Photo Books

[kjeanne2001]

I'm think I'm so glad I found this sight. I have heard of photo books but never really looked into them until I found this sight and now I'm hooked. I'm a traditional scrapbooker and just started to scrapbook our cruise and now I've started a photobook. I would like to have your opinions as to what size you usually use. I'm really confused as to what size to order.

[lhall85917]

I just found this thread and love all the photo books that have been share. We have been doing this for several years alternating between Snapfish, Shutterfly and MyPublisher. I think MyPublisher has the highest quality and will probably be sticking with them for now unless we try somewhere new. Here is a link to our MyPublisher Baltics album - http://www.mypublisher.com/bookshelf/bookviewer.py?d=tq%3Ey-cppl%60je%3E3376431. Here are our Snapfish pages - http://www2.snapfish.com/launchslideshow/AlbumID=231849931/SUBSCRIBER_NAME=SNAPFISH/EntryIDX=1/t_=27518635.

 

One thing I would like to figure out is how to do one picture across 2 pages. I've seen where you need to overlap to allow for the fold in the middle of the book but I'm just not savvy enough to do that. Also, my camera doesn't have a panoramic option which I think might be helpful to be able to put the picture in properly without having to distort it. If anyone has advice on how to do this I'd appreciate it. I don't know how to use Photo Shop, all of pictures have been doing using PowerPoint.

[Tweedy]

One thing I would like to figure out is how to do one picture across 2 pages. I've seen where you need to overlap to allow for the fold in the middle of the book but I'm just not savvy enough to do that. Also, my camera doesn't have a panoramic option which I think might be helpful to be able to put the picture in properly without having to distort it. If anyone has advice on how to do this I'd appreciate it. I don't know how to use Photo Shop, all of pictures have been doing using PowerPoint.

 

I would think you'd be able to use the same picture on both pages but somehow manipulate it so half is on one page and the other half on another. It probaby depends on the size of the original photo.

[sparky-elpaso]

DJD - Houston,

 

I ordered a test book from Picaboo and was very impressed with the quality. I've looked at most of the other sites and for me Picaboo had the best selection of layouts. You can use any photo as a background as well as the ones on the Picaboo website. I've already got a basic book set up for our Alaska cruise in August.

[DJD-Houston]

DJD - Houston,

 

I ordered a test book from Picaboo and was very impressed with the quality. I've looked at most of the other sites and for me Picaboo had the best selection of layouts. You can use any photo as a background as well as the ones on the Picaboo website. I've already got a basic book set up for our Alaska cruise in August.

 

Thanks Sparky. I appreciate your report. I've ordered a sample book from Picaboo too and also from MyPicTales.com. They should both arrive by the end of the week. I do like the Picaboo layouts, background options, etc. MyPicTales has good options too and their software has the most flexibility for pics, text, and backgrounds of any that I've seen. I know I'm being really picky about finding the 'right' company. I'm just really critical of print quality and I like to have as much flexibility as possible over the layout . . . it's a 'control' thing! :rolleyes:

 

Anyway, as soon as these last two samples come in I'll make a decision and set up the framework to prepare ahead of time for my Alaska photo book! Thanks again for all of the opinions and suggestions. For anyone who is interested, I'll report back and let you all know what I decide! :D

 

Deborah

[Minn.cruisers]

Of course we want to know !!!

How do you order these 'test books' ? I spose I should check the sites and find out !!!

I want to do a book or several too, and I am also looking for the right layouts/background pages. Some I have seen are just not quite what I am looking for either yet.

[sparky-elpaso]

Maybe I should have used a different term than "test book". I just put a basic book together using photos from a photography class and ordered the small 6 x 8 inch one. Just to get an idea of the quality of the book.

[Minn.cruisers]

Oh....:o

[DJD-Houston]

Anyway, as soon as these last two samples come in I'll make a decision and set up the framework to prepare ahead of time for my Alaska photo book! Thanks again for all of the opinions and suggestions. For anyone who is interested, I'll report back and let you all know what I decide! :D

 

Deborah

 

Ok, the results are in . . . and it's a virtual tie between Picaboo and MyPublisher. I was hoping that MyPicTales would come out ahead because I really liked their software and all of the control they allow, but the cover quality and photo quality just didn't measure up to the other two. I haven't yet decided whether I'll end up using MyPublisher or Picaboo, but I'm sure I'll be happy with the print quality of either one.

 

By the way, to answer another question someone asked, the 'samples' I mentioned are just small books with a minimum number of pages that I ordered (and paid for) so that I could compare the quality of the various options.

 

I hope this info helps those of you who are interested! :D

 

Deborah

[andynapril]

I have made several of these photo books as well & Picaboo is my fav. Mostly because of all the options. I love being able to use my own pics for the backgrounds (or use the 1,000's of backgrounds on their website) & they have so many layout options. I usually make one for each major vacation we take & then I do one at the end of each year as sort of a yearbook, "year in review". My family loves them & I'm addicted!

[thegotogirl]

I just got my second photo book (from the same cruise) from Mypubisher.com. Here's what happened, and why they now have me as a customer for life. I worked for hours on my cruise book, completing a 100 pages (the max), 300+ photos, and a beautiful photo book jacket. When the book arrived, the quality was excellent, but one of the captions uploaded incorrectly, and it was off center. I sent an email, to which they responded immediately. They told me exactly what to do to correct the error, and within 72 hours, I had a brand new book. I am not generally all that picky, well, maybe I am, but mypublisher certainly stands behind their product 100%. Also, I did look into peekaboo, and have downloaded the software, however, their book is considerably more expensive, and with the 40% off that mypublisher.com offers, the entire book, with shipping was under $80. I am extremely pleased. I do however wish they would offer more products.

[thegotogirl]

I have made several of these photo books as well & Picaboo is my fav. Mostly because of all the options. I love being able to use my own pics for the backgrounds (or use the 1,000's of backgrounds on their website) & they have so many layout options. I usually make one for each major vacation we take & then I do one at the end of each year as sort of a yearbook, "year in review". My family loves them & I'm addicted!

 

Mypublisher.com also offers a background using your own photo. I used it several times for my Alaska album. I especially like the page where I used the control panel of the helicopter for the background. It was a great picture, but not one that I needed to see the entire photo of. It worked well as a background (with 3 photos overlaying)

[andynapril]

Interesting. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the tip. :)

[DJD-Houston]

Mypublisher.com also offers a background using your own photo.

 

I haven't seen this option in the software from MyPublisher.com . . . is there something I'm missing? :confused:

[thegotogirl]

I haven't seen this option in the software from MyPublisher.com . . . is there something I'm missing? :confused:

 

 

yes...here is what you have to look for:

For each page, you choose the page layout. Each blue space is a photo space that you have to drag your photo to. There are full page photos, and there are pages with one background and one, two, and three overlay photos. Let me know if you need additional help. I have used all of the combinations. They are wonderful options, and make for a wonderful visual presentation.

[DJD-Houston]

yes...here is what you have to look for:

For each page, you choose the page layout. Each blue space is a photo space that you have to drag your photo to. There are full page photos, and there are pages with one background and one, two, and three overlay photos. Let me know if you need additional help. I have used all of the combinations. They are wonderful options, and make for a wonderful visual presentation.

 

And this is in the MyPublisher software? I know that Picaboo has options such as the one you describe, but I've looked at both the Mac (Bookmaker 2.2 mac) and Windows (Bookmaker 2.3) versions of the MyPublisher Bookmaker software and I don't see this. What am I missing!? :confused:

 

I really appreciate your help. I just don't see what you're describing. :(

 

Deborah

[thegotogirl]

And this is in the MyPublisher software? I know that Picaboo has options such as the one you describe, but I've looked at both the Mac (Bookmaker 2.2 mac) and Windows (Bookmaker 2.3) versions of the MyPublisher Bookmaker software and I don't see this. What am I missing!? :confused:

 

I really appreciate your help. I just don't see what you're describing. :(

 

Deborah

 

 

I have Vista, and Bookmaker 2.3

I suggest you send them an email. They respond VERY quickly. I have sent several emails, and they always seem to answer within a few minutes (during the day). Here is the address: customerservice@mypublisher.com

Let me know how you make out.

[DJD-Houston]

I have Vista, and Bookmaker 2.3

I suggest you send them an email. They respond VERY quickly. I have sent several emails, and they always seem to answer within a few minutes (during the day). Here is the address: customerservice@mypublisher.com

Let me know how you make out.

 

That sounds great! Thank you very much for your help! :D I will post the answer after I hear from them.

 

Deborah

[AmazingJourneys]

Snapfish.com also is a great option for photo books. So much less LABOR!!

 

My wife and I love the Snapfish books and they are very user friendly.

[thegotogirl]

My wife and I love the Snapfish books and they are very user friendly.

 

 

Snapfish is user friendly as is mypublisher.com. The major difference in the books however is that mypublisher.com has the full bleed photo jacket (cover). When you use that option, your book looks like one that you have purchased in Barnes and Nobles. I think it is a much more professional presentation. I used to use Kodak Gallery (which is similar to Snapfish), but now that I have used mypublisher.com, I prefer their product. You should check them out.

Pro/Con: Snapfish/Kodak Gallery, you can use other uploaded albums from your friends and family. Mypublisher, you can only use photos that are in your computer. My publisher you don't need internet connection to create the book. It is not uploaded until the book is complete, Snapfish/Kodak Gallery is created in cyberspace, so you need connection (I worked on my last mypublisher book while sitting in a doctor's waiting room). My publisher has a full bleed photo jacket (a huge plus), Snapfish/Kodak Gallery do not. My publisher has a full photo background, Snapfish/Kodak Gallery do not.

 

Big plus...no matter who you decide to use to make your book, you have a wonderful memory of your vacation. I am a former art teacher, so I am (obviously) a person who cherishes that visual. I can truthfully say that I enjoy viewing each and every photo album that I have made.

[DJD-Houston]

I have Vista, and Bookmaker 2.3

I suggest you send them an email. They respond VERY quickly. I have sent several emails, and they always seem to answer within a few minutes (during the day). Here is the address: customerservice@mypublisher.com

Let me know how you make out.

 

 

I looked a little more into the layout options in MyPublisher last night. It seems that if you choose the bookstyles Travel, Baby Boy or Baby Girl some of the layout options include pages where you can use your own photo as a page background just as you mentioned. Other bookstyles (Modern, Storyteller, Bestseller, etc) do not offer this feature. :(

 

Baby Boy and Baby Girl certainly won't work for pics of my Alaskan cruise ;), and I don't like the limited choices of backgrounds/layouts in the Travel bookstyle well enough to use them on every page. I'll email customer service and verify that this information is correct and that I'm not overlooking something, but if this is the case I guess I'll just stick with either the Bestseller or Modern bookstyle and work within the page layouts these offer.

 

Thanks again for your help! :)

 

Deborah

[DJD-Houston]

I looked a little more into the layout options in MyPublisher last night. It seems that if you choose the bookstyles Travel, Baby Boy or Baby Girl some of the layout options include pages where you can use your own photo as a page background just as you mentioned. Other bookstyles (Modern, Storyteller, Bestseller, etc) do not offer this feature. :(

 

Baby Boy and Baby Girl certainly won't work for pics of my Alaskan cruise ;), and I don't like the limited choices of backgrounds/layouts in the Travel bookstyle well enough to use them on every page. I'll email customer service and verify that this information is correct and that I'm not overlooking something, but if this is the case I guess I'll just stick with either the Bestseller or Modern bookstyle and work within the page layouts these offer.

 

Thanks again for your help! :)

 

Deborah

 

FYI, I just received the following reply from MyPublisher:

 

"The layouts you are referring to are only available in the Travel layout. Unfortunately, themes cannot be combined. I just did a whole Mexico book using the travel layout and it came out great using just Travel."

Since I don't want to use the Travel layout for this book, I guess this option won't be available to me this time? :(

Oh well, this is still the highest quality product I have seen. So I will work within one of their other options . . . probably either Bestseller or Modern this time.

Thanks again for all of your help!:)

Deborah

[thegotogirl]

FYI, I just received the following reply from MyPublisher:

 

"The layouts you are referring to are only available in the Travel layout. Unfortunately, themes cannot be combined. I just did a whole Mexico book using the travel layout and it came out great using just Travel."

 

Since I don't want to use the Travel layout for this book, I guess this option won't be available to me this time? :(

 

Oh well, this is still the highest quality product I have seen. So I will work within one of their other options . . . probably either Bestseller or Modern this time.

 

Thanks again for all of your help!:)

 

Deborah

 

I have also asked if they could expand their product line....it would certainly be easier to order all of my prints and book from one site. But I do agree, I think their product is top notch. It is a great way to relive a wonderful vacation. Have a good weekend.

[DJD-Houston]

Have a good weekend.

 

Thanks!! You too!:D

 

Deborah

[Cruiser Forever]

Do I have to download the programon My Publisher in order to make a book? Or can I just upload the photos from my computer and arrange my book? I really don't want to download any programs that is why I have used Shutterfly in the past.