Which cover is better?

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by ApK

I'm with the majority on the choice between the two, but I find the kissing picture TOO bright (aside from the sun glare) and over saturated.
Might I suggest you try desaturating and softening the top pic a bit, perhaps washing it out to more closely match the stark landscape of the photo below?
I think it needs to look more like a book cover, and less like a photograph, with half a book cover below it, which is how it looks to me now.

Thanks ApK. I'm going to try that desaturating on the top. One way or another I've got to even those photos out a bit more.

And which photo did you like, the gas station or the lake. (Lost track of the majority.)

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by GMcG

I don't like two (very) different types of photos on a cover. I have combined them to one with the landscape still visible in the background. You could use the complete kiss photo including the elbows, so you get more picture on the cover. But the sun glare is still a problem.
BTW: Aren't photos with watermarks copyrighted?

George

Thanks George. Your version definitely simplifies the cover, but I'm thinking I want to tell a little bit more about the story than just the kiss. And the watermark photos are just comps. That's why they're a little fuzzy because they're blown up. (I bought the kiss photo already and I'll buy the other one when I figure out which one I'm going to use.)

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Thanks ApK. I'm going to try that desaturating on the top. One way or another I've got to even those photos out a bit more.

And which photo did you like, the gas station or the lake. (Lost track of the majority.)

Looking back, I may have been mistaken that there WAS a majortity opinion, but I like the gas station because it was less distracting, and more desolate looking.

[JSWolf]

Seriously, the sun glare has to go. It just gets in the way and becomes the main focus.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by ApK

Looking back, I may have been mistaken that there WAS a majortity opinion, but I like the gas station because it was less distracting, and more desolate looking.

Thanks ApK. The colors of the gas station work better too, and it looks like Texas, which is where the story takes place, but the story takes place in a rowdy border town, and I'm wondering if the gas station is too desolate.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Seriously, the sun glare has to go. It just gets in the way and becomes the main focus.

JS. I agree. I'm working on it, adjusting the color levels and brightness.