very much less — storage space than files of Images. Rather than save a full-size file for every Image, Aperture saves only instructions on how to make that full-size file. The gain in storage efficiency is huge. The trade-off is that although your Images are always available to be made into share-able files, you must create those files when needed (which you do by exporting selected Images).
Here is your question reworded with more precise terms:
SamanthaR22 might have written:
How do I access Images in my Aperture Library in the Finder? I would like I be able to select files in the Finder when I am making photo books online without having to create them by exporting Images from Aperture into a new Finder folder. Is there any way to view and download my Images directly from the Finder?
No, there is not. Images exist only in Aperture, and are not accessible for use in other programs. You must create, for each Image in your Aperture Library, a new file outside of your Aperture Library in order to use it with another program.
Aperture does allow you to create and save within your Library share-able files of your Images. These files are called Previews. You specify the file parameters in Aperture Preferences on the Previews tab. These files are available to other programs via the OS X Media Browser. These files are what you get when you drag selected Images out of the Aperture program and drop them on another program or on your desktop (which is part of the Finder).
HTH.
—Kirby.

Making photo montage for my wedding

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for