Blurb book setup, easy and fast with Lightroom???

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

02/17/2013 06:49:48 PM · #1

Hi All,

I just finished up a project working with an art consultant. When submitting my high resolution images for the project she asked me to submit all the images I supplied for this project in a book printing friendly size too so that she could print a few books and promised I would get a copy. So I sent those to her several days ago.

Now she just emailed me and is obviously hoping I will volunteer to put the whole thing together. I have other projects I am busy with now and I'm not that excited about getting one of those books anyway as only maybe 80% featured my images, many weren't my style but shot to please the customer, and I especially don't like the ones from other photographers.
Still, this consultant already has two other projects in the pipeline for me and I should make her happy.

I have Lightroom 4 which supposedly can publish to Blurb relatively easily. Has anyone done this and is the learning curve quick?

Thanks, for any info offered :)
-B

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

02/17/2013 07:00:24 PM · #2

i haven't used the lightroom-to-blurb, but i have looked at it and it seems to be pretty straightforward, especially if all you're after is a basic picture book.

i have used blurb a lot, and have never been disappointed. however, i use indesign to do my layouts and i produce pdfs that i upload to blurb.

franktheyank

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/17/2013 07:40:31 PM · #3

I saw a presentation by Blurb at the Photoshop User Group at Adobe a couple of months ago. I haven't done it but it looks like a pretty easy process using Lightroom 4. You can also do it directly using the Blurb software. The books get pretty pricey for a large hardcover version but pretty inexpensive for the small paperbook variety. One option, if you are selling them online, is to create an ebook for sale. Your customers can always order a hard version straight from Blurb.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/17/2013 07:53:45 PM · #4

Thanks guys! With what you say it doesn't sound like it will be too terribly time consuming to bang out a layout in Lightroom. Just a few dozen or so images in all and all are in a 3:2 aspect except one. I don't know if she wants any copy to go with the images but expect that wouldn't be too hard to do.
So I'll go for it is she asks directly. Which she will probably do when we are right up against a deadline! :P These would just be to give to the actual buyer of all the images and the consultant mostly to show to other prospective clients. So just handful to be printed.

Again, thanks :)

Message edited by author 2013-02-17 19:54:35.

Garry

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

02/17/2013 09:47:45 PM · #5

I know this isn't what you asked, but I used MyPublisher for my wedding album and was very happy with the results. Very quick to setup, nice layouts. Just drag and drop. Will definitely be using them again.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

02/17/2013 10:29:42 PM · #6

I've made half a dozen different books with Blurb Booksmart...it's pretty good software too, and of course, made for Blurb.

I've done pretty long books -- around 120 pages. Mostly theatre stuff (the only one that wasn't--the most recent one--was a photojournalistic look at an experimental community). They come out great. I just processed all the photos to my liking in Lightroom, exported to a folder, imported that into booksmart, and then you do layout in booksmart.

In the last few versions I used, Booksmart also supports page layouts across two pages (before you had to fake it, which worked too).

My bookstore if you want to browse to see what I've done is here: //www.blurb.com/user/store/nrshapiro

Message edited by author 2013-02-17 22:37:59.

02/18/2013 01:41:51 AM · #7

Well okay I guess I am now officially asked to do the Blurb book :P Might as well embrace the task and have fun with it :)

Thanks Garry and Neil, I guess she wants a Blurb brand book so I'll give it a go with Lightroom first and then try out Booksmart as you suggest Neil if that doesn't go along so easily. It seemed to work very well for your books :)