[PKIDelirium]

So I'm using a new stamp format. Still just text, but I've changed it a bit to show better on varying backgrounds.

The problem is it looks like shit on really light or white backgrounds... Here's the stamp on a couple "normal" backgrounded photos:
http://www.kiextreme.com/gallery/alb...8/IMG_0139.jpg
http://www.kiextreme.com/gallery/alb...8/IMG_0146.jpg

Now here it is on a couple really light backgrounds, yes I know the photos suck, I was being lazy. But it demonstrates the issue with it on a really light background:
http://www.kiextreme.com/gallery/alb...8/IMG_0150.jpg
http://www.kiextreme.com/gallery/alb...8/IMG_0147.jpg

It doesn't look too awful on the first, but on the second with the lighter, almost white background, it looks crappy.

I'm using a #000000, 2px precise outer glow for that, does anyone have any ideas on making a stamp like this that'll actually look right on all backgrounds?

[PKIDelirium]

*Crickets*

[BuonRotto]

Seems like the glow is the problem. Would a black, crisp outline with white infill be pretty much viewable on any background? Just make sure the white infill strokes are wide enough that they don't disappear on a dark background. If your outline stroke is too wide, it sometimes eats away at the thinner strokes and stems inside.

[turtle]

Personally I think all copyright labels look ugly and detract from the picture. I haven't seen a good one yet for that matter.

Yours aren't any worse than my opinion of other either. To improve my dislike for yours I'd go with BuonRotto's suggestion.

I think of all the options I like it best when a border is placed around the image and the stamp is in the border. Sure it's easier to crop out you stamp, but I can edit out your stamp in minutes too.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't think you should get credit but that I don't like that method of doing it. It just kills the image. Again, yours isn't that horrid, I just don't like them.

[BuonRotto]

Another one is to do a 50% transparent black or gray, and choose negation filter. or something else that will ensure it shows up on either a light or dark background.

[chucker]

Originally Posted by turtle2472 Personally I think all copyright labels look ugly and detract from the picture. I haven't seen a good one yet for that matter.

I think James Duncan Davidson's are alright.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/x180/2336771840/sizes/l/

[PKIDelirium]

Could someone make an example image of what the mentioned options would look like on some various backgrounds? My text skills with Photoshop (I'm using CS1) are pretty weak, and I honestly don't know how to do any of the above mentioned options.

If it makes any difference, my stamp has to be able to work as a batch process using a recorded action. I sometimes upload batches of a hundred or more photos at once, so manual stamping isn't an option. I used to do that back when I used Windows and Paint Shop Pro, and it was hell.

[joveblue]

Try a nice bold font (feel free to shrink the font size to compensate). A low drop shadow rather than a glow oughtta do the trick, it's a bit classier.

Here I've put it on a light and dark background in one of your photos. I just used the "Low Drop Shadow" style in Photoshop Elements with a Century Gothic font.

[PKIDelirium]

I'm REALLY liking the Century Gothic+Drop Shadow combination. Here's my tests:

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3081/img5381xn7.jpg
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7263/img5429cs0.jpg

Both those use a 2px drop shadow. Now here's my last choice to make: 2px or 1px?

2px: http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3664/2pxuz4.jpg
1px: http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/669/1pxop1.jpg

[Yonzie]

2px. But I like the bold + capitalized + smaller version better.

[FFL]

Originally Posted by Yonzie 2px. But I like the bold + capitalized + smaller version better.

I agree.

[PKIDelirium]

I wasn't a big fan of the all-caps so I stuck with standard. It's bold, and it's the smallest font size it can be without being too small. That's 7pt, and 6pt was tiny.

[joveblue]

Originally Posted by PKIDelirium I'm REALLY liking the Century Gothic+Drop Shadow combination.

.

[PKIDelirium]

All that's left for me to do is pick between the 2px and 1px shadow distances, I'll probably settle on that later tonight and then start using it.

joveblue ftw.

[scrouds]

Have you thought maybe of making that white semi-transparent?

[PKIDelirium]

Not a big fan of transparency.

Side note: For 800x600 web photos I've been using 180 PPI... Is that overkill?

[Yonzie]

800x600 is 800x600 no matter what the PPI is.
I have no clue what happens when using non-standard PPI, but normally you'd use 72.