U8 soccer collage

Frog Lady

The parents of this expressive young player had me photograph one of his games and then make this collage. I'm not looking for suggestions on how to change this particular version b/c mom got what she wanted, but I am looking for feedback.

Our community is near the foothills and the background is the view from the soccer complex, so it fits. Usually I cut out the individual and then put an appropriate color border around that shot, but the client didn't like it. So I tried isolated the player and then putting them back on a semi-transparent layer, so the mountain background showed through, so it wasn't as much of a "floating image".

So, what are your thoughts, good and bad?

tx,

C.

leftcoast650

For me the background of the foothill is kind of overwhelming. Have you tried getting a nice landscape of the whole soccer field with the hills in the back or maybe show more of the hills. I just think the up close details of the hill are distracting my eyes a little from the player. Other than that i like the even layout of pictures and how you incorporated his name at the bottom.

- Jason

Erbeman

I don't really like it. I understand that the hills are near the fields, but nothing about them make the collage flow. I think it would look better just with a solid background. Also, I think doing something different with the borders of each of the small pics, like a fade out or something. The layout is good though. I like it other than the hills. That's just my thoughts though and I'm nobody. I'm just giving feedback. Everyone else might disagree with me.

Frog Lady

Thanks Jason and Erbeman, I appreciate your taking the time to comment.

the background is one of my main issues. I didn't like just a solid background and thought the mtns at least added local context. Jason, re your idea about the fields... ours have a really brownish grass and they are always in use, so it's hard to get a clean shot.

C.

Mike J

I agree that this is not working for me. My issue really is the lack of blending of the photos into the background. Can I suggest that you check out easydigitals.com? They have some very easy to use templates. I've used them for a few things. The bonus is that after using them, you get a better sense of how/what can be done.

The other issue is that is just too much brown.

Ann McRae

Hi C

The first thing I would try, before changing the background completely, is to put some borders onto the individual images. That should go a long way to lifting them from the background.

If that still doesn't do it for you, then maybe a color gradient as background instead?

I like the collection of shots, and I like how you have added the name.

ann

Frog Lady

Ann McRae wrote:

Hi C

The first thing I would try, before changing the background completely, is to put some borders onto the individual images. That should go a long way to lifting them from the background.

If that still doesn't do it for you, then maybe a color gradient as background instead?

I like the collection of shots, and I like how you have added the name.

ann

thanks for your comments Ann. The mom requested the mountain background and I initially put borders around each picture for the reasons stated above; however, she didn't like the borders, thinking it made the individual images seem like they were floating too much. So I tried reducing the opacity of the background of the individual pix, hoping if the mtns came through, that would help anchor them a bit more.

Mike J wrote:

I agree that this is not working for me. My issue really is the lack of blending of the photos into the background. Can I suggest that you check out easydigitals.com? They have some very easy to use templates. I've used them for a few things. The bonus is that after using them, you get a better sense of how/what can be done.

The other issue is that is just too much brown.

thanks Mike - I checked out easydigitals; they look like they have some stuff I should try...

and re the too much brown - well, that's what the grass/hills look like late in the fall season in So Cal before the rains start. Can't do too much about that except paint the fields

cheers,

C.

time2smile

In this case I can understand the background. I may try to lighten it a bit. If thats special for the parent, than it will always please them.
I do find the red shirt boy distracting, he should go...

Mike J

Frog Lady wrote:

thanks Mike - I checked out easydigitals; they look like they have some stuff I should try...

and re the too much brown - well, that's what the grass/hills look like late in the fall season in So Cal before the rains start. Can't do too much about that except paint the fields

cheers,

C.

Completely understand why you want to use the hills as the background but my opinion is it just doesn't work here. I would swap the background out for something different. The good thing is that you don't have to make me happy - you just need to make those parents happy. What do they think of it?