Now On Sale - "a single in january" (UPDATED...2 versions of book)

There are definitely shortcomings in Blurb's printing, but I'm quite sure that the ability to create enough shades of a color is not one of them. Maybe someone who is more experienced in the minutia of printing can weigh in here with some specific knowledge.
 
It looks great!!!!!

Mr. FedEx arrived, I waved, grabbed the package, wrestled it open and just want to say thank you!!!!!!!!!!! I think the book looks great - got the paperback version - hadn't realized how small it was going to be but I like it just as it is. I've looked at all the pictures, albeit very quickly, and am looking forward to taking my time to go through everyone's photographs carefully.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to you, Luke, and to Will and to Otto and to Mark and to each and every person who got involved in this SIJ and became part of this great collection. Three cheers!! :yahoo::drinks:

P.S. Ray, if you're reading this - now I finally "get" the whole book thing and will finally get my act together.;)
 
Your excitement made it all worthwhile. It's crazy how small it is, isn't it? Price dictated the size to keep it affordable. It's a nice little momento, for sure. Seeing my shots alongside such great ones makes me feel like more of a photographer.

Three cheers for the group!:bravo-009:
 
I was showing my fiance the book yesterday and asked her to guess which photos were from me. It was a fun endeavor. She couldn't figure it out even though she's seen the subjects in the photos before, and she was with me when one of the two photos was taken.
 
Aha, silly me Luke - hadn't even thought about the size and price. I think everyone's photographs look very good and that the way you all arranged them worked out beautifully. I also like the cover very much - back and front.:th_salute:

That's interesting, Armando. I did get the version with the names of the photographers, which does give instant gratification. However, if we were to do it again, I'd go for the version without.
 
Just got mine, looks great. I picked the hard copy version with the credits in the back. I like the clean look of each page that way.

Thanks Luke, Mark and everybody who participated. Nice to have this book to remember this project.

-Thomas
 
Mine came today, thank god the postie had the presence of mind to bring it to the door, its been pelting rain for 24 hours. I chose the original with credits in the back: I agree, cleaner that way. Next time (if there is a time I buy from blurb again) I'll be choosing hard cover (or image wrap) and a heavier grade of paper if its an option. I think many of the shots may have been disadvantaged by the standard paper. I wasn't too unhappy with mine, though they were both a tad darker than I imagined they might come out.. but only fractionally.

Overall, its a great thing to have, and once again, thank you so much to Luke (and Will and Otto) for your work in getting it all happening.
 
I received mine yesterday. I also picked the hard copy with the credits in the back. I think it looks fantastic, and the set of photographs included is quite simply amazing. Thank you very much Luke, Will, Otto and especially all the photographers who have shared your fantastic work with us.

Cheers,

Antonio
 
With you all now. Have mine and very happy - image wrap with credits in the rear.

You're right Luke it's smaller than I thought but not a complaint as it still looks top shelf.

Nice work all (y)

P.S., If I recall on ordering postage was a little on the high side, but I thought it justified as I'm in Australia and Blurb is a US co. But when it arrived, it did so from an Aussie printer. I didn't realise Blurb outsourced - hmmm...a little bit sneaky...
 
P.S., If I recall on ordering postage was a little on the high side, but I thought it justified as I'm in Australia and Blurb is a US co. But when it arrived, it did so from an Aussie printer. I didn't realise Blurb outsourced - hmmm...a little bit sneaky...
WHAT? I thought the post was a bit high too. My base paperback at $22.95 US ended up costing $38.99 shipped ($40.59AUD). Its shouldn't be costing that from inside AU.

[edit] Just checked, it came from Glen Innes, not that far from where I live. Pretty rude I reckon, not just sneaky. Retracting anything I said about future Blurb purchases. There won't be any.
 
Mark and Sue, you ought to complain to Blurb about that (it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease). They really should be charging local shipping prices. I'm quite shocked to learn otherwise.
 
Mark and Sue, you ought to complain to Blurb about that (it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease). They really should be charging local shipping prices. I'm quite shocked to learn otherwise.

I have. It took quite some time to find an email form to send, and even then, they really don't want to hear from you, they prefer that you still consult the FAQ. The shipping cost for this was only $5 less than it cost me to send an iPad with some extras, to Melbourne, via Express. I was intending to start shooting for a particular topic and then submitting to Blurb as so many have done, but now I am very hesitant, because *if* anybody bought the book, they would most likely be locals and that would just be unfair to potential buyers.

As a matter of curiosity, what did everyone else (who bought the softcover version) pay for shipping. For me, it was $12.95US. Also added was 10% GST (australian tax) calculated in US dollars at $3.54. I have NEVER had GST added when purchasing from overseas. I've bought 6 lenses via B&H and not one included tax. I've bought books from overseas and never had GST added. I don't get why Blurb is different but I haven't broached that issue with them. I'll do that after they try to blow me off, which is what I expect.

[edit] OHMYYY! We should not be having to pay GST anyway.
What does the ATO have to say about all of this?

“Are all importations taxable?
Some goods imported into Australia are not subject to GST.
items 32A and 32B – ‘low-value goods’ or goods on which customs duty and taxes is $50 or less and which have a customs value of less than $1,000.”
http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/content.aspx?doc=/content/13193.htm

And that means that Blurb is just pocketing the profit, IMO.

I don't think there's anything they could say which would make me change my mind about never buying from them again.

[edit #2] heres a link to a post in the blurb forums (didnt even know they existed until I did a search for an alternative to Blurb in Australia). Its about how they opened a print facility in Glen Innes, and how the product we get here, is far inferior to the US product.
http://forums.blurb.com/forums/5/topics/13022
Over it.
 
Hi Sue,
I won't try to apologize for the big behemoth book publishing company. I'm one of the little guys myself. The shipping charges in the US are $8, $12 or $18 depending on how much of a rush you are in..... so the Aussie charges don't seem too out of line.

The taxation thing might be another matter altogether....and there I can't help you. My guess is that they will have a well-prepared argument all set out for you. Between a rock and a hard place is where they have us.

I'm a pretty value driven dude and I look for good quality but without breaking the bank....but in this book business, ease of design for a rank amateur like me was one of the big deciders for me. If I have to do another for myself, I'll go with them again, but they should look at their fee schedule because if they clip everyone hard who buys the book, (self)publishers may look elsewhere.

The fees may seem like a lot, but shipping costs have really shot up in the lat year or so. Mailing a 45rpm record.....the little ones....same size as the book, but MUCH lighter from the US to Australia is $7..... a couple years ago it was under $4.

Again, I'm not defending them....,just trying to explain. Still seems a bit rich to me.
 
Hi Sue,
I won't try to apologize for the big behemoth book publishing company. I'm one of the little guys myself. The shipping charges in the US are $8, $12 or $18 depending on how much of a rush you are in..... so the Aussie charges don't seem too out of line.

You don't need to apologise, its not your fault! But they arent Aussie charges, see. Its just the US charge applied to Australia. If I sent this back to Glen Innes, it would not cost $12.95 (or rather, $13.025 on todays rate)

The taxation thing might be another matter altogether....and there I can't help you. My guess is that they will have a well-prepared argument all set out for you. Between a rock and a hard place is where they have us.

They already have the money. I doubt that there will be any explanation I could accept.

I'm a pretty value driven dude and I look for good quality but without breaking the bank....but in this book business, ease of design for a rank amateur like me was one of the big deciders for me. ...
Again, I'm not defending them....,just trying to explain. Still seems a bit rich to me.

It was a good decision, Luke, nobody is blaming you for whats happened, or what has come to light. I would still buy ebooks from them, in the future, but I just wont publish with them and I won't buy any more hard copies.

Just as an FYI on the matter of poor QC here in Australia, there is a small amount of banding on Duane's Eiffell Tower shot, in my copy. Its not nearly as bad as some of those posted in the thread I linked, and doesn't affect my enjoyment of the book, though I will probably have to store it between two hard copy books, laid flat, because the cover is already curling up and not remaining closed, after only two days.
 
I recieved mine today and I'm very happy!!

Since it's quite rare for me to participate in these type of challenges I have ordered the image wrapped hard cover.

Fantastic effort Luke, THANK YOU for all the hard work mate.
 
I have. It took quite some time to find an email form to send, and even then, they really don't want to hear from you, they prefer that you still consult the FAQ. The shipping cost for this was only $5 less than it cost me to send an iPad with some extras, to Melbourne, via Express. I was intending to start shooting for a particular topic and then submitting to Blurb as so many have done, but now I am very hesitant, because *if* anybody bought the book, they would most likely be locals and that would just be unfair to potential buyers.

As a matter of curiosity, what did everyone else (who bought the softcover version) pay for shipping. For me, it was $12.95US. Also added was 10% GST (australian tax) calculated in US dollars at $3.54. I have NEVER had GST added when purchasing from overseas. I've bought 6 lenses via B&H and not one included tax. I've bought books from overseas and never had GST added. I don't get why Blurb is different but I haven't broached that issue with them. I'll do that after they try to blow me off, which is what I expect.

[edit] OHMYYY! We should not be having to pay GST anyway.


And that means that Blurb is just pocketing the profit, IMO.

I don't think there's anything they could say which would make me change my mind about never buying from them again.

[edit #2] heres a link to a post in the blurb forums (didnt even know they existed until I did a search for an alternative to Blurb in Australia). Its about how they opened a print facility in Glen Innes, and how the product we get here, is far inferior to the US product.
Australians now get an inferior product | Book Printing Forum | Blurb Forums
Over it.

Sue, if the book is published in Australia then it isn't an import, which is why they would be charging GST.
 
Mark and Sue, you ought to complain to Blurb about that (it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease). They really should be charging local shipping prices. I'm quite shocked to learn otherwise.

Mate you got nothing to apologise for.

The postage and GST (tax) cost me a grand total of $1.25 on top of the cost of the image wrap. Hey I'm still 100% happy.

When I say it was a bit sneaky, I meant it was just not so transparent.

But hey the quality is there and the ultimate price reasonable.

Let's not distract from the positives here....
 
Mate you got nothing to apologise for.

The postage and GST (tax) cost me a grand total of $1.25 on top of the cost of the image wrap. Hey I'm still 100% happy.

When I say it was a bit sneaky, I meant it was just not so transparent.

But hey the quality is there and the ultimate price reasonable.

Let's not distract from the positives here....

Only $1.25 extra? Hmm.. I guess yours cost the same to post as mine did.
Quality: Not so much. Perhaps I should have got the imagewrap instead.

Sue, if the book is published in Australia then it isn't an import, which is why they would be charging GST.
Yeah, I was so peaky I forgot about this not so minor issue :-/ On the matter of the postage, they say its standard for australia. oh well.
 
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