Today, a contact sheet is most often generated by specialised photo management and editing software. It can take the form of PDF files, JPG images or be displayed directly on the screen in programmes such as, Capture One or Photo Mechanic.
How Contacts Are Created at Marshal
At marszalstudio we approach the creation of contact sheets in an innovative way, using our application to generate beautiful and functional contact sheets. The app combines aesthetics with practicality, offering a range of unique features tailored to the needs of professional product photographers and our clients.
Key Functionalities of the App:
- Appearance customisation: Possibility to choose background, colours and layout of the styptic
- Adding a watermark: Option to place a logo or text on your photos
- Flexible image layout: Various layouts and thumbnail sizes
- Integration with branding: Visual consistency with marszalstudio identity
- Export in various formats: Ability to generate thumbnails as PDF or JPG files
The application allows us to create stykups that not only present the images in an attractive way, but also reflect professionalism. We have opted for legibility and subtle colour saturation, while ensuring consistency with our branding.
The process of creating and presenting stylized images at marszalstudio goes beyond simply generating files. We create an individual creative space for each client, where we make the stylizations available. This dedicated platform allows clients not only to view the stykups, but also to leave direct feedback.
This approach ensures seamless communication and effective collaboration between our team and the client.
The process of selecting and approving images becomes not only efficient, but also enjoyable for the client. The Contact Sheet created is the perfect combination of functionality and aesthetics, resulting in a positive customer experience and streamlining our workflow.
Contact Sheet – Key Principles
- The right layout
- Customisable thumbnail sizes
- Addition of metadata (file names, dates, camera settings)
- Options for sorting and filtering photos
- Export in various formats
Styling in Various Fields of Photography
Product Photography
In product photography, stykups help to select the best product shots. They allow you to compare different angles, lighting settings and compositions, which is key to creating an attractive product presentation.
Wedding Photography
Styxes allow brides and grooms to review all the images from their big day and select the ones that best tell the story of their wedding. Photographers often group photos by key moments of the ceremony and reception.
Fashion Photography
In the dynamic world of fashion, where a huge number of images can be produced during a single shoot, contact sheets are essential for quickly selecting the best shots. They allow for effective collaboration between photographer, stylist, make-up artist and client.
Photojournalism
For photojournalists, stylecards are a tool for building a visual narrative. They enable them to review all the material from an event and select the images that best tell the story.
Tools for Creating Contact Sheets
Photo management programmes offer advanced features for creating contact sheets:
- Adobe Lightroom
- Capture One
- Photo Mechanic
- ACDSee
- DxO PhotoLab
Contact Sheet in Social Media
The concept of the stylet has found a new use in social media. Photographers often use stylet-like layouts to showcase their work on platforms such as Instagram, allowing more work to be shown at once.
The Role of Contact Sheet in Education
For students and budding photographers, analysing the stylecards of well-known artists can be extremely informative. It allows you to understand the thought process behind the selection of photographs, learn about composition and framing techniques.
Contact Sheet in Archiving and Management
Institutions such as press agencies, museums and libraries use contact sheets to catalogue and search their photographic collections. Enriched with metadata and searchability, digital contact sheets make it much easier to navigate huge photo collections.
Contact Sheet – Benefits of Using
- Saves time when selecting images
- Easier communication with clients
- Efficient organisation of large image collections
- Ability to quickly compare similar shots
- Professional portfolio presentation
5 Important Rules
- Keep a consistent layout – Establish a standard contact sheet format for your workflow.
- Add relevant metadata – Include information such as date, camera settings or keywords.
- Optimise thumbnail size – Finda balance between the number of images and the readability of details.
- Use colour coding – Mark selected photos with colours for easier selection.
- Export in the right quality – Adjust the quality of the export to the purpose of the stylecast (review vs. print).
The Contact Sheet – Requirements
Despite its many advantages, using stylecards can present some challenges:
- Time-consuming to create with large collections of images
- The need to learn how to use specialised software
- Risk of overlooking valuable images when browsing quickly
- Need to regularly update the contact sheet as photos are edited
- Limitations in the presentation of details in small thumbnails
