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April 17, 2008
[ THE DIGITAL HOUSE-CLEAN ]
THE GREAT WINDOWS VISTA REINSTALL OF '08 continues at Chez Imaging. We look on it as a combination of spring cleaning and hard rubbish collection day. It’s an opportunity to get rid of all the accumulated applications with the mysterious names that now mean nothing to us. And it’s the time when we remind ourselves of what it is we can’t live without.
From time to time we have mentioned Memories on TV (www.codejam.com -- US$50 Home edition, US$90 Pro version, Windows only) as our preferred slideshow creator. In its latest incarnation the program will make high definition slide shows which are truly spectacular on an HD monitor or TV. Codejam has a short list of happy educational customers on the site and there are three Australian schools using it. We like it, so it definitely goes back onto the system.
Lumapix Fotofusion is another must reload application. (www.lumapix.com – PC only) It comes in three versions, Essentials (US $40) Enhanced (US $120) and Extreme (US $300). The only serious limitation of Essentials is that the maximum output print size is 30 by 30cm. Enhanced makes prints to A3+ size, and Extreme is only limited by the printer output.
Fotofusion is an automatic page layout program for making photo collages, albums, cards, books and calendars.
Collages are created by importing images into the workspace, choosing an output size and clicking on the auto-arrange button (there are two, one for a regular grid pattern and the other for a jumbled, casual look) and standing back and watching the miracle. In a trice the collage is created and at that point begins the process of moving, panning and resizing the individual images on the layout.
Photos in the collage can be with or without borders and drop shadows. The background colour and image are customisable. Even some minor photo editing can be done on individual frames. To transpose pictures is a simple drag and drop procedure.
Creation of albums, calendars and cards is conveniently based on templates, which you create yourself or use those supplied with the software. And here’s where the popularity of Fotofusion has its benefits – there is a world wide community of clever users creating templates for all seasons and occasions. Click on the Community tab on the main layout screen and you are connected to the international user group, click on the Galleries button and you have access to their template creations. Rick, who presumably comes from Adelaide, has produced a very nice card layout to gladden the heart of any Crows supporter.
The supplied album templates are elegant and when loaded already have sample photos in place to show what the finished product might look like. On-screen instructions for replacing pictures and text with your own are clear and simple.
We mainly use Fotofusion to create A3+ photo collages because there is nothing like a poster of pictures to remind a child of her day at the zoo or an adult of a trip to the lotus farm.
There is a trial version of Fotofusion which does everything the program is designed to do, but it produces an output image that is watermarked with the company logo, so it is useless except as a way of assessing how the application works. We tried it and loved it.
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Posted by terry at April 17, 2008 12:03 AM
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