Creating collages (quickly!)

[Mindy H]

I really need something that will allow me to easily create photo collages. I really want to buy FotoFusion....it's awesome software and extremely versitile, but it's $300 bucks for the pro version. I just thought that I would check here and see if anyone has any lower priced alternatives to suggest before I hit the buy button on FotoFusion!

[jeffro20]

Picasa offers a free collage tool.

[toverman]

If it's something you are going to use (and sell your collages), $300 really isn't that much.

You definitely don't want to do it like I did last month ... was hired to do an ad that was due in two days and spent 10+ hours building the ad with layer masks the old-fashioned way.

[dquisenberry]

http://www.heartisfound.com/resource...ard/index.html I use this.

[ChrisO]

Yeah, what are going to be using the collages for?

[Mindy H]

Originally Posted by toverman

If it's something you are going to use (and sell your collages), $300 really isn't that much.

You definitely don't want to do it like I did last month ... was hired to do an ad that was due in two days and spent 10+ hours building the ad with layer masks the old-fashioned way.

I know...the software purchase has already been paid for twice over from this one collage sale....but in comparison to other software, this one seems a bit expensive. It is definitely going to save me tons of time though...I've been doing them from scratch in PS up till now.

Mindy H added 1 Minutes and 32 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by ChrisO

Yeah, what are going to be using the collages for?

Making larger sized (20x24 and up) collages to print on canvas and mounted prints to sell to customers....mainly family, seniors, kids, babies, etc.

Mindy H added 2 Minutes and 52 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by dquisenberry

http://www.heartisfound.com/resource...ard/index.html I use this.

Thanks David! That is actually really cool....not quite as robust as I would like though. I appreciate the suggestion.

[ChrisO]

Sounds like it's worth it to you then (I've never used it though). How long does it take you do to them in PS?

That does look like some pretty sweet software if it works as well as it appears to in their demonstrations.

[Mindy H]

Originally Posted by ChrisO

How long does it take you do to them in PS?

It takes me about an hour and 1/2 in PS to set up most collages....then, after the customer sees the proof, usually another 1/2 hour changing stuff up to please. Sounds like I'm convincing myself to go ahead and click buy, huh?!?!

[OTRphoto]

I bought FF last summer and have loved how easy it is to make everything from Wedding Albums (I usually start with their included ones and customize the layout and colors from there) to business cards, flyers, online ads, etc.

I've found the time saved was worth the initial cost!

[sporkthedork]

To me it sounds like FotoFusion is worth the investment.

I got it and haven't regretted it yet, and like they say, "time is money".

[Mindy H]

I hated hitting buy, but I did! I had two collages to make this morning...one 20x24 and the other a 16x20 both with 9 images each. It literally took me about 10 minutes each. I don't know why I hesitated buy this software!

[Sharon]

Mindy - did you see a lot of difference between FF's Pro version & their intermediate version (the one that's $120)? I did see that Pro lets you convert to .psd file. Is that the big draw? Otherwise, it looked the middle version had 90% of the Pro features.

[Mindy H]

Sharon - The PSD was a big plus, but with the price difference, I could have done without it. I bought the pro version because of the size limitations of the intermediate version. Most of the collages that I do are large.

I did ask another photographer that uses the intermediate version and she said that she just sizes the collages smaller, but to the same aspect ratio and then prints them big and that they turn out fine. I was just a little scared to try that and then have to eat the cost of re-printing if it didn't print well.

[Sharon]

Originally Posted by Mindy H

I bought the pro version because of the size limitations of the intermediate version.

Good point. I didn't even notice the size limitation. I better read a little closer. Thanks for the quick reply!