Help me choose calendar images! 56K warning

[tim]

I'm making a calendar for family and close friends for xmas, i'm after a bit of help choosing the images with the most impact. Please choose up to 12 of the following images, i'm trying to judge the impact each image has. Landscape images will fit best, but I can pad with black or white as necessary.

#1
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/Bali_038.jpg

#2
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/Bali_042.jpg

#3
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/Bali_108.jpg

#4
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/Bali_111.jpg

#5
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/CRW_4701.jpg

#6
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/CRW_5499.jpg

#7
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/CRW_5757.jpg

#8
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/Fiji_160.jpg

#9
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/Fiji_294.jpg

#10
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/Fiji_295.jpg

#11 (my Mum grew up near here, Christchurch)
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_1072.jpg

#12
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_1159.jpg

#13
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_1180.jpg

#14
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_1204.jpg

#15 (that's my brother in the reflection)
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_1899.jpg

#16 (my other brothers eye)
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_3331.jpg

#17 (hat made by brother #1)
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_3983.jpg

#18 (hat made by brother #1)
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_3987.jpg

#19
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_5401.jpg

#20
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_8862vp-stillife.jpg

#21 (my half sister)
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/IMG_9336.jpg

#22
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/NightLights2.jpg

#23
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/WaterOnLily.jpg

#24
http://mrwild.co.nz/unprotected/potn/caltemp/_MG_6551.jpg

[smittymike19]

i like 5, 14,15 and 21.. my fvaorite is your brother in teh sunglasses. cool idea. the one of your half sister is very good too. what exactly is your family xpecting? im not sure about looking at some of these for an entire month. the pile of dead fish is interesting, though i wouldnt want to see it with my morning coffee. lol

[Guitartists]

Made my choices.... based on which ones I would like to see in a calander if it were me ;) Kind of a hodge-podge though..... you might consider doing a theme...all close-ups, all scenery or all people, or at least maybe match them by content/season compatability. ??

[Radtech1]

I absolutely second what Guitarist said.

This is a huge mish-mash of shots. Some of them are pretty good, but there is almost no context for them

Consider who is receiving the gift and give them what they would want, not what you want them to have.

With that as a guide, I would vote for the shot of your half sister. Were the island shots part of a family vacation? Yes? Then include one. No? Then what is the goal of including one? Is the monkey weird aunt Tilly's pet? Great! No, then why do they want a photo of one?

The whole point of personalized gifts is the personalization!

Don't give them what they could get for $1.00 on Jan 15th. Give them something that has meaning within the family. And if you, as me, have evolved as the "family photographer", then it is your responsibility to give the highest photographic quality you can. And, of course, if the shots can be seasonally themed, then by all means, do so.

Rad

[GSHodg]

Made my selection. Agree a theme would work best.
Also...I'm thinkngof doing a calendar for friends and intersted to see what options you come up with for printers etc. Obviously on different continents, but seeing the style, layout and cost woud be intersting whilst I look for one here in UK.

Some really nice images there.

[Guitartists]

I use lulu.com :)

[tim]

You're all correct, there's no theme to the images at all, I was thinking of it as my favorite photos from the past year. If i'd thought about it earlier i'd have done a theme, like landscapes, or flowers, but I didn't...

I'm not entirely sure i'm going to go ahead with it, but i'm still considering it. Keep the votes and thoughts coming! Thanks for your thoughts Guitarist, very interesting.

[cmM]

picked my favorites. A fine bunch of images you got there.

[mrclark321]

I picked: 5,7,8,10,12,13,18,19,21,22,23 and 24

The first one with the corn in his hands and the male parts hanging just would not cut it for a Christmas card

Nice pictures Tim

Dan

[tim]

The first one with the corn in his hands and the male parts hanging just would not cut it for a Christmas card

That's a monkey holding a banana, I took it in Bali a couple of months ago, I call it "monkey balls"! It might not be suitable for a calendar, but I like it!

[Nidz]

I chose the island because I know where that is. It's a island off Fiji. I was on the adjoining island on my honeymoon (where you would have been standing). I am guessing you were on the same island called Treasure Island.


I reckon you almost got a year's worth of good photos there.. Use 12 of the best ones.

[tim]

It's a pic of Beachcomber island in Fiji where I was staying. The pic was as I was arriving or coming back to it one day after going on a cruise :)

[Nidz]

Yep you were standing on the same little island I was on. It's a awesome beach. I scuba dived over near the island you were on. It was awesome. I highly reccomend anybody go there. Jut not in the middle of summer when it's like 38 degrees C. You have some awesome pics in there.

[tim]

Ta Nidz. A took a few photos on that trip, you can see 'em here (http://www.mrwild.co.nz/PhotoGallery/2005/Fiji-Sydney-Bali/index.html) if you're really interested. Nothing amazing but some decent stuff.