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I have recently set up a group on Facebook called All Things Cuillin which does exactly what it says on the tin and is attracting a lot of attention from photographers and artists, walkers and climbers and more. It has already about 1300 members and is fast developing as the go to resource for inspirational photos, information and stories of what people have done in Skye's Cuillin hills and environs.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/165143940728168/
Some TP members have already joined and it would be great to see more whether you just want to look at the photos or share your own or find information for an upcoming trip.
Book Review and Discount For ATC Members
Saal Digital, a German company offered me a voucher towards one of their photo books on the proviso that I would write an open honest review of their product on ATC. To be frank, I hadn’t heard of the company and the main attraction was the free voucher but I am sure the company will soon become a well known player in the book printing market in the UK.
I just threw some favourite images into a collection in Lightroom then downloaded their software. The software was very easy to use and there are various choices to be made such as book dimensions, cover, number of pages, gloss or matt and so on. There are various templates to choose from or you can just do as I did and choose a blank book and upload your photos and resize to fit the pages. Text boxes allow text to be easily added but I was content with just a simple portfolio of photos with no captions (plus I was rushed for time). I was pleasantly surprised how easy and intuitive the software was and the actual design of the book only took a short time as I juggled photos about and resized them to look their best. The time consuming part was selecting photos and preparing them for print which I did in Lightroom and Photoshop. Once I had a file of photos the book production was quick and painless.
I opted for a photobook 28x19cm, 28 pages and glossy finish which was just within the scope of the free voucher. After uploading the book to Saal late on a Friday night, I was amazed to wake on Saturday and find an email saying that my book order had been received and sent for printing. Constant email updates were sent and also links for tracking it and the parcel arrived as promised on Wednesday. To say I was amazed by the speed and quality of the service would be an understatement.
The book was delivered in a cardboard envelope and well packed inside with bubblewrap and a sealed plastic bag. The packaging was very good but I was also glad to see it wasn’t over the top so not too much waste and I could reuse virtually all the packaging.
Now to the important part, the book itself. I have used various companies for books, primarily Blurb because it is the default Lightroom option but the Saal volume is way ahead in quality. The pages are very thick and stiff and I love the fold flat design which not only does just that but enables panoramas to be printed perfectly spread over two pages without any horrible gap, line or misalignment. All the pictures were good but I feel the product really lends itself to panoramas.
Colour reproduction and overall photo quality were superb, the prints very crisp and lots of lovely details visible in the larger photos. I was amazed at the quantum leap in quality over products from previous manufacturers I have used. As I have already mentioned, the double spread images are superb and next time I’d be tempted to go for a whole book of panoramic views especially as they fit so well with landscape photography.
The binding, cover and the printing are all of premium quality and far above what I was anticipating based on previous books printed elsewhere. Every photo was spot on and looked even better in print than on a monitor. Generally, I lightened each photo a little for printing but took care that no highlights were blown out. I have since read more on the Saal website and you can download various profiles for their printers to use in Lightroom and Photoshop so something wise to consider in the future although I have no problem whatsoever with the colour reproduction.
The finished product uses photo paper so the pages are thick being two sheets of Fujicolour Crystal Album Paper glued back to back and the quality is more like a personal photo album than a commercially produced book. It looks and feel good and should stand the test of time which is good because everyone who sees it wants to pick it up and thumb through it. The book is a product that you can proudly show or give to clients, friends or family. The word artisan is probably overused but this feels like a personally produced, high end, artisan work. Normally for a review, I’d produce a list of pros and cons but here I’m really struggling to find any cons. One minor niggle is that you have to pay to not have the Saal barcode on the back cover and inside the back page; but even these are small and unobtrusive. Had I known how good the product was, I would happily have paid the extra for a larger book and now I am cursing that I didn’t pay the extra and opt for the 42 x 28cm landscape version.
Saal have very generously issued the following code;
This allows ATC members a discount of £20 on any photobook order over £39.95 until 30.11.17 so it’s ideal for ordering books as presents for Christmas.
http://www.saal-digital.co.uk
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