Some months ago I decided to see if I could achieve a personal photo collage like Kristin does on Finding Eliza. When my computer crashed in August I thought I’d lost my work but the other day I rediscovered it.
So here is my (imperfect) attempt at a photo collage which represents some of the people and events in my life.
And by popular request, some captions (left to right per row)
Top row:
Pauleen with Grandma, early 50s; the cow shed on the old Kunkel property dating back to 1870s probably; Steam train arriving Murphys Creek c1989; View over Dorfprozelten, Bavaria, 2003 (one of my header photos); view over Sanderson’s Bay, Alotau, Milne Bay District c1974.
Second row:
Highland scene outside Goroka, PNG c1973; Pauleen’s birthday party with friends; Lowering of the Australian flag, Independence, Hubert Murray Stadium, PNG 1975; Goroka Markets c1973; Kathmandu 1977.
Third row:
Christmas markets Nuremberg, Bavaria, 1992; All Hallows’ School, Brisbane c1998; PNG flag; Mr & Mrs Cassmob at uni 1967; Wewak beach, PNG c1973.
Fourth row:
Rue Petillon cemetery near Fleurbaix, France 1992; Highland warriors, Goroka Show, 1972; Family Christmas early 1960s; Mr Cassmob’s mother, missus and eldest daughter early 1970s.
All photographs are copyright Pauleen Cass.
What a great idea. I will have a go at this & fingers crossed I won’t get too distracted as I look through photographs to use. Are you going to write narrative or a timeline to accompany your collage?
This does look great, Pauleen… nice to look into… I like Julie’s idea of a narrative to accompany it… you know we don’t like to see you getting restless for something to do.
Absolutely! We like to keep busy!
How thoughtful you both are! I was hoping to get away narrative-free for once but will give it some thought. Have also been playing with the colour of the blog. Whether it stays this way remains to be seen.
We are thoughtful! – I will see if I can get organised to get mine done over the next week or so. I like the blog colour!
We are just being supportive, aren’t we, Julie… that’s what friends are for. Besides, you know we’re all great stickybeaks, I mean of an inquiring mind… I would love to see a larger version of that Uni photo
In fact, there are 20 photos. If Pauline added another 8 (or 10 or 11) she could the pull a larger version of the image and produce that as a daily post which is why I was vague about the additional photos needed.
I suspect right now Pauline is very glad we are separated by many miles otherwise she might have to give me a playful thump!
Just in the spirit of friendship I will produce as promised a collage of my photos and I will also play along on a daily event.
That will keep us out of mischief for at least a month!
Hmm you might be right it’s a good thing you are all a long way away from Darwin….so many bright ideas. I did take a solemn pledge not to do any long series this year….Sounds like you’ve got some takers Julie.
You lot, stickybeaks??… I find that hard to believe
Will see what I can do about that ancient “young love” photo.
This is DELIGHTFUL Pauleen!!!… However did you do it?… I’d like to give it a try, I think…
Bearing in mind I did it about six months ago Catherine
I did it in Photoshop but would have to recreate the wheel if I was going to do another I think. Don’t know if Kristin has a simpler approach.
Thanks but no worries… I’ll consult my good friend “Madam Google”
I also use photoshop. I don’t know if I ever wrote up how I do it.
Index accompaniment completed as requested
Enjoy your photo hunt Julie.
Thank you!
Pauleen, it’s my great pleasure to nominate you for the “Wonderful Team Member Readership Award” which you can read about on: http://caiteile.com/2013/01/03/wonderful-team-member-readership-award-nominations/ Thanks so much for your continuing support, and generosity of spirit, which you extend not just to me but to so very many others.
Well nominated!
Wonderful collage! And great telling us who is who and where is where.The only thing I wish is that it would enlarge when I click it so I could see the photos better.
Yes I don’t know why this one won’t cooperate. Sorry Kristin.
I have had this happen to me. I fixed it by removing the photo from the post and reinserting it. Never did figure out what goes wrong.
Good advice Kristin -that worked. I had trouble with it in the beginning because it wouldn’t show on the blog at all….who knows? Random acts of technological madness?
The collage is great! It’s fun how you combined them to create a visually appealing image of people and events in your life.
Thanks Sheryl. It would be fun to do a few I think – I did this one not long after the A to Z challenge in April last year so PNG was very much on my mind.
Great work, Pauleen. As much as I love photos I wouldn’t have the required patience to complete such a task.
Thanks Jill…I’m nothing if not obnoxiously persistent
I also did it on a flight to Melbourne last year, so I had plenty of time 
Now my tired old eyes can see the details. Such very nice photos. Several of them made me smile.
Having just got new glasses I can relate
Glad you enjoyed them.
And I need to go get some new glasses too!
Youngest daughter was a tad horrified when I said I was borderline illegal to drive at present (till the distance ones arrive)…but you’re driving my children, said she. Actually I can see it’ just those blurred letters like D or was it O etc.
I like Julie’s idea of doing a collage with enough photos for the month – February would be nice with 28 and then talking about one photo each day. I wonder if the collage could be made so that you could pop that one photo up out of the collage? Probably that would take the month to figure out. Julie, are you going to do it as a group type activity?
Go on then, lets! I thought I would produce my collage photo on 30th Jan and then the individual pictures for Feb. Whether I can work out how to get the photos to pop out of the collage is anothe matter though!
That pop out thing is just the kind of thing I would waste days trying to do.
But I’m in for the February Collage. It’ll take me until the 30th to figure out 28 posts and find pictures to represent them.
Great! Looking forward to it. If I master any pop out bits will add a post here!
Sounds great Julie -that way I won’t need to recreate that wheel
Kristin, I reckon picks the photos then the stories (might make it an easier workload).
Okay, you have led us all astray Julie! Guess I’d best be in too then…but leave the collage over to you.
I think you should advertise on your blog -all you need is a name for the event.
Pop outs!! That would be great, but we need some techno whizz to work that one out. Did you know Feb is the craziest month of the year in our house -too many family events. I am currently resisting the urge to do a new collage
Well the best I can come up with is “Genea photo collage festival” I am off to bed, but open to more name suggestions then I can produce a post over the next day or so.
How about February Collage Photo Festival (I do love my alliteration)….tha’s my five bob’s worth
That way it would be open to the genies, but also anyone else who took an interest. I’m guessing whoever does the next collage best take notes so we can post about those before the festival starts. Hope you wake refreshed with a name buzzing on your lips.
As I said to Cassmob, you lot are a hoot! Seriously, the enthusiasm, excitement and courage evident as you go galloping off towards the furthest horizon is an occasion for great admiration. I am really looking forward to February.
Thanks Mr Cassmob -glad we all provide you with much entertainment! It will be a fun month albeit a bit of hard graft as well.
At least Mr C is interest, mine just raises his eyebrows and sighs…..a lot! , although he was a little impressed with collage!
I did laugh at this Julie!
OK, sign up and advertising post done. Should go live at 4am UK time which is around 4pm Aussie time giving those chance to ponder on what photos to use whilst they are organising dinner! Thanks Pauline for the name – I could not think of a better one so have used yours (credit given of course!
I’ve signed up and commented. Thanks for doing all this Julie, and inspiring us all to get involved. I need to engage my brain and think about the theme behind my collage.
My collage is not a specific theme, I guess the closest is that they all link to me! I am in even in a few of them! – I might do one with the Military / Remembrance Day as a theme for later in the year – but thankfully there will be less than 28.
Two collages -you are keen! I did so much “head” stuff last year, that I’m thinking I’ll go with the “heart” more this year. What that means in terms of the collage remains to be seen.
I have spent the last hour or so trying to get a collage to pop out pictures! I give up (and I am not usually a quitter!)
In the meantime I wondered if everyone had access to suitable software? If not you create a collage on line free of charge and downloadable via http://www.photovisi.com. I have just created one as a test with 2 photos it took about 5 minutes. I have created one with 28 photos and that took about 20 minutes.
I decided that instead of trying to pop out I will just enlarge whatever photo I am working on and place it on top of the original photo so it looks popped out. Have not tried it yet but I’m sure it will be easier. I’m using photoshop.
That’s what I am going to do, and was going to anyway, as I think the image will be clearer. Selecting 28 photos made me realise just how many I have.
You’ve started already? I’m impressed. Maybe we’ll get cleverer at how to set it up as February rolls along
That sounds easier than Photoshop Julie and has the advantage that people don’t have to have paid software. I don’t reckon spending time working out the pop-out is worth it. We’ll just go with the flow.
I pulled out the photos earlier and had a look through. Selecting 28 was tricky – so many photos. Yes, using this seemed very quick and easy. I have written a quick how to guide in the hope it might tempt those who do not have access to Photoshop. It was fairly simple and easy to use and took about 20 minutes to make the collage for 28 photos. Off to bed now day job tomorrow!
ooohhh… sounds SO tempting ladies but, I MUST stick with my plans {sigh} but sure looking forward to seeing the wonderful creations.!!!
Very resolute…I’m impressed! Fishpond have a special on at present so I’m resolutely writing up my family story book for the grandchildren so I can take advantage.
Now there you go… trying to lead me astray again!!! TUT TUT TUT… off to check out “Fishpond” (whatever that is?) now
I was just checking on my nominees for Awards Pauleen and think you may have missed the message, on this page, where I nominated you for “Wonderful Team Readership” Award…
Thanks Catherine, no I hadn’t -just have been trying to work out what to write -you’ll have seen it this morning. Look at the time you wrote!!
ha ha ha… thanks very much Pauleen. Just amazing… and, yep it was a pretty early night/morning for me – the proverbial “Night Owl”
I’m less of a night owl than once, rather when I can’t sleep it annoys me no end. Fishpond was wrong -should have been snapfish, well you can see the confusion
It’s a photo book publishing thingy.