1st Draft

Our big project is to create a collage in this unit on Photoshop. My collage is one to promote that there will be a new doula certifying option for people to choose. Since we aren’t quite ready to start holding trainings yet, I chose to do more of a “teaser,” by adding the words “coming soon.” My main thought is that this piece could be replicated with more specifics for each training as they come up.

My main inspiration for this collage was the families that I have been serving lately. They have all been fabulous to work with, and I wanted to document them. I had the privilege to catch both of these moments myself. I specifically wanted to show a father in my collage, because dads often complain that they aren’t represented in doula websites and other media. I wanted this piece to show that B.A.N.I. doulas will care for the dads as well as the moms. And this photo is wonderful to me because Dad is obviously very smitten with his new daughter. The photo of the mom holding the baby feels like a perfect postpartum photo to me. Mom has clearly just finished breastfeeding, which we can tell by the pillow at her belly. But she is just so in the moment with her baby, really taking the time to bond. This photo also lets the viewer know that B.A.N.I. will be offering postpartum doula training, in addition to birth doula training that all organizations offer. The large background photo I used of a pregnant belly is actually mine. A friend took it at my baby shower. It’s one that I love very much.

I chose a more scripted font that was available in Photoshop. For my final piece, I will likely find something different on the web. For doula media, I prefer to use scripted fonts that are still easy to read. Doula work is so sensitive that a soft, flowing scripted font feels appropriate. I also chose two different shades of purple. Purple is often called the “Doula Color,” because many doulas claim that purple is their favorite color. This is completely anecdotal. I have read that purple is a “wise” color, and in advertising can promote this feeling. I chose each shade of purple to balance the black and white hues in the background photo to increase readability. I also changed the leading in the bottom section, as the default made the lines way too far apart. In a former job I was a typesetter, and so these are things that I am always thinking about.

With each of the two small photos, I wanted them to match in style, so I added the “stroke” element and a drop shadow. I love that each of the parents is holding their baby in a similar way, and they are facing in ways that I could create a “frame” with them both facing toward the most important words on the collage.