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Gear

Gadget Bag: Publish or Perish

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

This Article Features Photo Zoom

AsukaBook

AsukaBook is highly regarded as a top-tier provider of classy, luxurious photo books for all occasions. After registering on the website, you can do the layout yourself or seamlessly enlist the services of Red Boot Design, a group of professionals who are part of Kubota Photo Design, famous for its Photoshop plug-ins. AsukaBook offers an extensive assortment of book formats, including stitch-bound and book-bound, with various cover- and page-finish options. Blank templates, layout tips and a printable guide are available on AsukaBook’s website.

Photo Book Press

Bangor Photo offers a special selection of Custom Cover Photo Books that allow you to use your favorite photo as a wraparound cover image. The scratch-resistant cover binds the pages perfectly using PUR Binding technology. It consists of an extremely strong, but highly flexible, binding adhesive and provides a clean, neat finish compared to stitching or staples. An 8½x11-inch book starts at $29 for 10 pages; additional pages cost $2 each.

Blurb Travel Book

Blurb isn’t a book publisher; it’s an experience. Conceived, created and operated by ardent photographers who understand the production side of being creative, Blurb offers template-driven book publishing and lots of helpful mentoring. You can assemble a 40-page softbound collection for less than $13 or a 440-page tome with hardcover and dust jacket for $64. Blurb also is about sharing. You have the option of placing your book in Blurb’s bookstore for friends, family and other visitors to preview and purchase.

In the early days, the slogan of Eastman Kodak was, “You take the picture, we do the rest.” Today that could be shortened to “Upload your images, and we’ll take care of everything.” Kodak offers a variety of picture book-publishing options. Its lineup of hardcover classic photo books allows you to showcase your pictures and captions using Kodak’s professional designs and layouts. Cover size is 10¼x9 inches, and the base price includes 10 single-sided or 20 double-sided pages for around $35.

Mpix

Mpix is a division of Miller’s Professional Imaging, the largest professional photography lab in the U.S., and offers many options and styles of picture books. You can select from softcover, hardcover or suede hardcover books along with a variety of paper types, and then customize your creation. Pricing is quite reasonable. An 8½x8½-inch production costs $20 (with no minimum) for 12 pages. Additional pages run 50¢ each in increments of four with up to a 40-page maximum. To get started, go to the website and download the software. Templates are available. It’s that simple.

Photo Book Press is a useful option if you want to make a photography book of images you shot on film. After you send the photos, they scan them and deliver an electronic workbook displaying image thumbnails and space for you to write captions. Then, Photo Book Press designers lay out the images. You can be as involved as you desire. Standard hardcovers feature sewn bindings with laminated photographic covers. Traditional leatherette or classic bookbinder’s cloth cover options also are available.

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