a question about booksmart/blurb photobooks

Johnny1982

Johnny1982

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Johnny
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I am in the process of building myself a portfolio using these guys

I have a few questions I urgently need the answer to

1. What is the output quality like from this place? My prints look good coming from Photobox.co.uk...
2. If I choose to down scale one of the images to fit the whole image in but there is grey area shown where the image box is but not fully filled.. How will this be printed?
black? White? gray? (the color of the book is black btw)
3. What are your general views on this place?


Thanks

Johnny
 
I saw a book actually produced via Blurb this week for the first time and the quality was just what you'd expect if you were buying from a bookstore. I'm now thinking of having a go myself to at least do something with a few of the thousands of photo's I've taken in the last few years. The in focus one's anyway.
 
I've had a couple of books done via Photobox and a couple via Blurb. The photobox ones have better thicker paper - although I understand Blurb now has a thcker paper available. However in terms of printing Blurb was very much more accurate with their bleeding - especially important if you're printing full page (edge to edge), photobox was a bit hit and miss with the positioning. Blurb were a little darker than I was expecting, but I've corrected my monitor now so the one I am doing at the moment should be better.

Overall I will be sticking with blurb (even though you have to wait 2 weeks or so to get them printed), the layout, the finish, the software are better than photobox.

As for a portfolio, I think the blurb ones would be good.
 
Why is Talk Photography advertised on their site also? Is there a discount for forum members?

Thanks for the advice guys. I will be going with blurb as I am nearly complete on my book.
The thing that swung it for me was

local ran software (custom pages. would still like to see more custom settings though)
drag n drop interface from outside of the program
price seems to be better

I wished they offered a full A3 spread option though.. Their largest book isn't really what I would call large.
 
From my experience with photobooks you could do yourself a favour by staying well away from cewe or pixum they both use the same printing company in Warwick and of the several books i have had from both these companies most of them have ended up being returned

I am yet to try blurb as my confidence in photobooks from any company has gone i just dont think they are up to scaratch yet.

Graphistudio:thumbs:
cheap photobooks:thumbsdown:
 
I just found this very good piece of software for making books. allows you to save them as PDF's or upoad them to their own printing facility.
Its free apart from the print option which requires a $29 activation. (just noticed if you want to export as jpeg/pdf you need a $350 licence! joke!)

Dunno how its gonna handle a heafty file book but Its worth a try. Completely customisable

http://www.digi-labs.net/
 
Johnny - In reply to question number 2 - press the "Preview" button down the bottom right hand corner, it should show you exactly what it will look like when printed.
 
-RV- said:
Johnny - In reply to question number 2 - press the "Preview" button down the bottom right hand corner, it should show you exactly what it will look like when printed.
Click to expand...

I actually noticed that today. Thanks very much :)
 
Just had two done for my very ill Dad, the quality is excellent from Blurb.

I have used others, but these are very good.
 
rhubarb said:
Overall I will be sticking with blurb (even though you have to wait 2 weeks or so to get them printed), the layout, the finish, the software are better than photobox.
Click to expand...
Does it always take this long to get them back from Blurb, or did you just happen to order during peak demand? This seems like a great idea for Mother's Day, but looks like it's too late now. :(
 
I had a couple of Blurb books done and was really pleased with the quality. My pics looked amazing and just like a "real" book.

The only problem I found was putting text in there and writing it so it wasn't too cheesy and naff.
 
Tobers said:
The only problem I found was putting text in there and writing it so it wasn't too cheesy and naff.
Click to expand...
No offence but thats a problem at your end yeah?
I too am not all so wonderful with the words.
 
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