Grumpy D Stevens

I prefer the first February shot. I feel it shows the personalities of the dogs better. It is also a "better" layout, in my opinion.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Your dilemma obviously stems from varying aspect ratios of the different photos. You'll find a rare "layperson" who understands about aspect ratios. Your customers are probably choosing the poses they like without consideration of how the cropping fits into the overall scheme of the calender.
I'm working with a writer on his book, and very often wish I had a large mallet with which to pound aspect ratio into his head. Alas, it has so far been a futile effort.
Idea for next time: Show only those proofs that fit the format of the calender so that, as Michael G said previously, your customer can "always be right".

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Well, it looks like UHH members once again solved your problem. We like all three calendars. :D

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

[/quote]
Well, it looks like UHH members once again solved your problem. We like all three calendars. :D[/quote]

That was easy! :lol:

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Hi rrg6481

I like the 1st. one.

eMarty Loc: El Paso, Texas

With the devaluation of the dollar in the last few years may I offer my 1 ½ cents. And maybe the advise could be worth much more later on.

I was a high school yearbook advisor for several years and we had to do layouts for all sorts of photos. Pages with nothing but photos, pages with photos and Text and much more. I suggest that you contact either a publishing company (Taylor for one) and try to either buy, beg, or ------, and ask them to let you see a yearbook layout planners book. Or, you could contact a friend who has connection to a high school that could possibly lend you the layout book.
Their layouts are for the most part for a book, but you can adapt page designs to a single page (calendar). You could go to Shutterfly.com and you can see their layouts. That’s worth about a penny and a half of information, just ran out of money. Good Luck and capture more memories.
Marty

rrg6481 Loc: USA

Well thank you all for the feed back and valuable suggestions. I do enjoy this web site as it will get the honest answers to questions one has about their own work. After 35 years in the printing business and 30 of those years over a light table, in the darkroom and over a printing press in my shop you would think I would be aware of how to take pictures with cropping in mind. I DO NOW but it has taken this experience to bonk me over the head. I had a conference with the owner of the company and did get my way on the layout using the first vertical version as the model throughout the calendar. That really was all I was interested in. The toggling back and forth would have been unacceptable but....yes at the end of the day the customer is always right...especially when you receive a check in the mail for a job well done. I have finished the upper portion of all the months, the cover and now during football Sunday will finalize the calendar days and back cover. Yay!!! first of I hope many calendars to come. Attached are all the photos of the month plus a cover and alternate cover. Just wanting to share and yes feed back is always welcome. Thank you all again. What a great group of people. www.richardraul.com

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Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

Richard,

I think, overall, you have a winner.

You asked for comments, so at first glance, and impressions, I offer the following.

Izzy is very busy with the background and her coat. May look better with less competition from the floor pattern.

Stymie has soft focus between the nose and eyes. It looks like focus was on the grass and not on the eyes. With a larger Aperture on the lens the DOF would have made a very sharp nose and eyes, the central point of interest for the Dog.

Michael G

rrg6481 Loc: USA

Yes thank you. Izzy's contrast is the result of using Topaz to process her pic. I will tone it back some. Stymie is a customer supplied photo. He died of cancer recently and is the image for a cancer society organization here locally. Thanks for your input.