Gadget Bag: Publish or Perish

New options are making it easier and more fun for you to create your own photo book

By Jon Sienkiewicz

Labels: Gear, More Gear, Gadget Bag

This Article Features Photo Zoom

Kodak

Few things in life are more gratifying than seeing a photo that you’ve taken published in a book. Books have a sense of permanency that suggests that your pictures will last forever. Thanks to today’s modern online picture-book publishers, you can begin this process without leaving your desk. It’s easy and affordable, and the production quality is astounding.

Beyond the sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, there are practical reasons to publish your own book. It offers a great way to promote your business—or yourself—in a unique format that others can’t exactly duplicate. Picture books make incomparable gifts, too, particularly when personalized for family members.

Plus, you can create collections of cherished images that become family heirlooms. Gather the best images from every family member and “art direct” the production of the family photo archive.

AdoramaPix

With many sizes and style options to choose from, you can create a hardcover photo book for any occasion with AdoramaPix. The PixPublisher software works from any web browser, allowing you to simply drag and drop your photos into one of hundreds of templates. For a more customized look, build your book from scratch with a variety of color backgrounds, borders and frames to choose from. The pages are Fuji Crystal Archive Album photo paper, a professional-quality archival paper resistant to fading. An 8x10-inch book with 26 pages costs $34.

Apple iPhoto

Apple offers more than just great ways to listen to music or edit photos. You can create picture books directly from within the company’s iPhoto application. Hardcover, softcover and wire-bound options are available, and you can choose from 13 predesigned book themes that feature photo drop zones and multiple formats. An 8½x11-inch hardcover book with matching dust jacket will cost you $30 for 10 pages (20 sides). Additional pages are $1 each, with a 100-page maximum.

Artography Photobook Designer is simple enough for first-time users, but robust enough to handle your creative needs as your skill improves. Once you’ve downloaded the software, you immediately can start designing your picture book. The program offers a full set of layout and editing options, including flexible text entry, along with a mix of sizes, shapes and formats. A Pocket Landscape photo book is $20 for 20 pages, and you can upgrade to a genuine leather cover for only $4 more. Completed projects usually ship within about three days.

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6 Comments

Chris F makes this comment

Saturday, 28 March 2009

While it's nice to see an article that compiles a larger-than-typical collection of photo book publishers, what your readers (at least this one) would like is some real feedback on quality differences, ease of use of software, user satisfaction, price-value, etc. I am weary of reading infomercials in Outdoor Photographer. Can your experts also give us some real advice? I understand your ad revenues come from a very small number of companies (camera manufacturers, lense makers, software firms, and printers), but if no one is making them nervous in public, how will we ever see improvements in their products? OP - please help!
Gary Mester makes this comment

Saturday, 04 April 2009

It appears every book publisher is the same, which in not the case. The article should have focused on strengths and weaknesses. There is little value here.
Ck makes this comment

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

To the contrary Gary, but perhaps it is because I am an amateur photographer. I really like this article and will check out certain companies mentioned. Thank you Jon for also listing the prices! Great article!
Dave Jenson makes this comment

Monday, 25 May 2009

Thanks for the alternatives. Just a bit of buyer beware - Apple iPhoto produces books that have no color profiles and all bets are off on the print quality and color matching. This is a service for the lowest common computer user and not for picky photographers. After their lab told me they had no clue what a color profile was, I profiled my photos in sRGB color space and crossed my fingers; results were close on some, way off on others. I'd really like to know which of these vendors do provide a color profile for you to work with so you can be certain the book matches what you saw on the monitor. Thanks for listing a wealth of printers. I look forward to trying some of these companies.
retouching makes this comment

Wednesday, 02 September 2009

Great article. Thanks.
Abercrombie Fitch makes this comment

Sunday, 17 January 2010

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Gadget Bag: Publish or Perish

New options are making it easier and more fun for you to create your own photo book

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