niche magazine design help

[ZippyTheWonderMonkey]

I work for a niche magazine of a very "small" industry. I am currently working on an article for the magazine that has what's equivalent to about a half page of text, 25 pics, and 9 (word doc) pages of results. All of which have to go on 3 pages of the magazine.

the photos are all posed and taken by an amatuer photographer (all are different distances from the subjects, assuming no tripod [or mono] was used) so grid rules like lining up the eyes and making sure their heads are relatively the same size will not work. Textures and backgrounds are one way to go to atleast have something consistent throughout the design, but always too much and add to the clutter.

I've done layouts like this before and, at best, they always look cluttered and uber-tacky, please help

[DesignVHL]

try using the Fibonaci - golden spiral and work with a grid....It is tough to give you more info based on your post w/out maybe seeing the images...But the best images should be large - and ones that really relate most to the article...while the worse images could be smaller and in some type of a grid in itself....

http://www.thismanslife.co.uk/main.asp?contentid=phiculator

Download the Phiculator I found it EXTREMEMLY HELPFUL! I also ran thru a simple tutorial on creating the golden spiral (i have it in illustrator) and would be more than happy to share that .AI file with anyone....its helped me when I've gotten stuck on a page layout!!!!

[vxhorusxv]

Zippy -

Could you collage the photos in a letterform or some other illustration that highlights what the article is about? It might enable you to save some space. I don't know what your editorial requirements are for those images, but that is a thought.

[ZippyTheWonderMonkey]

....It is tough to give you more info based on your post w/out maybe seeing the images...


here's a link to our online gallery of the photos.

http://www.insidepoolmag.com/gallery2/v/Pool+Tournaments/ACS_nationals_07/

[DesignVHL]

all right...well while they are amature shots, they aren't too bad and definitely could be worked with! I assume you need to use shot w/ each group shot....I would maybe put all the trophy holders on one page, maybe all similar in size...perhaps overlapping some? I wouldn't go with a collage as they are all too similar. But perhaps a strong illustration that would relate to 9-ball would be cool...maybe that would take up the first page, with a paragraph to start off w/ ...and then that illustration could fade out as a background under the images (with a larger area showing at 100% opacity) - layed out in a grid format...Maybe try splitting the article up over the next three pages and relate the images to whatever the article is specifically relating to...May be best to keep all the trophy winner images on the last page, or first - w/ the least amount of text - keeping MOST text on the second page...tough one unless i was actually playing around and laying it out...definitely try a few different ways....sorry some of my post is kind of rambling thoughts. I think a solid grid w/ the images smaller would work well though...i have some visuals in my mind, unfortunately I have no time to sketch it out for you at the moment! Slammed today! Perhaps If i remember and have some time on the weekend, I can share you my visual of this...

[ZippyTheWonderMonkey]

first off, thanks to everyone for the suggestions!

all right...well while they are amature shots, they aren't too bad and definitely could be worked with! I assume you need to use shot w/ each group shot ....I would maybe put all the trophy holders on one page, maybe all similar in size

( first place and second place winners are mixed in, each photo is of a different division. Some people just didn't show up for the shoot afterwards )

...perhaps overlapping some? I wouldn't go with a collage as they are all too similar. But perhaps a strong illustration that would relate to 9-ball would be cool

( frowned upon by boss, too many of our competitors do things like that [poorly, I might add] )

...maybe that would take up the first page, with a paragraph to start off w/ ...and then that illustration could fade out as a background under the images (with a larger area showing at 100% opacity) - layed out in a grid format...Maybe try splitting the article up over the next three pages and relate the images to whatever the article is specifically relating to

( my thoughts too )...

May be best to keep all the trophy winner images on the last page, or first - w/ the least amount of text - keeping MOST text on the second page...tough one unless i was actually playing around and laying it out...definitely try a few different ways....sorry some of my post is kind of rambling thoughts. I think a solid grid w/ the images smaller would work well though...i have some visuals in my mind, unfortunately I have no time to sketch it out for you at the moment! Slammed today!

( I can relate, no worries, thx for the help. )