collage/storyboard maker

[meemz]

Does anyone know an easy way to make a storyboard/collage for blogs?
I tried to do it in lightroom and succeeded but it was a pain in the arse and will never do it again. What software is best? or do you have to purchase an action to do this? thanks in advance!

[wake]

Mimi,

How did you make it in Lightroom? I would suggest Lightroom, and maybe I can offer some advice that will change your mind? Or maybe you used this method, and it's what you don't like. If so, sorry. :)

I would go under the Print module in Lightroom. Under Template Browser, hit the PLUS SIGN to create a new template. Figure out how wide you want the final image to be (will match the width of your blog, or most likely slightly smaller than the width of your blog), and enter the dimensions at the bottom right under Print Job, for Custom File Dimensions. (Note, use your File Resolution ppi to figure this out. Want an 800px wide image, @ 75ppi? Enter 11.111 in. for the width)

Now that you have your canvas ready, scroll up on the right pane to cells and add one to your canvas. Just add a small one, then adjust it as necessary. Do this for as many images as you need. In your case, you would want 4. Line them up, and under Image Settings, select Inner Stroke, 4.0pt (or however big you want) and select white as the color. This will put a white border around each image, which is what will end up dividing each image from each other in the storyboard.

When you are done (note you haven't added actual photos yet, just working on the template/layout) you can right click on your template on the left pane, and click Update with Current Settings. Now whenever you click that new template, you'll have your 4 image boxes ready.

Simply find your 4 images in the filmstrip in the bottom pane, and drag/drop them into the 4 cells. Then click Print to File... in the right pane. It'll ask you for a filename, in which you can save it wherever you need on your computer.

Whenever you want to use that storyboard for your blog, you just go to the Print module, select your template, drag/drop 4 photos in, then Print to File. Easy cheesy! You can do this for all of the different storyboard variations you wish to present on your blog, and name them accordingly.

I did this for my blog by creating templates for 1 image landscape, 1 image portrait, and 2 images in portrait rotation. It works so nice and is so fast, you just have to get that template set up. I also created folders under the Template Browser, and I created numerous album templates for 12x12 and 8x8 albums. I just simply click on one, drag images onto it, Print to File, and I have an album page done. Select a different design/template that I have already made, drag files into it, print to file, and I have page #2 done!

This has worked for me, so hopefully it works for you or maybe gives you an idea of how you can use the Print module to make it easier to create images for your blog.

[MicWayWal]

I would use the OUTPUT menu in PS Bridge. Nothing more to buy, it is built in to PS. You have all kinds of options from simple to complex. It is really easy and you can see a sample before you output.

[meemz]

Lance: Thanks so much for the Lightroom tip. I did not try it the way you explained. I think I manually placed, sized, and aligned each photo which took me hours! I will definitely try your way! I appreciate it!

Michael, it's embarassing... but I do not have PS, I figured LR would be sufficient enough for me right now, after I tried PS trial. But I have a feeling I'm gonna be purchasing PS sooner or later... thanks for your helpful tip!

[J Eddington]

MCP has a free one (actually it is two), it is the second from the last. The cost is $0.00 here:Blog It Board & Web Photoshop Actions for Photographers

[meemz]

Luke, I used your tip to do a blog entry today. Thanks, it was SUPER easy! Once I made some templates in Lightroom I was going at it, one after another and I had a really nice collage.

Check it out here: Mimi Park Photography: winter love shoot

[wake]

Hi Mimi, do you mean Lance? :) It sounds like you have everything working from Lightroom, congrats and have fun, hopefully it makes your blog posting work flow a lot more efficient/quicker. :)