12.4. Create a Digital Slide Show Creating a physical portfolio can take both time and money. Fortunately, the solution is easy: digital slide shows, such as the one shown in Figure 12-38, that will run on virtually anyone's computer. If there are only a few images in the slide show (or if you don't mind keeping them small), you can simply email them to anyone you like. If you want to show more or larger photos in the collection, you can record them to CD and drop them in the mail. At $0.30 to $0.50 per CD, you won't even mind too much if it doesn't get sent backin fact, if the CD is kept and passed around the office, it may have a greater potential for bringing you new business. Figure 12-38. A digital slide show. You can view it as either pages in a PDF document or full-screen on the monitor (the default). It is every bit as easy to create slide shows automatically as it is to create web galleries. In fact, it's even easier because optimization is less critical (unless you're sending it via email) and because there's no need to do any HTML editing afterward. Using the method described below, you can create a slide show using Photoshop Album, Photoshop Elements 2.0, or any post-6.0 version of Photoshop. All of these programs create an Acrobat PDF slide show that can be played on any computer as long as a recent version of the Adobe PDF reader is installed. PDF readers can be downloaded and distributed for use on most computer operating systems and Internet browsers. Before you get started, you might want to collect all the images for your slide show into their own folder. There is no need to resize images, since they will all be scaled automatically by the PDF routine. On the other hand, if you have only a dozen or so images, you can just drag them out of Bridge into the Elements 2 workspace. In Photoshop, choose File Automate PDF Presentation. You will get the dialog shown in Figure 12-39. Figure 12-39. The PDF Presentation dialog. In the PDF Presentation dialog, check the Add Open Files box if you have opened the files you want to include in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements 2. The names and paths of all these files will immediately appear in the dialog. If you want to add more files or if you want to start from scratch, click the Browse button to navigate to and open any additional files. The PDF presentation slide show doesn't offer any controls (e.g., stop, play, fast-forward, reverse, and pause); instead, it either runs automatically at timed intervals or changes slides when the viewer clicks the mouse button or Return/Enter. You can move back and forth in the sequence by clicking the Up/Down or Right/Left arrow keys as well. It is up to you how you want your slide show to run. Under Slide Show Options, check the Advance Every (integer) Seconds box and enter a specified number of seconds if you want your slide show run automatically. If the box is unchecked, the slides will advance only when the mouse is clicked. Check the "Loop after last page" box to make the slide show play continuously until the Escape button is pressed. You can use the Transition menu to choose between any of the specific transition types, or, if you choose Random Transition, the program will automatically change the transition type each time the slide changes. If you are making this show for a professional audience, I suggest you simply choose Dissolve or None (Cut) as the transition type. To control image compression and scaling, click the Advanced button to bring up the PDF Options dialog. Set the options to the defaults shown in Figure 12-40, unless you have a specific reason to change them, and click OK. Figure 12-40. The PDF Options dialog. Click OK in the PDF Slideshow dialog. A file-saving dialog will let you specify where you want to save the file. I usually save slide shows to the desktopthat way, I can easily find them when I want someone to view the show or when I want to quickly review certain slides.
Several other Adobe products also create slide shows: Photoshop Album, Photoshop Elements 4, and Lightroom. For the most part, the third-party programs I mentioned above as capable of producing web galleries will also produce slide shows. There are at least two advantages to using an alternative program: You won't need to worry about whether your target audience has a PDF reader installed. Other programs give your slide shows different design styles. Many of these may be too cute for a pro, but could be just the thing for a family or wedding client.
NOTE One way to give a unique look to slide shows is to create frames or edges for the images. Each slide show will then have a unique look and feel that is appropriate to the subject matter or will help brand your photographs as unique. And just as with web galleries, you can create a unique look for your slide shows by preframing the images before you create the slide show. Create a Text Slide It is a good idea to create a text slide for the first image in the show so that your viewer can read instructions telling them to click when they are ready to move ahead and to press Esc to show the images as pages in a PDF document so that they can move to specific images at will. All it takes to create a text slide is to duplicate one of your horizontal images, flatten it, and choose Edit Fill. Then choose Black (or whatever color you want) from the Color menu. Then use the Text tool and its Options Bar options, including Font, Size, and Color to type in the words you want on the slide. When youre done, flatten the image and save it as a JPEG in the same folder with all your other slides. Be sure to give it a name that's alpha-numerically going to make it the first slide. |
12.4.1. Sell Through Other People's Web Sites The more places your photographs appear, the sooner you will become a household name. However, you'll want to keep it looking professional at all times. The Web is no exception. There are any number of family photo processing services that allow you to post your digital images to the Web. These programs work in various ways, but for the most part, you have very little control over the appearance and layout of the pages. Visitors to the site can look up your name, browse your photos, and order any photos they'd like to add to their collections. A few of these sites allow you to require a password from anyone who orders the pictures, but you still have no control over the price or quality of the photos. As a professional or serious photographer, you are going to want to be in complete control over the pricing and distribution of your art. Fortunately, there are many sites that cater to professionals and fine artists. Most of these sites will want a commission on your sales, which can be up to 50 percent. They may also jury your submissions (there is often a jurying fee), accepting only those artists who live up to their quality or artistic standards; they may also impose a waiting period. Many of these sites will help you set up pricing structures, payment options, shipping services, and promotional services. Different web sites offer different methods of selling your photography, such as the use of online galleries. You can use the site as a place for visitors to place orders for your work. You may also be able to work on cross-promotional deals with the site. Each site listed below gets thousands of visitors per month, so they are a potentially great way to call attention to your work. Most of these sites cater to collectors, gallery owners, and art directors who are looking for artists with fresh approaches. Figure 12-41 shows a photo ordering site on Printroom.com. Figure 12-41. A professional photo ordering site on Printroom.com.
The gallery at photo-eye (www.photoeye.com) Sells collector's prints from famous photographers and art prints from anyone who can get in. There is also a huge online collection of photography books. Just looking at these photos is an eye-popping education in great photography.
Mark Zane's International Photo Galleries (www.markzane.com) Provides links to photographic gallery sites. You can submit your site for consideration and any sales are made directly from your site.
FolioFinder (www.foliofinder.com) Lists bios and provides links to all sorts of artists, including photographers. FolioFinder does not enter into deals or act as an agent. This is a good place to go if you just want to see other photographers' portfolios or to find yet another place to house your own mini portfolio (limited to five images).
ArtistBiography (http://artistbiography.artprice.com/en) Publishes bios and small folios (five images, maximum) of all artists who submit. There's no charge, but you must submit diplomas, prizes, exhibition announcements, and newspaper cuttings (as applicable) to establish the validity of your bio. This is a division of ArtPrice.com, which maintains a huge amount of information on the pricing of art.
ArtCrawl (www.artcrawl.com) Currently has about 50 members, two of whom are photographers. You can have your own web address on the site and can change the content of what is shown at any time. There is an annual fee of $250 for up to 20 pieces, plus $5 for each additional piece.
ElectronicCottage (www.electroniccottage.com) Features all sorts of artists, including photographers. The site claims to host links to more than 1,000 online galleries of photos. Listings must have their own domain names, so subsites are not accepted. Since this site simply guides others to your site, you can do all sales and other contacts directly. ElectronicCottage will view your site and decide whether it meets their standards; there's an extensive (but easily met) list of qualifications meant to ensure that the sites are tasteful.
Afterzed (www.afterzed.com) Is sort of an all-purpose siteit's hosted by a web design firm that specializes in creating web sites for artists of all stripes. These designs are reasonably priced and look quite professional. You can also design your own site and use their web hosting services, or simply link to their site. If you take the last option, there is no charge. This list is in no way exhaustiveit's only a beginning. I haven't really discussed any the plethora of online consumer photo processing sites, most of which will let you post galleries of your own images. Even though they're more consumer-oriented, pros may find some uses for these galleries; for instance, they're a great way to have promotional items printed with your photos so that you can give them away at trade shows or sell them at outdoor exhibits. They also offer a quick way to get prints made on actual photographic paper. Below is a list of some of the best-known sites. A few of these sites allow you to download their profiles, so I suggest you test before ordering any large quantities. Even then, there's no guarantee that there won't be variations. One notable exception is Printroom.com, but then it's a service meant for pros. A Slide Show on the Side If you host open houses or do photo exhibits, you might consider running a slide show on a computer alongside the exhibit. That way, you can show many more images than you're likely to have room for on the walls. Slide shows of your images are also excellent for running before and after you make a presentation. They give you a chance to show a lot a people a portfolio or two. |
Club Photo (www.clubphoto.com) Only sells prints in one size4x6 at $0.19, no cut for the photographer.
DotPhoto (www.dotphoto.com) Lots of services and gifts, along with a full range of prints. You can also have unlimited online storage. Be careful, though. Anyone can order from this service. You might want to make your copyright clearly readable at the bottom of the image. Also offers mugs, calendars, 4x8 greeting cards (too bad they don't have a template for self-promotion), holiday ornaments and much, much more. Prints start at a dime and can be had in a variety of sizes.
ez prints (www.ezprints.com) Yet another $0.19 service, with cards.
Kodak EasyShare Galleryformerly Ofoto (www.kodakgallery.com) Prints are made on Kodak photographic paper, not Fuji Crystal Archive (duh!). You can have prints made from 20x30 ($22.99) to 4x6 ($0.15). Wallet size prints come in sheets of four for $1.79. That's $0.45 each! There are also 17 different categories of gifts. Have a gallery party and give away one of these photo gifts to each attendee.
PhotoAccess (www.photoaccess.com) Also offers books. Strangely, they don't even let you look at their site or products without first registering.
Printroom.com (www.printroom.com) This site is a real blessing to any photographer who wants to provide a quick way for any subject to order pictures at a price the photographer sets. Printroom.com will also provide you with a profile. The quality of the prints I've had from them has been outstanding. You give the prospective customer a card, they go to the site, order prints, and you get a check for the amount you asked for minus the cost of the print (pretty comparable to the other online services mentioned in this list). Recently, they've added a means for allowing clients to purchase stock photos directly from Printroom.com.
Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com) The typical array of 4x6 ($0.19) prints and the whole variety of other sizes up to 20x30 ($22.99). There's also a good variety of gifts and books. Getting Above Wholesale The problem with almost all of these photo processing sites is that anyone can order and download prints or projects made with your photos at the site's wholesale prices. One exception is Printroom.com, which has a division especially for professionals that will not allow downloads by anyone who is not paying the price you set for your prints. This can be an especially good scheme for event photographers who want to allow others to purchase pictures taken at the event, and may also have applications for fine-art photographers. Prints are made on photographic paper and prices are quite reasonable, so it's easy to make a profit. It's surprising that most of the other sites listed above don't offer similar services for professionals (yet). By the time you read this, some of them undoubtedly will let you set your own retail. |
Snapfish (www.snapfish.com) The prints start at a mere $0.12 and the company brags that they are the best bargain online. The usual array of gifts is available, too.
Walmart.com Photo Center (www.walmart.com) Click the Photo Center tab at the top of the page. They, too have $0.12 prints and you can walk right into a Wal-Mart store and use their photo kiosk. |
