Carmen
18th January 2009, 09:58 PM
My partner and I have started a gallery for shots taken by me at his clients disco's (he's a mobile DJ). We're charging a nominal fee for download of individual shots (we haven't sold any yet - it's very new), but would like to offer a photobook of all the images taken at the event, which would be nice for occasions like birthdays, wedding receptions, anniversaries etc.
I've looked quickly into this and have decided that I'd like to use a company that gives downloadable software to make the books. So far the best and easiest to use that I've found is Pixum, with their easybook software.
Basically you open the folder where the images are, click the type of book, size, cover etc and select the number of pages you'd prefer - the lowest is usually 26 pages but extra can be added for a fee. The software then automatically works out how many pictures should appear on each page to achieve the number of pages you specified. It automatically fills the pages with the images. It does a pretty good job but you can tweak it. I did a test run with some photos from a birthday event that we did and the result looked like it'd be really nice when printed. However I have not yet had a hardcover book printed by them. I printed abooklet of some of my images and it was quite good quality, though it took a long while to come, given it was Christmas I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
The only downside is that the books come with the big PIXUM EASYBOOK logo on the back page (or inside back cover). Not a big deal as we would probably specify where they came from but it is a little bit in your face!!
Anyone have experience with this company, or suggestions for other brands?
I also looked at myphotobook.co.uk but didn't find their software as good as pixums. I used to use photobox and have done a couple of photobooks from them for my own use which were nice, but they don't offer downloadable software so you have to do everything online.
I've looked quickly into this and have decided that I'd like to use a company that gives downloadable software to make the books. So far the best and easiest to use that I've found is Pixum, with their easybook software.
Basically you open the folder where the images are, click the type of book, size, cover etc and select the number of pages you'd prefer - the lowest is usually 26 pages but extra can be added for a fee. The software then automatically works out how many pictures should appear on each page to achieve the number of pages you specified. It automatically fills the pages with the images. It does a pretty good job but you can tweak it. I did a test run with some photos from a birthday event that we did and the result looked like it'd be really nice when printed. However I have not yet had a hardcover book printed by them. I printed abooklet of some of my images and it was quite good quality, though it took a long while to come, given it was Christmas I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
The only downside is that the books come with the big PIXUM EASYBOOK logo on the back page (or inside back cover). Not a big deal as we would probably specify where they came from but it is a little bit in your face!!
Anyone have experience with this company, or suggestions for other brands?
I also looked at myphotobook.co.uk but didn't find their software as good as pixums. I used to use photobox and have done a couple of photobooks from them for my own use which were nice, but they don't offer downloadable software so you have to do everything online.