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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

I was called into the hospital's graphic design department today. When I say 'called in', I mean they shouted "Phil!" as I was walking past the door. It happens when you're based in the next office. As it turned out, they wanted to show me the photos of Amelie that were taken last Friday, and mock-ups of how they might look as posters. I have to say, it's not every day you see a picture of your daughter with the word 'INFECTION' emblazoned across her chest, but somehow it worked.

Unfortunately there's a small technical hitch. The photo they'd like to use is one of Amelie charging across a hospital bed towards the camera with a huge smile on her face. It's the kind of picture which has the power to melt hearts and heal the sick with a single viewing, and would, in all probability, save the NHS a fortune in treatment costs. Tragically, however, the stunt-Mum employed to supervise Amelie has snuck into the edge of the photo, and the text at the top of the poster would have to go across the side of her face.

To me, that's not a problem. I don't mind the props being obscured by writing. But according to the senior graphic designer, it's not the done thing. The medical photographer who took the pictures argued that the lady could be cropped out of the photo, but apparently they've tried that, and it doesn't leave enough room for the words. So reluctantly they've been forced to settle for a far less cute photo of Amelie gurning at the camera in the arms of her stunt-mother. It's a nice shot, but it doesn't quite have the Athena poster quality of the first choice pic.

Fortunately I hold a bit of sway in the graphic design department. So I've asked for both to be printed. That first one will be up on our wall by the kitchen soap dispenser, if nowhere else.

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