Could anyone recommend a photo book company?
Discussion
For my mother's upcoming 70th, I'm going round friends and family and gathering up memories, best wishes for the future, photos and recipes with the aim of creating what will outwardly look like a bog standard domestic cookbook, but all the content inside will be from friends and family.
There seem to be no end of companies on the web which allow you to enter text and photos into templates and then send you a printed and bound book as an end product, and I've no idea which to pick, so was hoping people on here might have some experience in this?
I wasn't even sure which forum to post the request in, but figured the photography and video inhabitants are more likely than most to have done something similar!
There seem to be no end of companies on the web which allow you to enter text and photos into templates and then send you a printed and bound book as an end product, and I've no idea which to pick, so was hoping people on here might have some experience in this?
I wasn't even sure which forum to post the request in, but figured the photography and video inhabitants are more likely than most to have done something similar!
I asked the same about a year ago and went with Blurb after some recommendations from here.
Was very happy with the results, got 2 large sized books with proper dust covers. All looked very professional.
GetCarter pointed out that doing a small book as a tester would be a good idea first and tbh I'm glad I took the advice. The paper stock I'd selected wasn't what I was really after (iirc went 'premium glossy' in the end) so that also allowed me to check that the printed colours looked correct too.
Not the cheapest option but really good results
Was very happy with the results, got 2 large sized books with proper dust covers. All looked very professional.
GetCarter pointed out that doing a small book as a tester would be a good idea first and tbh I'm glad I took the advice. The paper stock I'd selected wasn't what I was really after (iirc went 'premium glossy' in the end) so that also allowed me to check that the printed colours looked correct too.
Not the cheapest option but really good results
flat-planedCrank said:
GetCarter pointed out that doing a small book as a tester would be a good idea first and tbh I'm glad I took the advice. The paper stock I'd selected wasn't what I was really after (iirc went 'premium glossy' in the end) so that also allowed me to check that the printed colours looked correct too.
Hmm... That's a good point, especially as ideally I want to have pages in the back for her to add her own recipes in, but I'm not sure I've got the time. 
Do you know if there was an option to call them to discuss requirements?
Kermit power said:
flat-planedCrank said:
GetCarter pointed out that doing a small book as a tester would be a good idea first and tbh I'm glad I took the advice. The paper stock I'd selected wasn't what I was really after (iirc went 'premium glossy' in the end) so that also allowed me to check that the printed colours looked correct too.
Hmm... That's a good point, especially as ideally I want to have pages in the back for her to add her own recipes in, but I'm not sure I've got the time. Do you know if there was an option to call them to discuss requirements?
You use their BookSmart to create the book and arrange everything, so adding in pages would be easy. Though, in saying that, you may be charged for those pages you add normally? Hmm, not sure if there is an option to say 'and add 30 blank pages at the end'. May indeed be worth an email
It wasn't expensive to make the test book but as you're learning their (simple) software it can take a bit of time to get things together.
One tip if you do choose Blub: When the layout asks for a specific resolution image then use that exact resolution. I think one of the issues with me tester book (some aliasing) was possibly due to letting the software / printing procedure do the scaling.
Was all super high-quality in the end though
Oh, one more thing - there's almost always discount codes for Blurb floating around too
E.g. till 7th Feb 2014 - http://www.blurb.com/valentines-day
E.g. till 7th Feb 2014 - http://www.blurb.com/valentines-day
Mutley said:
Having used Blurb on a few occasions now, I can recommend them. Not sure who said about blank pages, but if you want extra you can, it's up to you how you lay out the book
They won't actually be blank, as I'll put a template on them for new recipes, but good to know anyway.Kermit power said:
Mutley said:
Having used Blurb on a few occasions now, I can recommend them. Not sure who said about blank pages, but if you want extra you can, it's up to you how you lay out the book
They won't actually be blank, as I'll put a template on them for new recipes, but good to know anyway.There are options with Blurb to use software like InDesign if you prefer too
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