Blurb - Make your own Photo Book experiences

[wideangle]

Hello Everyone

I came across a some posts in the forums regarding people asking for options in regards to making a photographic book.

I have made a book through Blurb who are a US based online company and upon getting my first printed book all I can say is that the quality is very very good and of high quality.

The software that you simply download is easy to use and there are plenty of layout options. The important thing for me was being able to layout text as well as photos and the program allows you to do this at your own pace.

There are many differnet book sizes and price options and since I ordered my first book they now offer very cheap postage prices. As when I ordered I could only ship by UPS which even though is very reliable and quick (3 days from the US) it cost more than the book cost to send! Think it was around $US60 for postage when I got mine, but now I think its around $US8 for the same book via standard shipping.

The quality is better than anything that I have seen in Australia and being able to do all the layout on your own computer is great. You can order in various sizes as well as hard back with dust jacket as well as softcover as well.

You can also sell your own books from their site and viewers get to look at a 15 page preview of the books as well which is great. You can view my book that I made and have got printed "Tasmania: architecture and Landsacpe photography" by clicking here:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/82658

If anyone has any other questions about it just drop me a line will be more than happy to try and answer questions.
Cheers

[I @ M]

You have done a pretty neat job of setting that up Thomas and having seen the quality of your work here on AP, if the printing and presentation are as good as you say then it appears good value as well.

[hoffy]

OK, here's one on the flipside.

My websites community had a book done on blurb a well.

While the print quality has been very good, we all have struck issues with the binding. Out of 15 books that were ordered & printed, at least 10 have had some form of issues where the binding has come away from the cover & the worse scenarios we have had is that pages have fallen out. This has been within days of the books arriving. With most, this has occured on the first opening of the book.

Now, I am at this stage cutting Blurb some slack here. Admittedly, our book was quite thick (195 pages) & sometimes things do happen. The big test will be to see how they address the issue. I will ensure that I give a report, positive or otherwise, once we have found out.

[arthurking83]

Cool! I've been thinking of doing the same witha few favourite images of mine too(soon)

Is hard cover better? Hoffy are your issues related to one particular tyoe of cover(hard or soft)
Damn Nikon D300 manual!!! Came apart at the seams on my first opening of it too.. soft cover and folded some way back to keep it from constantly closing!

Wideangle!! Is your book hard cover? if so, is there a slip on cover with images.

What was the total cost (with the now cheaper shipping it's looking like better value) how many pages images.

[hoffy]

Ours was the hard cover version

[wideangle]

OK, here's one on the flipside.

My websites community had a book done on blurb a well.

While the print quality has been very good, we all have struck issues with the binding. Out of 15 books that were ordered & printed, at least 10 have had some form of issues where the binding has come away from the cover & the worse scenarios we have had is that pages have fallen out. This has been within days of the books arriving. With most, this has occured on the first opening of the book.

Now, I am at this stage cutting Blurb some slack here. Admittedly, our book was quite thick (195 pages) & sometimes things do happen. The big test will be to see how they address the issue. I will ensure that I give a report, positive or otherwise, once we have found out.

Yes, well Blurb has their own community forums and I have seen a few posts with similar issues about binding when books are quite big such as your batch. Their customer service when I have dealt with them in relation to question I have had has been very good so I would raise your issue with them in an email and see what they have to say.

[wideangle]

Cool! I've been thinking of doing the same witha few favourite images of mine too(soon)

Is hard cover better? Hoffy are your issues related to one particular tyoe of cover(hard or soft)
Damn Nikon D300 manual!!! Came apart at the seams on my first opening of it too.. soft cover and folded some way back to keep it from constantly closing!

Wideangle!! Is your book hard cover? if so, is there a slip on cover with images.

What was the total cost (with the now cheaper shipping it's looking like better value) how many pages images.

Hi Hoffy

My book was a hard copy. Hard copy books come with a dust jacket sleeve that you also add photos to which is good. As to what is better (soft/hard) personal choice really. Its very good value in terms of pricing, check out their website for the latest prices; you will see that per page its great value and the more you add its even better value.

[wideangle]

You have done a pretty neat job of setting that up Thomas and having seen the quality of your work here on AP, if the printing and presentation are as good as you say then it appears good value as well.

Cheers I@M, yes very happy with my book and good value, espeically more so now with the cheaper postage cost options available.

[hoffy]

Yep, no probs with what you have said wideangle. The guy who organised it is seeking advice from them. Like I said, I dont mind when things go wrong, its how they deal with them later is what determines on whether I will deal with them or not.

How many pages was yours wideangle?

[Helen S]

64 pages Hoffy, it's in the link.

[wideangle]

Yep, no probs with what you have said wideangle. The guy who organised it is seeking advice from them. Like I said, I dont mind when things go wrong, its how they deal with them later is what determines on whether I will deal with them or not.

How many pages was yours wideangle?

Yes, please do let us know how you went in terms of Blurb's response to your binding issue. I would be interested to know what they say. My book was 64 pages, hardback