Everybody knows that taking photos and showing them to others is a great thing to do. But with photography becoming more and more accessible, it’s more important than ever to present your photography talent and skills in a professional way. Granted, you can showcase your photos online, but the thing which will allow you to stand out even better when proposing your photography services with potential clients is a professionally printed photo book. Although many photographers consider online photo book builders to be inferior or less reliable than local printing companies, online photo book companies have become increasingly professional and have perfected their software to deliver consistent, top-notch quality. Their software doesn’t require you to be a photo printing specialist: it’s user-friendly, fast, and offers you plenty of customization options from layouts, backgrounds, themes to covers, sizes, paper types in order to create your books/albums for cost-friendly prices. Furthermore, you will be surprised to see that some online builders are capable of Photoshop-level photo adjustments with which you can apply the desired effects on your photos.
Photo book builders currently exist in two major formats: online and downloadable. The online versions are usually capable of basic photo adjustments only, while some downloadable software can be deemed as professional editing tools. Not all companies provide their solutions for mobile platforms, but if they do, the builders are available either from a mobile browser or as native apps. However, there is one similarity between the two types: in contrast with photo editing software, the use of (online) photo book builders is free of charge.
When you have to select a photo book builder, think about what you want to do. If you just want to place some of your most remarkable photos into a decent looking book without further modifications, then any photo book builder will do. Sometimes you also have the option to send ready books in PDF to be printed, but this is quite rare. If you prefer adjusting your photos using the photo book software, look for solutions like Collage.com or RitzPix that have either a built-in or complementary tool for the necessary changes, or choose software that allows uploading from sites/apps like Instagram.
If clients of yours want to put a photo book together themselves, then basically you just have to provide the photos so your client can auto-fill and/or customize the photo book in any way he/she wants using the photo book builder service. Plus, if necessary, they can make slight modifications on the photos for themselves. (They probably won’t, you have their complete trust.)
An even better solution is if you offer the option to create a photo book from the pictures you take for a little extra. You can explain your clients that most photo book companies allow limited or full contribution for “outsiders” too, meaning they can either check out the final result before printing or, as described earlier, they can make the necessary modifications themselves to create a truly personalized photo book but you have the option to watch over their photo book creation as a sort of guardian angel.
Furthermore, certain companies allow users to sell their creations via online shops, making it possible for you to create photo books that your clients or photography enthusiasts can purchase. The photo book company takes care of the whole order process, so you don’t need to worry about providing customer service, processing payments or anything else related to the online sale of your professional photo books. This way you could create a wedding photo book for the family members of the married couple to purchase online through an online store page, just like they would purchase anything else online.
Sharing your photos on the internet is a good thing to make yourself known to the general public. But this is not charity time; you take photos for a living, so let’s sell them properly! And what’s the best way to do so if you don’t believe in or can’t afford fancy exhibitions? A portfolio book showcasing your work in a beautifully printed book is better than any business card or advertisement.
Whether the photo book builder you have chosen has a separate portfolio category or not, creating a portfolio book is extremely simple. The reason is that all photo book builders offer the things necessary for a portfolio book: photo-only layouts, the option to add explanatory captions, simple, single-color backgrounds, square and/or landscape shapes, and professional covers with a picture of your choice printed thereon.
Although Blurb is a photo book editing and printing solution provider, this California-based company is also a perfect place for those who want to create trade books, magazines and eBooks. Whether you use the simple online editor Bookify with its straightforward customization tools, safe zones, auto-save feature and PDF import, or the BookWright software with the advanced features of the online editor and even more – you can be sure that your (photo) book is in good hands. There are various themes, photo papers, covers and book sizes at your disposal in the software, which is available in 7 different languages. No matter which part of the world you live in; the company lets you create your book with ease, whether you use the obligatory 20 pages or go for all 440 pages. And to make things even better, the final product is printed and delivered within a short period of time for very cost-friendly prices.
Well-renowned for its high-quality photo books, has a knack for bringing memories to life. Since its early days in 1999, the company has developed an impressive product range that includes photo cards, stationery, prints, calendars, gifts, and photo books that can be customized to your liking.
Shutterfly grants users full creative control when building their photo book. There are preset themes to choose from, as well as the option to have a book made for you with your photos and a theme of your choice. If you choose to craft the photo book yourself, then it can be created with the versatile editor, either from a desktop or mobile device.
Letting creativity run free, there are over 200 themes to choose from with an assortment of different paper types, sizes, and covers. Once your book is customized to your heart’s content, it can be ordered for affordable prices starting at $24.98. Plus, there are ways to lower this price through seasonal offers and bulk orders.
Located in New Zealand, MILK Books strives to satisfy its customers by offering a small range of products and editing tools that are unmatched in their quality. MILK stands for moments of inspiration, love, and kinship, and the company excels in capturing this in a handcrafted photo book made with the utmost care.
MILK photo books come in soft and hard covers, and the latter can be made of superior quality linen, buckram, and leather, in varied colors and textures. Plus, the wedding magazine and Moleskine books are the company’s finest products, combining your most cherished photos in formats that look like true artistic masterpieces.
The most affordable option – 7×5.2” hard cover classic photo book for $35 – gives away the fact that the MILK photo books are more expensive than average. Still, when considering the exceptional quality of the product, you get what you pay for. Plus, there are ways to get your photo book for less, as MILK runs occasional promotions and offers 20% off for newcomers.
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