Need Help to make Player Cards - U11 Soccer

GZimGZim Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
edited October 19, 2015 in Sports
I am the volunteer photographer for my daughters U11 Soccer team. I am starting to get better at shooting, but my photoshop skills are very limited. I do corrections etc in LR5.

Here is a link to my shots.. Comments are very welcome
http://garyzim.smugmug.com/EdgemontSports/Dynamite-Spring-2015/Briarcliff-at-Dynamite-05-17-201
password is Dynamite

For the end of the season, I would like to make Player Cards (like baseball Cards). I can download the team logo, but don't really know how to make a card template so I can drop the cropped photo's onto the card. I do have Photoshop Elements 10. I have almost a month until the end of the season party. Can anyone help?

I figure at the next game I will focus on getting good singular photo's of each kid (and coaches too), but have almost enough from the first 4 games. There are other galleries if you want to see more than just the one game I posted.

I've been shooting for the past few seasons, and the feedback from the kids (and parents too) make it all worth the while.

All comments, help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated by not just me, but the kids too!

Best,

Comments

  • bobcoolbobcool Registered Users Posts: 271 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2015
    Hey Gzim,

    I sent you an email directly with everything you need!
  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited May 21, 2015
    There are templates out there but I've never found one I liked. I make my own in Photoshop. Once you learn how to use Layers, it's easy. Google for a tutorial on layers. For dressed up text I'll add Stroke and Drop Shadow.

    front/back
    i-8Prgxmt-M.jpgi-LjFB7Z4-M.jpg

    For the actual cards I like "matte card stock", 2.5" x 3.5".
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • GZimGZim Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited May 25, 2015
    thank you both very much. Where do you get them printed? Do they sell cardstock 2.5 x 3.5"? or do you use larger and cut it down...?
  • bobcoolbobcool Registered Users Posts: 271 Major grins
    edited May 26, 2015
    GZim wrote: »
    thank you both very much. Where do you get them printed? Do they sell cardstock 2.5 x 3.5"? or do you use larger and cut it down...?

    I printed myself, using larger sheets and cutting them down with a scrapbook straight-line cutter...
  • bobcoolbobcool Registered Users Posts: 271 Major grins
    edited May 26, 2015
    GZim wrote: »
    thank you both very much. Where do you get them printed? Do they sell cardstock 2.5 x 3.5"? or do you use larger and cut it down...?

    Also, there a pretty decent site that offers this printing service. Here's the link:

    http://www.gotradingcards.com/
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,339 Major grins
    edited May 26, 2015
    I've never tried them, but the big guy (Topps) will also do some for you:

    http://www.topps.com/create-your-own-trading-cards/

    I have no idea at all if they use their normal press/stock or if this is some co-branded third party, I happened to be looking up something else, saw it, and remembered this thread.
  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited May 29, 2015
    I get mine done locally but they will ship to you. They are very inexpensive and the quality is tops! (see what I did there?) Either they do the cutting for you or the paper comes in that size, I don't know. It's called "100# Finch Fine Cover 2.5 x 3.5".

    http://partnersprintingme.com/

    Frankly I like my designs better than the Topps DIY cards, which seem to be a marketing device for them.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,339 Major grins
    edited May 30, 2015
    Frankly I like my designs better than the Topps DIY cards, which seem to be a marketing device for them.

    I certainly didn't mean to recommend them, just passing a link found. The only manufacturer I've been involved with was Grandstand, and there I just did the photos and the team had the cards done themselves (it's a MiLB team so I assume all the teams in a franchise, or maybe all of MiLB do the same). The nice thing was I just needed shots that fit - they did all the templates and stats. thumb.gif

    You guys are lucky though, looks like they let you stage some shots. The team I shot for insisted they be all live action shots in real games. eek7.gif
  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited June 1, 2015
    Uhh, the action shots on my cards are not staged.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,339 Major grins
    edited June 3, 2015
    Uhh, the action shots on my cards are not staged.

    Good, I feel better. clap.gif

    I know a lot of cards are.
  • bobcoolbobcool Registered Users Posts: 271 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2015
    My action shots are not staged either, just so you know. Good equipment and good technique, that's all... mwink.gif
  • ArtsyMarissaArtsyMarissa Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
    edited October 19, 2015
    I get my traders from richmond pro lab. $4 for 8 of them. Cheapest place I could find to print my custom ones. They are thicker than topps or any paper ones! Great shots!
  • johngjohng Registered Users Posts: 1,658 Major grins
    edited October 19, 2015
    You might also look at using Bay Photo. They provide templates and also die-cut the cards for you. That could very well be a good stop-gap for this season. It all depends on how much interest you have in getting into graphical art work designing your own and finding a printer you like and dealing with cutting your own. I've used another outfit and I've done my own. Now that I'm no longer running my sports business, I find it is just easier to use Bay Photo who I use for all my personal printing.
    Make sure you setup an account with them directly - then you download their Bay Roes software and you're off. Good quality and fast, free shipping.
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