Multiple photgraphs in one print

[vandamk]

Ok, I quite often want my prints smaller than 6x4.5, for instance for mini books.

As I always have my photographs printed by photobox, I want to put, say, 4 photographs together in one file, and then upload and order.

This is a hassle in most imaging programs as you have to manually open each of them and position them into another file.

I have just discovered you can now get Image Magick for Windows (and Mac too, but I haven't played with my Mac version yet!).

You have to use the command line, but it is really simple.

- Install Image Magick (download from www.imagemagick.org, I think I downloaded my Mac version from somewhere else)

- click start menu - run

- type "cmd"

- go to the directory with your photographs in it (use dir to see the contents of your current directory and cd to change to a sub directory)

- type "montage file1.jpg file 2.jpg file3.jpg file4.jpg -geometry +0+0 montage.jpg" where file1.jpg-file4.jpg are your original files.

It will take a little while, but when it's done your montaged file is in montage.jpg.

There is more detail on the command line options here: http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~anthony/graphics/imagick6/montage/

I presume it will work with 9 images as well, or with 6 or 8, but you will probably have to be more specific as to how you want them arranged.

Karin

[Nicci24lego]

If you want an easier way to create montages... take a look at Lumapix collage maker 'FotoFusion'... at www.lumapix.com its dead easy to use and has some powerful features in it too... it's not free but you can download a demo version and a have a play before you buy.

HTH:)

[Hypatia]

If you can't be bothered.... Photobox do do four images into one photo, contact sheets (of everything in an album) as well as US & UK passport sized prints. And the US version is a 2" square photo which I find perfect for mini books. BUT they are more expensive. If I keep doing mini books I might look at something else - but graphic convertor which came free with my Mac does allow you to create a new blank image and paste in mini images to fill up a 6x4 or whatever, if I can be bothered. But often I can't :(

Just in case there are other busy/lazy people out there :)

[gismo]

I did this recently with 100 photos and thought it was going to be a real bind but found it so easy when I go the knack!