Creating Quality Photo Books Using Blurb

Being a professional photographer I am constantly looking for ways to better present my work. In the old days you carried around a binder with your photos carefully encased in plastic, but inevitably there was always at least one photo that would slide out and land in a puddle on your way to show your work to a client. I've looked at many websites that offer print on demand services, thinking that perhaps assembling my photos into a book might be a good way to go, but most sites were cost prohibitive or I could only plug my photos into one preset size with no text explaining shoot details or listing camera equipment.

Then came the even bigger push. I was asked to create a photographic and written history of a now defunct school. The catch, however, was that my client asked that I keep the finished price of the book under $30 so that it would be affordable to the alums. The more research I did, the more hopeless it seemed until the day I saw an ad on Flickr, a photo sharing site to which I belong, suggesting that all serious photographers should check out Blurb. I clicked on the link and immediately downloaded the desktop software to see what it could do. And I was immediately impressed.

The Blurb website opens up to a bright, snappy Flash application showing what people have already created using their service. I clicked on the "Learn More" link and found that I could easily answer most of my questions in one place, instead of having to search all over the site to find pricing, shipping costs, and book options. It explained quickly and concisely that, after downloading their Book Smart software, I could create not just a portfolio of my own work, but also my historical photo book, and if I felt so inclined, a plain old paperback novel with a photographic cover.

After taking a look at the options for layout, softcover versus hardcover, dust jacket versus image wrap, I realized I could think of at least ten more projects I could accomplish using this service. With a softcover 8" by 10" book only costing $19.99 for 40 pages, I knew without a doubt I could easily meet the $30 requirement of my client. I also knew that I wouldn't break the bank producing a portfolio book that I could take with me to show prospective clients. The layouts available in the Book Smart software would allow me to drag and drop photos from my computer then add text where I needed it, even in the portfolio book. I was even able to use my private library of fonts and import previously written text from Microsoft Word. Easily switching between edit and preview mode, the program would also alert me if the photos I had chosen to use were too low of a resolution to produce a quality print, as well as producing warnings if the text I had entered would be cut off in any way.

Finally, after opening up four, yes four separate projects, with my Book Smart software, I went back to the Blurb website and looked at the Blurb Bookstore where anyone who creates a project can promote and sell their book for a profit. Blurb promises that your newly published book, if tagged right in its description, will show up in Google searches. It takes a little elbow grease on your part to promote your work to friends and family via Facebook or Digg but in the end, it's worth it to get your work out there.

The real beauty of Blurb though is that anyone can use it. You don't have to be a professional photographer or graphic designer to put it to good use. Blurb is a great way to create hardcover family albums, print colorful cookbooks, or launch your first paperback novel with very little initial cost. No matter what your level of expertise, the drag and drop format of Book Smart makes it simple to take your vision and put it on paper, share it with your friends, and produce countless gifts!

Visit Blurb, download the Book Smart software, and see what you come up with!