Help Choose an Ebook Cover for this Website

[McQ]

Over the next year, this site will be releasing an eBook containing a selection of the online tutorials, but formatted for print and likely with some extras. I am hosting a contest to design the cover on another site, and have honestly been overwhelmed by the quantity of entries. Thus far, there have been around 250 design submissions in just a couple days!

I'd really like to get as many people's perspectives as possible. If you have a moment, it would be great to see your comments and relative rankings for the eight diverse but competitive entries in the link below:

Rank the Entries Here

Feel free to be open, but also try to see these through the eyes of the typical reader. For example, if you think none of them are a good fit, then please say so! The contest is still open, so also feel free to suggest other cover concepts, images or styles and I will bring it up with the designers.

The first phase of design selection ends in less than 24 hours...

Many thanks,
Sean

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Several examples also pasted below:















Note: above designs are all currently still property of the corresponding designer and cannot be used without their prior agreement.

[Susana]

These are all beautiful but the only one who truly captures the "understanding" part of the title is the one with the eye. However, it strongly reminds me of another product, and although I can't remember which (perhaps something by Adobe?) it makes me think that it has been plagiarized. My second favourite is the first one displayed, with all the images going into the camera.

[MrGeod]

The one with the eye is good but like Susana it reminds me of something else, Corel is my guess. Also like Susana I like the first one with all the images going into the camera.

[downtownpearl]

None. same o same o rehash rehash

recharge with a look at Josef Albers painting - "Homage to the square"
the book involves color and "seeing" - yes?

everyone has the slick computer generated graphics covers

look at the Taschen book "Information Graphics" that's a great place to start

think - energy - - soul - fusion - stir it up

cheers!

[SuperKing80]

The first one is by far my favorite. It is very imaginative and really drew me in, and as a new reader that cover would make me check the book out. I love it.

The third one I also like, but it feels a bit bland compared to number 1.

The worst ones in my opinion are the second and fourth ones (the boring lens and the *yawn* purple background). Both are totally forgettable, and I would likely look past them if I saw them on a shelf with other books.

The one with the eye is very cool looking, but I don't think it fits the theme here. It looks like it should be a cover for a drawing or sketching tutorial book.

The rest are okay but nothing special.

[GeeJayC]

Hi

The second cover with light passing through the lens does it for me. It's what photography is all about, light through a lens.
Hope this helps.
Regards

[keith201]

I too prefer the second image. I'm looking forward to the publication of this book, it will be something out of the ordinary

[Ronny]

My choice is the first one, because it represents photography in all its assets. Not just landscaping, or portrait, and so on.

The others are also beautiful, but directed to represent one kind of a Subject.

Ronny

[wlou]

My favorite is the first one. I see images,light, film strips. The forth one is a classic image like Art Wolfe has for his tv show.

[Lukich]

I prefer the fourth image.

[ZeissTragic]

The cover with the eye reminds me of the cover of the Adobe Photoshop CS2 User Guide, (the official manual from Adobe), not so much because of the eye (there is no eye on the Adobe cover), but the white background and the colouring.

I note that some of the sample covers display the text "Volume 1," but others do not, so I'm wondering if the eBook is intended to be the first of a series. If that is, in fact, the case, then perhaps "Volume 1" could be given more prominence than the "Core concepts, etc." text.

The second cover with the light passing through the lens is, in my opinion, the best illustration of the "core concepts" idea, and, if there are, in fact, further volumes planned, their covers could have different illustrations or designs, in keeping with their subject areas.

If, on the other hand, no further volumes are planned, then perhaps the first cover might be more eye-catching, but they're all very nice, and I'm finding it hard to decide on a stand-out selection.

Anyway, whatever turns out to be the final choice is never going to please everyone!

Opinions are like noses: everyone has one!

Just my twopence worth!

[KiwiRoss]

Over the next year, this site will be releasing an eBook containing a selection of the online tutorials, but formatted for print and likely with some extras. I am hosting a contest to design the cover on another site, and have honestly been overwhelmed by the quantity of entries. Thus far, there have been around 250 design submissions in just a couple days!

I'd really like to get as many people's perspectives as possible. If you have a moment, it would be great to see your comments and relative rankings for the eight diverse but competitive entries in the link below:

Rank the Entries Here

Feel free to be open, but also try to see these through the eyes of the typical reader. For example, if you think none of them are a good fit, then please say so! The contest is still open, so also feel free to suggest other cover concepts, images or styles and I will bring it up with the designers.

The first phase of design selection ends in less than 24 hours...

Many thanks,
Sean

-----
Several examples also pasted below:















Note: above designs are all currently still property of the corresponding designer and cannot be used without their prior agreement.

[orlcam88]

based on image alone without reading the title, the first one triggers video editing more than it does photography. Yes I do see a camera at the end but that is not the overwhelming image. Most of the others also look like editing but in photography.

But to keep things short, the second one is more in tune for me to be related to photography. This is my pick.

[KiwiRoss]

1. Idea good, but 3 ribbons too cluttered - better if 2 simple photos in each ribbon showing 3 genres.
2. Simple & effective, but looks too technical for entry-level photographers.
3. Too much - no point to grab the eye.
4. (water & rocks) Simple, eye-catching, photographer stands out showing 'different' perspective with anybody's gear. Excellent.
5. Corel?
6. Cluttered (the photographer's enemy). Single photo good, but does not show any technique that is worth spending money on a book for.
7. Top OK, but bottom covers nothing of interest to an average photographer. If you understand it, you don't need to buy a book.

[Gunta]

oops...? I like the first two, with a slight tilt toward the 2nd one. The 4th looks like it was taken at Bandon (my territory) and climbing on those rocks is illegal
http://gusgus64.wordpress.com/

[BunyaDoug]

They're all good but No1 really grabs my attention.

[tbob]

The fourth, the one with the photographer standing on the rock at sunset. Nice graphics on the rest but this one grabs me. The rest evoke no feeling. Maybe because I am a nature photographer by inclination. But if the cover doesn't strike a chord it fails in it's intent.

[jdpulling]

I like the last one. The rainbow in pixels ties the picture to the digital process.

[kaneohebud]

I also like the fourth picture because it is a quality landscape and my eye is drawn to it. It makes me want to shoot similar photos.

The other covers could just as well be "how to" books on Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, Topaz or any of the various mags on DSLRs. Just my opinion....

[bencarl]

I kind of like the first image (because of the camera image) but reject it for one reason below...

My thought on most of these is that the word Photography Is One Word and shouldn't be split into two Words
Photo
Graphy

I think this just plain Looks Wrong! Just a thought.

May be the large number of submissions could be substantially whittled down by rejecting all that split the word Photography!