Wedding Sign in Press Book

[MicWayWal]

I am producing a press book to be used as a sign-in book for a wedding. I have produced tons of press books before but none to be written on. I have always produced images with 100% opacity for printing.

I want to produce a page that has a faint image in the background like below.
I have put down a white layer and on top an image set to 50% opacity. Will that be too dark, too light?

Does anyone have any experience with producing the correct opacity on the top layer so people can faintly see an image but yet 'light' enough to see the writing? I want it to be closer to white than gray.

[SpeedRacerSlots]

depends on how much dark space is contained in the image(s).... i run around 35-40% when doing stuff like that.

[PhotoDude79]

I just finished one yesterday..... I'm a fan of negative space with no lines. Just let them sign on the negative space and enjoy the image next to it.

[MicWayWal]

Originally Posted by SpeedRacerSlots

depends on how much dark space is contained in the image(s).... i run around 35-40% when doing stuff like that.

So Greg, in the dark areas of the top right and top left what would the average RGB be. These are in the 160s and 170s. Is that too dark?

MicWayWal added 3 Minutes and 9 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by PhotoDude79

I just finished one yesterday..... I'm a fan of negative space with no lines. Just let them sign on the negative space and enjoy the image next to it.

Appreciate the input. I want their writing to be in confined areas. I think that will help keep the overall balance of the images and writing. I will use the lack of lines to create negative space. I only want 4 to 5 sign areas per page. I don't want the writing to fill some pages and leave others blank.

[BeccaJ]

i dont like the lines over the photo...

Originally Posted by PhotoDude79

I just finished one yesterday..... I'm a fan of negative space with no lines. Just let them sign on the negative space and enjoy the image next to it.

that's one way to do it. or you could even put the lines on the blank space. and just have the image fade out of the blank space...


i made my guestbook for my wedding...and i just made it simple. image on one side, lines on the other.

Originally Posted by MicWayWal

Appreciate the input. I want their writing to be in confined areas. I think that will help keep the overall balance of the images and writing. I will use the lack of lines to create negative space. I only want 4 to 5 sign areas per page. I don't want the writing to fill some pages and leave others blank.

you want that, but what does the client want? Keep that in mind too.

I attached my guestbook, ill delete it if you want, but its pretty basic.

[PhotoDude79]

Originally Posted by BeccaJ

i dont like the lines over the photo...




that's one way to do it. or you could even put the lines on the blank space. and just have the image fade out of the blank space...


i made my guestbook for my wedding...and i just made it simple. image on one side, lines on the other.



you want that, but what does the client want? Keep that in mind too.

I attached my guestbook, ill delete it if you want, but its pretty basic.

Yeah that's what I'm talking about.... Some times I put lines sometimes not. If you put the lines on the image, it will ruin it. It just looks more organized to have the signatures on a separate page. Just my 2 cents thou....

[MicWayWal]

Originally Posted by BeccaJ

...you want that, but what does the client want? Keep that in mind too.

Of course, we are working together on it. I would never do anything without the full consent of the client. They ARE paying the bills. The bride wanted to encourage more than just a signature. She would like for guests to be encouraged to leave a short comment, hence the group of 5 lines. People can just sign their names or leave a nice comment.

We have printed several ways of having the lines, not having the lines, lines on a separate page, lines in negative space of the image. When I have done some test "signings" the lines are barely noticeable after the writing is done. We like the lines. The lines are not the point of the thread.

I don't want to get distracted from the main point of my thread that is: at what opacity or RGB numbers work best so the signing won't be lost in the image.

[BeccaJ]

Originally Posted by MicWayWal

Of course, we are working together on it. I would never do anything without the full consent of the client. They ARE paying the bills. The bride wanted to encourage more than just a signature. She would like for guests to be encouraged to leave a short comment, hence the group of 4 lines. People can just sign their names or leave a nice comment.

We have printed several ways of having the lines, not having the lines, lines on a separate page, lines in negative space of the image. When I have done some test "signings" the lines are barely noticeable after the writing is done. We like the lines. The lines are not the point of the thread.

I don't want to get distracted from the main point of my thread that is: at what opacity or RGB numbers work best so the signing won't be lost in the image.

gotcha... as a guest tho, and not a photog, if i see a group of 4 lines, id probably still just sign my name on the first one. lol I would write more if there was a blank space. I would also encourage the bride to set up a little tent postcard to explain what she wants them to write, or have someone attend the book...cause people really are clueless sometimes without instructions.

as for the opacity, i think it varies with each image sometimes, or at least that's my experience in laying an image over dark grey. some need a higher opacity and some lower. id just keep playing with it and testing it til it works like you want it to

good luck!

[MicWayWal]

Originally Posted by BeccaJ

gotcha... as a guest tho, and not a photog, if i see a group of 4 lines, id probably still just sign my name on the first one. lol I would write more if there was a blank space. I would also encourage the bride to set up a little tent postcard to explain what she wants them to write, or have someone attend the book...cause people really are clueless sometimes without instructions.

as for the opacity, i think it varies with each image sometimes, or at least that's my experience in laying an image over dark grey. some need a higher opacity and some lower. id just keep playing with it and testing it til it works like you want it to

good luck!

Agree with your comments about writing. We are having someone attend the book and explain what they would like. If they want to just sign their name, they are going to try and group those together.

Wedding is on the 20th and I don't think I have time to test. I will know next time.

[tresorph]

if the bride wants to encourage more than a siggy... you got to be "blunt" about it for the guests to get it.

maybe you can put things like:

Anna and Mike are perfect for each other because...
Advice for Anna and Mike...
My favorite memory of Anna and Mike... etc.

on top of the pages where you either leave em blank or with lines.

[MicWayWal]

Nice idea Michaelle

[ronocnikral]

Originally Posted by tresorph

if the bride wants to encourage more than a siggy... you got to be "blunt" about it for the guests to get it.

maybe you can put things like:

Anna and Mike are perfect for each other because...
Advice for Anna and Mike...
My favorite memory of Anna and Mike... etc.

on top of the pages where you either leave em blank or with lines.

My wife and I had one for wedding that she had created. If you just get a few people you know, like the parents, to write something and sign it, do a couple notes and sigs on a couple pages, and people pick up on what is going on. Of course, you always get people like me who just sign it. Or I just write, "what they said" and then sign it.

I would drop the lines, w/ someone tending the book or not. They seem bizarre to me, what if someone has more to write?? Perhaps put a pic somehwere and blend it in leaving blank space somewhere on the sides, that way the photo and what the people wrote will be more visable and people can write their say on the outside...imo.

[pepper52]

What type of paper is being used for the comments and signatures? I have a client that is interested in a photo guest book but everything I have seen has comments about using pens that don't smear on the paper. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[MicWayWal]

Most of the two page spreads have an image in one position on the spread, like in the upper right corner of a two page spread. The rest of the spread will be for signatures in the blank area. We need to leave lots of room because they are expecting a lot of guests.

Some of the two page spreads have an image over the entire spread. One area will be full opacity like shown above, the rest of the spread will be very very faint so it can be written on by guests who want to leave a message as well as sign.

We are going to bring the book the night before the wedding to the rehearsal and dinner, for the bridal party and family to sign. They will spread out their signatures on every page in the book to demonstrate what they would like their guest to write.

[mccls1030]

I had a wedding where the guests signed the proverbial picture mat, but the neat thing was that the groom's sister stood there as guests came in and handed them the pen. That would be a good opportunity for someone to tell the guests to write more than their names, if that's what the B&G want.