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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
Photo portfolio presentation software

sky writer
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Oct 18, 2006, 7:15 PM

Post #1 of 7 (666 views)
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Photo portfolio presentation software	Can't Post

I have a client (landscape designer) who wants to take his overgrown hard copy photo portfolio and turn it into a multimedia experience.
Basically he wants to sit down with clients, and instead of opening up a book with pictures, we wants to open his laptop. This will allow him/me to add sound to enhance the impact (music and ambient sounds like birds, waterfalls etc). We will likely take this to the next step and create CD-ROM, or DVD "take home" copies as well.

It isn't a linear workflow. He would need to be able to easily jump around to show different styles and techniques, without having to go through clunky menu systems.

I think it's a great idea, and I really want to help him out with this project, but I can't seem to wrap my head around what software would be best suited to this application. I have searched the internet for options, and have not found anything that will de exactly what he wants. Price is not an issue, we just want the best.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

DarrenS
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Oct 18, 2006, 9:02 PM

Post #2 of 7 (660 views)
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Re: [sky writer] Photo portfolio presentation software [In reply to]	Can't Post

Lucky man. Those are great projects, esp. with landscape designers (they aren't nickel and dimers like much of the *caugh* videobiz *caugh* camp Smile

).

All things considered in your post I'd say Flash is the way to go. It's a lot of work but nothing terribly difficult. That's a $5k job, easy. Has to be impressive and well thought-out, though. Start everything on paper with rough sketches. Study human interface design (HID) a little bit if you haven't already. Present it all on paper (they're comfortable with it in landscape), get the green light then don't let them amend anything until it's done. I let them change stuff once it's done of course, but only after it's done and for extra billable hours.

Also, keep in mind whilst developing that this could be used for other landscape designers and develop accordingly. If your software kicks ass you could easily approach other landscape outfits with a similar solution and your profit goes through the bloody roof.

sky writer
Enthusiast

Oct 18, 2006, 10:20 PM

Post #3 of 7 (643 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] Photo portfolio presentation software [In reply to]	Can't Post

Are you suggesting that I "create" the software? I was looking for some pre-existing multimedia presentation software suggestions. Although I would love to delve into something like a grass roots build, I do not have the time to commit to something on this scale. And although you are correct that this is not a nickel and dime client, they do have a relatively short deadline, and I have many other clients to keep happy.

If you had to use an existing program, would you have any suggestions?

The workflow would be fairly simple, like this:
- client meets with his client. They say they are interested in a pond.
- he would click a link to "PONDS", which could bring up a lightbox type view, or just the first in a series of pond pics (clicking on pics could bring up specifics of the project).
- he could then advance through images as required. It would be nice to have an attractive flow to the experience, either a photo album feel with page turns, or some professional level of smoothness. Sorry, it's late, and I am burnt out trying to find what I'm after.

It seems so simple, but we want software that we can make the presentation look "Personalized", I guess I mean like a skin. We don't want to open Power Point and go from there.

Thanks for your help.

DarrenS
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Oct 18, 2006, 10:46 PM

Post #4 of 7 (640 views)
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Re: [sky writer] Photo portfolio presentation software [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm sorry I do not have any suggestions for pre-made software. That would be a 'add your pictures and go' solution, with all the limitations of whatever the developers built into the solution. Plus anybody can do that, even them. There's too many variables there for a cookie cutter solution in my opinion, plus your client is going to ask later, "please make 'this' do 'that'", and you're going to be screwed because of the limitations of whatever software you bought. Even if you could find something it would likely cost more than the job is worth anyhow.

sky writer
Enthusiast

Oct 18, 2006, 10:55 PM

Post #5 of 7 (635 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] Photo portfolio presentation software [In reply to]	Can't Post

You're right, the client "could" do that. But they don't want to, that's why they hire me. I have done a number of jobs for this client, and they have all been things that they could do, but they don't want to.

The cost of the software will never be more than the job, as I just add that to the bill. The client understands this, and they don't care. I'm not just looking for a drop the pics and go solution. I do need a little more control than that. But I figured there would be a bunch of solutions out there and am surprised at how difficult it has been to find any at all at a professional level.

I just assumed that with the growth of laptops, that this transition would already have occured for many media professional, and therefore there would be software developed especially for this niche. Guess I was wrong.

I'll just keep searching. Thanks for your insight.

DarrenS
Veteran

Oct 19, 2006, 10:47 AM

Post #6 of 7 (616 views)
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Re: [sky writer] Photo portfolio presentation software [In reply to]	Can't Post

For the record, I didn't say 'more than the job will cost them', I said 'more than the job is worth' Wink

AlanB
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Oct 21, 2006, 1:56 AM

Post #7 of 7 (578 views)
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Re: [sky writer] Photo portfolio presentation software [In reply to]	Can't Post

Don't know if it would be as sophisticated as you want, but you could build a nice looking web page(s) for the menu system with text and/or pictures for each catagory and then have them link to JAlbum pages with the pictures for that catagory. It is a pretty slick application for displaying pictures. ...and I think it is free or maybe a little bit for some of the custom skins others have created. They have lots of different styles/skins to choose from. Take a look: http://jalbum.net/index.jsp Look at the BananAlbum skin (This one is flash based and can be configured in different ways. Click here and then click on the pic to see some of the different ways you can make it look. You may also want to take a look at other shins like 'Vertical' and 'Simple'.

Good luck,

Alan