cool...i guess?
I will probably keep selling blurb books, but this has no effect on my workflow.
I find blurb's printers to print more saturated yellows than EZPrints, so I adjust images that go into blurb books accordingly.
Also, until my clients can order a Blurb book directly from my Smugmug site, along side prints and have ONE credit card transaction with one vendor, there is really no benefit at all from me pointing to my web gallery (slow), vs. my HD (fast).
I would second that - I have had very good luck with mypublisher
The software is decent but the quality of the books and the way they package them for shipment is outstanding.
I had a go at it on saturday, and it takes AGES to slurp the pics from my smugmug account. I did not finish it as it took way too long for me. I want to do the books fast, I used to work as a paper layout woman, so I know what I am doing. Waiting that long to get my pics in the application from Blurb is too counter productive.
Now what I would really like would be for Smugmug to work with mypublisher.com. I have done a lot of mypublisher.com, and the quality is very very good. I sell them to my customers who can't afford a 800 dollar wedding book. I sell it for 400 dollars. More or less... And the people are happy with the publisher books. Sad thing is that you can't make a store on my publisher.
I think that a combination Smugmug and publisher.com would be a far better combination then Blurb. Blurb then has the possibility for us to make a profit on the books. But how long will that profit last if the books are not good quality? I will await further news from Smugmug on this subject. We are on broadband BTW, so the downloads should go a lot faster then what the speed is now... My two cents...
Also, until my clients can order a Blurb book directly from my Smugmug site, along side prints and have ONE credit card transaction with one vendor,
Hey Lynne,
can you send me a link to somewhere in your site where you have this available?
I'm really interested in this, but haven't seen any sites w/ it up and running.
I'm really interested in seeing how a buyer can select prints, then send them to blurb to get the book they want. That sounds cooler than sliced toast!
I'm really interested in seeing how a buyer can select prints, then send them to blurb to get the book they want. That sounds cooler than sliced toast!
Even a way for someone to select a group of photos and "send" the selection to you so the smugger can create the book w/ the selection made would be cool. (kinda like a quick collection in Lr)
I think that's a record for saying "selection" in one sentance!:D
can you send me a link to somewhere in your site where you have this available?
I'm really interested in this, but haven't seen any sites w/ it up and running.
I'm really interested in seeing how a buyer can select prints, then send them to blurb to get the book they want. That sounds cooler than sliced toast!
Thanks,
-Jon
Not sure if this is what you are looking for Jon but this is how I made my last book available. CLICK HERE It has sold fairly well and my customers have been very happy with it. For what that is worth.
^^^ Now this sounds interesting. So with Blurb.com, you can sell these books pre-designed and can you include a markup for yourself? Or are all the books sold at Blurb's prices and they retain all profit?
I would love to be able to offer something like this as well.
^^^ Now this sounds interesting. So with Blurb.com, you can sell these books pre-designed and can you include a markup for yourself? Or are all the books sold at Blurb's prices and they retain all profit?
I would love to be able to offer something like this as well.
You write your book, upload it Blurb, design what you want it to look like and then you set a price (Blurb's cost plus your markup amount). Once you have done that you create a 'storefront' on Blurb's site where customers can purchase your book.
When a customer purchases your book Blurb gets their cost and you get whatever price you added to their cost.
You write your book, upload it Blurb, design what you want it to look like and then you set a price (Blurb's cost plus your markup amount). Once you have done that you create a 'storefront' on Blurb's site where customers can purchase your book.
When a customer purchases your book Blurb gets their cost and you get whatever price you added to their cost.
That help?
I just ordered my free blurb book will let you know what I think..could get it tomorrow...janis
Only one serious issue: Can we put our books up for sale through our own pro web site at smugmug? I am going to be gettign my own domain name and using my smugmug site as my main selling platform. I doubt anybody will pony up $100 or so for a random travel book on Uzbekistan i just because they saw it in blurb's bookstore. Are there any plans for that sort of thing?
Currently we don't allow you to sell your finished Blurb book in the SmugMug shopping cart. You could however put links to the Blurb book on your SmugMug homepage if you wanted.
Just by way of FYI. Blurb allows you to set your own book price and they will pay you 100% commission on the sale of that book.
I had a go at it on saturday, and it takes AGES to slurp the pics from my smugmug account. I did not finish it as it took way too long for me. I want to do the books fast, I used to work as a paper layout woman, so I know what I am doing. Waiting that long to get my pics in the application from Blurb is too counter productive.
Now what I would really like would be for Smugmug to work with mypublisher.com. I have done a lot of mypublisher.com, and the quality is very very good. I sell them to my customers who can't afford a 800 dollar wedding book. I sell it for 400 dollars. More or less... And the people are happy with the publisher books. Sad thing is that you can't make a store on my publisher.
I think that a combination Smugmug and publisher.com would be a far better combination then Blurb. Blurb then has the possibility for us to make a profit on the books. But how long will that profit last if the books are not good quality? I will await further news from Smugmug on this subject. We are on broadband BTW, so the downloads should go a lot faster then what the speed is now... My two cents...
If you do allow the images to download into the Blurb software, I would be curious to hear your thoughts on comparing the Blurb book to mypublisher.com book quality.
In the studies we saw the quality was very similar. Also, the Blurb software we found to be much more robust and flexible to the mypublisher software.
Not sure if this is what you are looking for Jon but this is how I made my last book available. CLICK HERE It has sold fairly well and my customers have been very happy with it. For what that is worth.
Yes, this is the way I was thinking Smuggers could do it for the time being.
I've been trying for the last hour to copy text and paste it into a text field while making my book and each and every time it crashes the program. Occasionally before it crashes it will actually put the text in the box but I can't make any changes to the formatting before it goes poof. Has anyone else experienced this? I saw no mention in this thread so far of it.
Which is horribly disappointing to me as the photo import side of the app looks and works wonderfully, but I am not going to order a book without text.
On the bright side, the auto-save feature works....
I've been trying for the last hour to copy text and paste it into a text field while making my book and each and every time it crashes the program. Occasionally before it crashes it will actually put the text in the box but I can't make any changes to the formatting before it goes poof. Has anyone else experienced this? I saw no mention in this thread so far of it.
Which is horribly disappointing to me as the photo import side of the app looks and works wonderfully, but I am not going to order a book without text.
On the bright side, the auto-save feature works....
Are you copying from a pure text editor like notepad? If from a word processor
there might be a lot of overhead, hidden junk, coming with it.
Are you copying from a pure text editor like notepad? If from a word processor
there might be a lot of overhead, hidden junk, coming with it.
No: TextEdit, and when I paste I make sure to "Paste Plain Text"
I've gotten it to work... sometimes. It seems to be completely random whether or not it decides to do it, and if it doesn't I need to click and play around in other pages/fields and then come back and try again.
So it's working, albeit in a very tedious, grueling pace.
If you do allow the images to download into the Blurb software, I would be curious to hear your thoughts on comparing the Blurb book to mypublisher.com book quality.
In the studies we saw the quality was very similar. Also, the Blurb software we found to be much more robust and flexible to the mypublisher software.
Markham
When I started to create books a year or so ago I looked at all I could find including Mypublisher, Blurb, Lulu and others. I created a test book of 50 pages to see how each worked as far as the creation process and I ordered it from a couple of companies (Lulu, Blurb and another I cannot recall the name of) to compare the result.
Blurb had the best end result in the form I wanted, print quality and at a price I thought my customers could afford. Lulu was difficult to work with software wise and their printing was horrible. MyPublisher did not offer me enough choices on size and format design so I never went very far with testing them. They offer a few more sizes and formats now than they did when I did my original research.
Blurb provides me with the best all around situation for creating and selling books. I tested the download from Smugmug to a new book I started and it took less than 35 minutes for 50 or so photos on an average speed DSL line. While I'd like to see some improvement in their software I have not had any trouble with it crashing as I had read that others have. (I'd suspect that most of those problems are caused my a video driver conflict. But I could be way off on that.)
I have contacted Blurb via email a couple of times and always gotten a responce within 24-36 hours. Not great but not bad.
My two cents worth anyway. All any of us can do is to try to see which book vendor works best for us and go from there.
Can anyone comment on the look and feel (and quality) of the soft cover blurb books? I ordered a hard cover a few months ago and was quite happy with it, but am wondering at how the soft cover comes up?
When I started to create books a year or so ago I looked at all I could find including Mypublisher, Blurb, Lulu and others. I created a test book of 50 pages to see how each worked as far as the creation process and I ordered it from a couple of companies (Lulu, Blurb and another I cannot recall the name of) to compare the result.
Blurb had the best end result in the form I wanted, print quality and at a price I thought my customers could afford. Lulu was difficult to work with software wise and their printing was horrible. MyPublisher did not offer me enough choices on size and format design so I never went very far with testing them. They offer a few more sizes and formats now than they did when I did my original research.
Blurb provides me with the best all around situation for creating and selling books. I tested the download from Smugmug to a new book I started and it took less than 35 minutes for 50 or so photos on an average speed DSL line. While I'd like to see some improvement in their software I have not had any trouble with it crashing as I had read that others have. (I'd suspect that most of those problems are caused my a video driver conflict. But I could be way off on that.)
I have contacted Blurb via email a couple of times and always gotten a responce within 24-36 hours. Not great but not bad.
My two cents worth anyway. All any of us can do is to try to see which book vendor works best for us and go from there.
Good feedback thanks. As for the customer support response, hopefully it will get much faster than that.
Blurb Books
I have ordered my Blurb sample book using the Smugmug check out coupon, so I'm anxious to see how it looks in person. This will be a great marketing tool for additional business, I hope...
Just one question. Do we always have to use vertical photos or did I miss something when I was uploading the pictures?
I have ordered my Blurb sample book using the Smugmug check out coupon, so I'm anxious to see how it looks in person. This will be a great marketing tool for additional business, I hope...
Just one question. Do we always have to use vertical photos or did I miss something when I was uploading the pictures?
Upload either portrait or landscapes and if you're creating a photobook just
select the page templete for either or a combo type.
I found it much quicker to load the photos from my harddrive though and a
add a few other from Smug.
I really wish with this software that there was a way to reverse a page layout. Some of the page layouts are a fun design, but it doesn't make sense to have a full bleed image on the left third of the page if you can't reverse it to keep most of that page out of the gutter.
I really wish with this software that there was a way to reverse a page layout. Some of the page layouts are a fun design, but it doesn't make sense to have a full bleed image on the left third of the page if you can't reverse it to keep most of that page out of the gutter.
I've actually given up trying to fit my images into these pre-determined layouts. I now make my own layouts in PS as an 8x10 document and just place it in the book as a full bleed page. This way I can do any layout with any combination of text. Does this make sense?
I'm just sorry I missed the free Blurb book offer. I've been using Mypublisher successfully, but I would like to try a Smugmug related product.
I've actually given up trying to fit my images into these pre-determined layouts. I now make my own layouts in PS as an 8x10 document and just place it in the book as a full bleed page. This way I can do any layout with any combination of text. Does this make sense?
I'm interested in the details of this. Would you mind starting up a thread talking a bit about how you do this in more detail?
In not, no worries. No harm in asking since your post peaked my interest.
Comments
I will probably keep selling blurb books, but this has no effect on my workflow.
I find blurb's printers to print more saturated yellows than EZPrints, so I adjust images that go into blurb books accordingly.
Also, until my clients can order a Blurb book directly from my Smugmug site, along side prints and have ONE credit card transaction with one vendor, there is really no benefit at all from me pointing to my web gallery (slow), vs. my HD (fast).
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
The software is decent but the quality of the books and the way they package them for shipment is outstanding.
can you send me a link to somewhere in your site where you have this available?
I'm really interested in this, but haven't seen any sites w/ it up and running.
I'm really interested in seeing how a buyer can select prints, then send them to blurb to get the book they want. That sounds cooler than sliced toast!
Thanks,
-Jon
www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
Do you know if this is on the drawing board? I'm sure you can picture how great something like this would be for smuggers
I think that's a record for saying "selection" in one sentance!:D
Not sure if this is what you are looking for Jon but this is how I made my last book available. CLICK HERE It has sold fairly well and my customers have been very happy with it. For what that is worth.
Smugmug site
Blog Portfolio
Facebook
I would love to be able to offer something like this as well.
You write your book, upload it Blurb, design what you want it to look like and then you set a price (Blurb's cost plus your markup amount). Once you have done that you create a 'storefront' on Blurb's site where customers can purchase your book.
When a customer purchases your book Blurb gets their cost and you get whatever price you added to their cost.
That help?
Smugmug site
Blog Portfolio
Facebook
I just ordered my free blurb book will let you know what I think..could get it tomorrow...janis
http://www.photographybywidget.com
Currently we don't allow you to sell your finished Blurb book in the SmugMug shopping cart. You could however put links to the Blurb book on your SmugMug homepage if you wanted.
Just by way of FYI. Blurb allows you to set your own book price and they will pay you 100% commission on the sale of that book.
Markham
www.twitter.com/markhambennett
If you do allow the images to download into the Blurb software, I would be curious to hear your thoughts on comparing the Blurb book to mypublisher.com book quality.
In the studies we saw the quality was very similar. Also, the Blurb software we found to be much more robust and flexible to the mypublisher software.
Markham
www.twitter.com/markhambennett
Yes, this is the way I was thinking Smuggers could do it for the time being.
Markham
www.twitter.com/markhambennett
Which is horribly disappointing to me as the photo import side of the app looks and works wonderfully, but I am not going to order a book without text.
On the bright side, the auto-save feature works....
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
there might be a lot of overhead, hidden junk, coming with it.
My Website index | My Blog
No: TextEdit, and when I paste I make sure to "Paste Plain Text"
I've gotten it to work... sometimes. It seems to be completely random whether or not it decides to do it, and if it doesn't I need to click and play around in other pages/fields and then come back and try again.
So it's working, albeit in a very tedious, grueling pace.
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=75747
Markham
www.twitter.com/markhambennett
When I started to create books a year or so ago I looked at all I could find including Mypublisher, Blurb, Lulu and others. I created a test book of 50 pages to see how each worked as far as the creation process and I ordered it from a couple of companies (Lulu, Blurb and another I cannot recall the name of) to compare the result.
Blurb had the best end result in the form I wanted, print quality and at a price I thought my customers could afford. Lulu was difficult to work with software wise and their printing was horrible. MyPublisher did not offer me enough choices on size and format design so I never went very far with testing them. They offer a few more sizes and formats now than they did when I did my original research.
Blurb provides me with the best all around situation for creating and selling books. I tested the download from Smugmug to a new book I started and it took less than 35 minutes for 50 or so photos on an average speed DSL line. While I'd like to see some improvement in their software I have not had any trouble with it crashing as I had read that others have. (I'd suspect that most of those problems are caused my a video driver conflict. But I could be way off on that.)
I have contacted Blurb via email a couple of times and always gotten a responce within 24-36 hours. Not great but not bad.
My two cents worth anyway. All any of us can do is to try to see which book vendor works best for us and go from there.
Smugmug site
Blog Portfolio
Facebook
http://www.michaelhelbigphotography.com
http://www.thewildpig.blogspot.com
In the email it said the free book offer is gone, but are offering free shipping. Oh well.
I won't sell out even if the whole world think's I'm crazy.
I just sent you a PM with a code. I have a some leftovers for those that didn't get one.
Go check your PM!
Markham
www.twitter.com/markhambennett
Good feedback thanks. As for the customer support response, hopefully it will get much faster than that.
Markham
www.twitter.com/markhambennett
I have ordered my Blurb sample book using the Smugmug check out coupon, so I'm anxious to see how it looks in person. This will be a great marketing tool for additional business, I hope...
Just one question. Do we always have to use vertical photos or did I miss something when I was uploading the pictures?
Justus Photography
www.lindasherrill.com
select the page templete for either or a combo type.
I found it much quicker to load the photos from my harddrive though and a
add a few other from Smug.
btw, mine shipped today.
My Website index | My Blog
I just got that thank you. I appreciate it.
I won't sell out even if the whole world think's I'm crazy.
Canon 40d | Canon 17-40 f/4L | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Canon 50mm f/1.8 | Canon 70-200mm f/4 L
I've actually given up trying to fit my images into these pre-determined layouts. I now make my own layouts in PS as an 8x10 document and just place it in the book as a full bleed page. This way I can do any layout with any combination of text. Does this make sense?
I'm just sorry I missed the free Blurb book offer. I've been using Mypublisher successfully, but I would like to try a Smugmug related product.
http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
http://www.michaelhelbigphotography.com
http://www.thewildpig.blogspot.com
In not, no worries. No harm in asking since your post peaked my interest.
Cheers,
-Jon