Multiple (inconsistent) drop shadows

I'm working on a book in InDesign. I have several historical documents that were scanned and cut out (so they have transparent backgrounds) in Photoshop. All the images were then sized so that they are exactly 300ppi in their final scale inside the InDesign document. Then we applied identical drop shadows to the images. When the document was printed, the drop shadows are showing up drastically different. Some look great, some look way too big and dark. When I go back to the files (which were saved as Photoshop PDFs and that's how they're linked in the ID file) they have identical settings in the effects panel.
Any ideas why they're looking different? (Thanks!)

I checked, and the effect is only applied once to each document.
All the links are placed at 100%
They are on different pages, and when there is more than one document with a shadow on the same page, they match (they are either both good or both too dark).
My pre-press guy is going to try running the linked documents on their own (not as part of the InDesign file) to see if they are consistent then.
Hopefully that test gives us some results that we can work with!
Thanks for all your suggestions.

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I want to place multiple images of hand paintings with drop shadow effects on room backgrounds to make them look as if the paintings are hanged on the room walls. I know how to do it one by one, but that takes time and I want to do it in batch at once.
I am quite a beginner for adobe photoshop CS6. I belive such an automated task is possible through 'Automated Batch' function and/or 'Create Droplet' function. Kindly share your expert opinion.

If you want to go with Batch I would recommend creating an Action of more or less these steps:
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This would naturally work out best if the images had the same size and proportions.
For the reflection on the floor duplicate the image, flip it vertically, move it in position and reduce its opacity to maybe 10%.
Realistically you may have to hide it partially behind the pillows, a Vector Mask would be an option.

How to place multiple images of hand paintings with drop shadow effects on room backgrounds?

I want to place multiple images of hand paintings with drop shadow effects on room backgrounds to make them look as if the paintings are hanged on the room walls. I know how to do it one by one, but that takes time and I want to do it in batch at once.
I am quite a beginner for adobe photoshop CS6. I belive such an automated task is possible through 'Automated Batch' function and/or 'Create Droplet' function. Kindly share your expert opinion.

If you want to go with Batch I would recommend creating an Action of more or less these steps:
• set the resolution to the same as the background image’s
• change the image from Background Layer to regular Layer if necessary
• convert it to a Smart Object
• add a Drop Shadow Layer Style to the image (do not use Global Angle)
• place the background image (File > Place …)
• move it behind the image layer
• Image > Reveal All
• make Selection from that layer’s transparency (cmd-click its icon in the Layers Panel) and use Image > Crop
• select and transform the image layer to fit the intended position
This would naturally work out best if the images had the same size and proportions.
For the reflection on the floor duplicate the image, flip it vertically, move it in position and reduce its opacity to maybe 10%.
Realistically you may have to hide it partially behind the pillows, a Vector Mask would be an option.

Multiple drop shadows/duplicate effects.

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Solved!
Go to Solution.
Attachments:
Instrument cluster.JPG ‏21 KB

Drats! An artifact.
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Adobe Muse CC version 2014.1.0.375 CL 785695 (PC)
Message was edited by: Sujay Sarma
Change: Added Muse Version info

That's worse. If I set Stroke to 1 (you can only do that on the Text Frame and not the text itself), then the Text Effects do get enabled. BUT, the effect is applied to the entire text frame instead of just the text. See this:
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Hi,
I'm trying to get a similar look and feel as this website
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Thanks in advance,
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jamestom77 wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm trying to get a similar look and feel as this
website
>
http://www.livingsteel.org/
but can't seem to crack the drop shadow for the
> main table/container. It's the one down that covers the
bottom and right side
> and makes the site look very tidy.
>
> I'm trying to do everything in .css from now on and any
help with this would
> be great.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> JW.
>

Multiple (inconsistent) drop shadows

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