OVERLAY2 - Image overlay software for Mac and Windows

What Overlay does: I run a photo studio in London, and I was looking for Mac software that would enable me to make a semi-transparent floating window on my computer. I wanted to be able to open any image to use as a floating positioning guide over the actual image that I'm shooting.I use Adobe Lightroom for image capture, and I wanted to be able to float the art-director's layout over my photo in Lightroom, to check that my shot was a good fit. Sometimes I wanted to put another element of a composite over my image to check position and perspective, or I wanted to have an image visible over my Lightroom capture so I could match it. I couldn't find any software to do this, so I wrote it myself: Overlay for Mac is the result. It works with Lightroom, Aperture, ACR, 3D modelling applications or any other OS X or WINDOWS software. Overlay2-1 is digital tracing paper for your Mac or PC!

Overlay2 - The Manual

Customers comments: "My clients LOVE IT. Thankyou so much for making this software available.”Nigel Melling, photographer "great for video, putting an overlay on video footage as you shoot is not simple.This software is really good.”Matt Barlow, photographer

How to use Overlay2.1Install OverlayDrag the Overlay application icon to your Applications folder on your Mac. The Windows Setup.exe file will install Overlay2-1 in your Programs folder.If you want Overlay to appear in your Dock, drag it from your applications folder onto your Dock.Open an imageDrag an image file onto Overlay2-1, or onto Overlay's Dock icon, or choose File > Open from the menus, or click the "Open..." button in the Overlay Control Panel. On a Mac, Overlay can open almost all types of image file, including RAW files from all the cameras supported by Mac OS X, and it can open PDFs and animated GIFs. On Windows Overlay2-1 can open JPEG, TIFF, PNG, GIF and Animated GIF files.Rotate, scale and position it.The Overlay window can be resized and positioned like any normal window, and the controls in The Overlay Control panel (which can also be repositioned) enables you to scale (resize), rotate, and position your image within the window. You can also control the opacity of the main window, and FLOAT it as required. The Overlay windows continue to show on top of ALL other windows on your Mac unless you hide the main window, reduce its opacity to zero, or quit. Use the menu options in the Image menu to view your image at 100%, or to fit it to the window.On-Image controlsYou can also reposition the overlay image by holding down the SPACEBAR while you mouse over the overlay image window (like in Adobe Photoshop). To control opacity in the main window hold SHIFT while mousing. To rotate the image in the main window hold down ALT while mousing, and to scale (resize) the image in the main window, hold COMMAND(Mac)/CNTRL(Windows) while mousing.FLOAT the OVERLAY window to work straight through itYou can FLOAT the Overlay image by using the Float button. When the OVERLAY window is floating you can work straight through it to the window or application below. (you can use the control panel to change the positiuon and opacity of the floating Overlay window, but you can't use the on-image controls (see above) while the Overlay window is floating).Overlay behaves slightly differently to other Apple applications because its windows are ALWAYS visible (otherwise they would not be much use). If you have clicked on a background application and you want to get BACK to Overlay, just click on one of its windows. The Overlay FLOATING window is the same size as its normal counterpart but you can’t interact with it in FLOATING mode; to move or resize it click UNFLOAT first.Replace, print or save the Overlay image.To replace the overlay image, open a new file. To print or save the image, use the print or save commands in the File menu.Keyboard shortcuts and menusHide or show the main Overlay window using the Window>Hide menu, or the shortcut key CMND-H. You can also hide the Overlay Control Panel using CMND-K, or from the Window menu. For other keyboard shortcuts, see their menu items. Be careful when you have BOTH Overlay and Control windows hidden - you need to have the Overlay application active (check in the menu bar) to be able to make either of the windows visible again, or click the Control Panel item in the Dock to maximize it.PreferencesOverlay2-1 allows you to set Preferences for the next time you run it. Open the Preferences panel from the Overlay2-1 menu (Mac) or the Options panel from the Edit menu (Windows). You can save the position and size of both the Controls and Overlay windows, save the settings in the Overlay Controls panel, set whether the Overlay Controls panel will be visible, and set Overlay to automatically open the last file displayed.RegistrationIf you buy a registration, we’ll send you a unique serial number. Go to Register in the Overlay2-1 menu (Windows: Help menu) and enter your name and serial number to stop the registration reminders from popping up on your screen.

Colin Thomas Photography Ltd6 Burlington Lodge Studios48 Rigault RoadLONDON SW6 4JJUnited Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 7736 0060 colin@overlaysoftware.com

Floating the OVERLAY2 Window Overlay2 creates a semi-transparent floating window on your screen which can be resized and positioned like any normal window. You can open most types of image file to display, the image can be resized, rotated and moved within the window. The OPACITY of the window can also be adjusted from the Overlay Control panel. Adjust it to your liking so that you can see what’s behind it. Now when you click the FLOAT button the OVERLAY2 window will allow you to work straight through it, using windows and software underneath it as normal. You can still make adjustments using the Control Panel, and to move or resize the window just UNFLOAT it. Download the free trial version to test it out…OVERLAY2.1 is optimised for Mac OS 10.13 - 12.1, Windows 8 and Windows 10.

This version is fully functional, but it contains reminder messages which will pester you regularly to buy the full registered version… The Overlay2.1 download is a Setup.exe installer which will install Overlay2.1 in your Programs Folder, with a shortcut on your desktop. Click the help menu in Overlay2 for the “How To Use Overlay” manual.

OVERLAY2 Manual

Download FREE DEMO of OVERLAY2.1 for MS Windows

This full registered version is available for $15 USD, just click below to purchase by credit card using Paypal's secure payments site.

This version is fully functional, but it contains reminder messages which will pester you regularly to buy the full registered version… The Overlay2.1 download is a Dmg file which should open on your desktop. Just drag the Overlay application file to your Applications folder to start using it. The "Using Overlay" pdf file contains user instructions.

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What Overlay2 does I run a photo studio in London, and I was looking for software that would enable me to make a semi-transparent floating window on my computer. I wanted to be able to open any image to use as a floating positioning guide over the actual image that I'm shooting. I use Adobe Lightroom for image capture, and I wanted to be able to float the art-director's layout over my photo in Lightroom, to check that my shot was a good fit. Sometimes I wanted to put another element of a composite over my image to check position and perspective, or I wanted to have an image visible over my Lightroom capture so I could match it. I couldn't find any software to do this, so I wrote it myself: Overlay2 for Mac and Windows is the result. It works with any other Mac or Windows software. Use it over video capture or editing software, or 3D modelling software for a reference, positioning guide, preview or test. Or use it to display an image permanently on your screen, or to compare two images.

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Your registration code for Overlay2 will be sent to you within 24 hours by email (usually much faster), with installation instructions. Please check your SPAM for the registration email

Download FREE DEMO of OVERLAY2.1for Mac OS X

Buy a registration code for Overlay2.1 for Windows 8 and 10

UK Customers: click here to buy Overlay2.1 for Windows 8 and 10 for £7.50

Buy a registration code for Overlay2.1 for Mac OS X. 10.9 - 10.15

This full registered version is available for $15 USD, just click below to purchase by credit card using Paypal's secure payments site.

This full registered version is available for £7.50 for UK customers; just click below to purchase by credit card using Paypal's secure payments site.

Open layout in OVERLAY2

OVERLAY2 controls

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UK Customers: click here to buy Overlay2.1 for Mac OS X for £7.50