Help with Template Question Please

Stormdancing · September 28, 2006

I'm shooting an event this weekend. The sponsors want a template for the pictures I will be selling. Doesn't have to be fancy. Will have event name, location and date with some of the sponsors small graphics included. I'm not a PS genious, but I can handle making a template. I feel I can even write an action to process them and insert in the template. (We'll see on that last part.)

If I make this template for 4 x 6 (which I suspect I will be selling the most of), what do I do if someone wants to order a 5 x 7? 8 x 10?

The event is Sat and Sun, so I've got a couple days to pull this plan together.
I will be shooting about 1,500 shots per day of 300 competitors.
Any advice or experience would be helpful.

Thanks,

sonny_c · September 28, 2006

Stormdancing wrote:

I'm shooting an event this weekend. The sponsors want a template for the pictures I will be selling. Doesn't have to be fancy. Will have event name, location and date with some of the sponsors small graphics included. I'm not a PS genious, but I can handle making a template. I feel I can even write an action to process them and insert in the template. (We'll see on that last part.)

If I make this template for 4 x 6 (which I suspect I will be selling the most of), what do I do if someone wants to order a 5 x 7? 8 x 10?

The event is Sat and Sun, so I've got a couple days to pull this plan together.
I will be shooting about 1,500 shots per day of 300 competitors.
Any advice or experience would be helpful.

Thanks,

I would also make 5x7 & 8x10 templates. Once you figure out your idea for the 4x6, the other two should be a breeze to create.

Stormdancing · September 28, 2006

sonny_c wrote:

I would also make 5x7 & 8x10 templates. Once you figure out your idea for the 4x6, the other two should be a breeze to create.

Sure it would be easy to do that. I'm just not sure if I should make 3 different sizes of the same photo with frame and upload them.

Maybe this is more a business/selling type question than a PS question.

SteveM · September 28, 2006

Stormdancing wrote:

Sure it would be easy to do that. I'm just not sure if I should make 3 different sizes of the same photo with frame and upload them.

Maybe this is more a business/selling type question than a PS question.

You're going to shoot 3000 photos, custom border all of them, then offer them in different sizes? Wow, that's a lot of work. Might I suggest designing a couple different borders in 4x6 or 5x7 to display (different designs), then upload ONE example for each option with photo and border in place, all of the proof photos and your border options and have them give you two filenames, one for the border and one for the photo they want and the size. That way you can custom design each with your perfect crop, and only have to do so for the ones that sell. Afterwards, you can upload the finished image and provide them a link in which to view/order/pay for it, or bypass Smugmug and order it for them and drop ship it. You could even set up a simple (and free) form for them to enter their options which will automatically be emailed to you. It's easy and free for the forms. See http://www.formassembly.com/ if this is an option you'd consider. I'd be very interested on Monday to see how you decided to go about this, as I'm often in similiar situations.

Thanks!

Stormdancing · September 28, 2006

I know Steve! I know it's late in the game to be throwing ideas around like this. The event coordinator just threw this border thing at me last night in our meeting. I'm thinking 90% of the sales will be 4x6.

This is a national event and these teams travel to each event. They are dressed the same, the course is exactly the same at every competition.
Firefigher Combat Challenge Unless it's an exceptional shot or offers something different than the other locations, I'm not going to have a lot of large print sales. Tagging them is the one thing that the local coordinator said was done here and not in other locations. They've looked at my Smugmug site and noticed gift sales also. I don't have any experience selling those items at all. I want to boost sales as much as possible because a portion of my print sales is being donated to the local firefighter's charities and children's education fund.

What to do, what to do................

I'll let you know how it turns out.

sirsloop · September 29, 2006

The crop option is going to be hell for you!! I can see it already!! You won't know how people cropped the photo so it will be impossible to overlay a border.

sirsloop · September 29, 2006

I dont know what kind of hardware you will be shooting with either... but 1,500 photos will require ~16GB worth of CF/MD or SD shooting RAW, and at least a few sets of batteries. I've shot marathon 1,200+ photo 11-12 hour horse events before and you'll need A LOT of storage, extra batteries, and means to charge your extra set mobile.

I use one of those car jump starter battery pack's with a 12v cigarette lighter output. From there I plug in a small car AC inverter, then a splitter into both my battery chargers. I can have two batteries always on the charge and flip them out quickly when needed.

If you are limited on CF space, pick the best five shots and take then over and over and over. Its easy to get carried away shooting like 10000 shots of one thing, so just pace yourself and pick your best "money" shots. In this case, you're gonna need to at least have their face in the photo or its no good.

Sun tan lotion, rain jacket, camera rain cape, comfortable socks/boots! Good luck!

Stormdancing · September 29, 2006

Depending on if my 4G card gets here today (I paid for 2nd day air, but it looks iffy now :cry) I will have either 15 or 11G of cards. I'm going to have to consider shooting Jpeg. I would rather shoot RAW.

I do have 4 batteries and will check tonight if there are any electrical outlets I can put a dead set on. I've shot weddings for 8 hours on one set of batteries on my 20D (2 in grip) and taken roughly 1000 pics.

There are 5 points of duties on each run, so I will be shooting dead on at those attempts.

As far as the tagging banner, I'm still undecided on how to do this or even if I will. I haven't come up with a good plan to handle it and I'm not getting many positive suggestions about this part of it.

I'm a little worried about the overspray, so I will be protecting my camera with some rain gear. I will be working in about a 20' area on the course and only have to step aside once for each pair of competitors. I've got my good shoes ready and will be taking the sun screen and lots of water with me.

No matter, it will be fun shooting this and a good feeling helping out the fightfighters - even if my arms are hanging to the ground come Monday morning and my eyes are bloodshot from staring at the computer screen.

Thanks for the help and suggestions so far!

sirsloop · September 29, 2006

sounds good! Just pray for a very light cloud cover, no rain, and moderate temperature

Stormdancing · September 29, 2006

sirsloop wrote:

sounds good! Just pray for a very light cloud cover, no rain, and moderate temperature

Right now I'm praying for a 4G CF card.

64 and Mostly Cloudy right now. Supposed to clear slightly and remain cool

Stormdancing · October 9, 2006

Thought I would drop a note here and let you know how things turned out.

4G card didn't show up. I had to shoot Jpg - L

Day One - Constant steady showers. Raingear didn't show up either, so I sewed up my own using heavy plastic. Did not have a problem at all. Kept a 100% cotton diaper in my pocket to dab the occasional raindrop from the glass. LensPen in pocket also.

Day Two - Bright glaring sun behind tower which I had to shoot up into. Once lane of course in dappled shade, the other in full sun.

Overall - Super fast action with two runs going at a time from 1:16 - 3:30 minutes. Immediate start of next run. I didn't have time to breath muchless take crowd and side shots.

Printing and ordering - I have 1992 photos online from this event. Orders are coming in. Many of the competitors are still on the road to Nationals and Worlds, so I hope for more orders to come later.

I'm offering tagging of the photos and photo collages as a special request by email. It's working out well.

Yes there are things I would like to do differently, but overall I think I did a pretty good job at my first big sports assignment. I've already been invited back for next year. Two days of hard work. It was all worth it and the scenery was just gorgeous! 300+ fit hunky firemen in range of my big ole lens. Sigh....

Help with Template Question Please

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