Photobook

Dewi Sant

Veteran
Location
Lancashire, England
Name
Guess?
Have any of our UK members here any recommendations for printing companies who produce good quality photobooks at reasonable cost? I need to get some of my travel shots made into prints so suggestions would very welcome. I used CEWE Photoworld a while back to make a wedding album up for my niece, they did a really good job but I can't get their software to download for some reason. It's locked up my computer twice now so I'm reluctant to continue with to be honest in case it does some damage.

:) D
 
I tried Blurb and wasn't impressed with the printing or the size of the book. I just did a wedding album using Apple that I found easy to do and was pleased with the results. You need to get your photos into iPhoto though.
 
I have received as gifts photo books done by Snapfish, and they look pretty good to me. Though I had nothing to complain about with the "Single in January" hardback done by Blurb.
 
I think *if/when* I ever get round to doing one, I will probably do it through Apple. I had a calendar done years ago, for a friend, and the quality was outstanding even though the photographs (at that stage of my photographic life) were not. Pricewise, they arent bad at all, and I think they might still do free shipping. You do need iPhoto or Aperture though.
 
Thanks Sue, I've sorted CEWE Photoworld now. It wouldn't let me download the files directly so I tried saving them to a different folder and ran them from there - it worked. As I say, I've used it before so I'm quite familiar with the software even if it is a bit of a faff. My biggest problem now is deciding what to put in and what to leave out - this could take a while! :)
 
I've had a couple of books done by Blurb and was impressed. My pics are a little bit scruffier processed than christilou's work though.
 
I used Blurb for a small test book and I thought it was good. However if I do another I will remember to lighten the pics I use.
My book was over a stop under exposed. Now I like my images a little on the dark side On my iMac they look fine , But it seems
on paper, too dark.
 
Ripeysbaby said:
On my iMac they look fine , But it seems
on paper, too dark.

This is worth everybody paying attention to.

How images on screen are NOT how they will look on paper.

Remember that a screen image is illuminated by emission while a printed image (whether digitally printed, offset, litho or darkroom) is illuminated by reflection.

You can get some idea by using soft-proofing, but it is at best an approximation
 
My Blurb book had banding and my daughter who is a graphic designer and has lots of stuff printed, agreed that it wasn't the best. Having requested some help from customer service I was met with a rather curt reply and henceforth I won't be using them again :dash2:
 
This is worth everybody paying attention to.

How images on screen are NOT how they will look on paper.

This is why I made the effort a couple of years ago to get a decent screen, and I'll be doing some test printing as well. I found, in the past, that if its apparently a tad too light on screen, it will be OK on paper. Haven't done *any* printing since getting the Epson, now thinking I need not have bothered. But, at least it came with profiles for the mac, for printing. Must give it a whirl before committing to a photobook.
 
Digressing just a little, my eldest daughter had some pictures printed on glossy paper, some just scanned at work and some directly from my Lightroom catalog and I was really amazed....... they look so much better than on my screen :) It's given me some impetus to actually print my stuff now on proper paper :) This was Jessops btw.
 
I have had good results with blurb in the past. But one of the best books I have made was done through Adorama. They use real photo paper. In fact I have been happy with all the prints I have gotten by them too. I am not sure about their international pricing/shipping, but you may want to check them out.
 
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