Photobook headache

qlite50

qlite50

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I have 2 seemingly simple requirements for producing my photobooks but I'm finding it difficult to find a product that fulfils both

1. Give my clients the ability to preview the photobook online for a limited period before it is committed to print, without me having to first order the photobook.
2. Photobook has the option to be ordered with a "layflat" binding - great for presenting photos on a double-page spread.


Blurb is the only product I know that fulfils requirement 1, which is why I still tend to favour it; however it does not fulfil requirement 2.
Albelli fulfils requirement 2 however I don't use it often because it doesn't fulfil requirement 1.
CEWE does neither of the 2 but the software is great to use so I have used it in the past.

Does anyone's experience cover a product that fulfils both these requirements and can be recommended?

I have searched the forum but come up short so far.
:help:

Thanks
 
:help:
I reckon I posted this at the wrong end of the day hence no response so far!
 
When in preview mode, why not use a snipping tool to make a copy of the pages and then email it to your client, that's what I have done before and worked fine for me and the client.
 
Thanks Irishman, the last album I prepared was 200 pages and just won't cut it sending 100 jpegs to a customer in order to preview the complete layout of a photobook! Nothing beats having the client preview it themselves online, a feature that Blurb offers.
 
i use cewe, and although they dont call it layflat, it actually is. If you go for the more expensive premium or photo paper option on the selection, it is infact layflat, which is why i use them as my cheaper alternative to graphistudio. i am irritated with there new software though, as to show the customer in the studio, unless in full screen mode, they can see the price!
 
Thanks for replying madmatt, I've used CEWE too and the only problem I have with them is that I can't make a preview of the photo book available to clients online, unless I invite them to my studio - another major deal breaker for me.
Still looking for that product that ticks those 2 main boxes for me!
 
For 1 Use Album Exposure (that's my referral code right there - been using them for 3 -4 years)) or Queensberry Workspace (I've never used it but I bet it's good).

For 2 use whomever you want since you are using an independent proof space. (Check with Queensberry - I don't think you have to use their lab but it probably isn't free if you don't).

BTW, 200 pages? Really?? I'm designing a 60 page one right now and I'm bored already.
 
Thanks very much Jonathan. Looking like a lifesaver already. I'll review both in detail as soon as I get home and let you know. (Currently viewing both sites via my teeny iPhone screen). I just hope their prices are not outrageous!
BTW - 200 pages - reporting on a celebration spanning a full day with 300+ guests. Using Blurb via LR5 kinda takes the pain away a little.
 
I like Album Exposure - the developer is a nice guy and very helpful. But I bet Queensberry system is also very good. Also, if you use Photojunction it's plumbed right in.

AE used to be but they deliberately broke it just after they launched their own system. Understandable but annoying. I've had to go back to export and upload manually. It's not hard - but it's harder than "sync with online proofing".
 
Album Exposure expects me to sign-up with a $150/yr subscription for the benefit of using their services. Fair enough, but I'm already paying an annual subscription to Zenfolio so unfortunately that option is ruled out for me.:(
I've signed up to Queensbury and it will take a couple of days for my registration (as a professional tog) to be validated after which I'll get to review it more properly.
I'm also trialling AsukaBook (found through Google).
Would have avoided all this headache if Blurb offered Layflat binding too as it is integrated well into my LR5 workflow. Aaaaarrrrghhhh. :bang:
 
qlite50 said:
Album Exposure expects me to sign-up with a $150/yr subscription for the benefit of using their services.
Click to expand...

I know. It's shocking that somebody would spend all that time and effort designing a great site and provide hosting and support and then expect to be paid for it! Just crazy.

You want a professional solution, you're going to have to pay for it. Or you can go back to snipping pages from a design tool.

BTW the reason that Blurb don't do layflat is because they are cheap. And vice versa.
 
It's the subscription payment model I baulked at, for a service I'm unlikely to use more than half a dozen times in a year. I don't object paying over the top for something that I really want. Albelli do decent looking Layflats but just don't offer a limited time online preview accessible to clients.
Now if Blurb were to do Layflats and charge top dollar for it...
 
$15 a month if you prefer.

Realistically though, how much would you pay to proof an album? If it's less than $10 then nobody can be bothered making a service available for you (as Google has shown you), if it's more than $20 you're probably better off with a subscription.
 
Could you not export it as a PDF and put it on issuu or somewhere?
 
JonathanRyan said:
$15 a month if you prefer.

Realistically though, how much would you pay to proof an album? If it's less than $10 then nobody can be bothered making a service available for you (as Google has shown you), if it's more than $20 you're probably better off with a subscription.
Click to expand...

Blurb seems to be able to provide a preview service for nothing, however you cannot do any editing online, which is fine, as long as my clients can see what the album will look like and send me comments before it is committed to print. I appreciate Blurb's business model is different from AE's as AE don't actually make the albums themselves but provide the photo hosting and apparently online layout editing - features which they probably provide brilliantly but I don't really need either.
 
CharlotteM said:
Could you not export it as a PDF and put it on issuu or somewhere?
Click to expand...

I'm looking into that option too after doing some more research last night. Seems some album makers will accept exported PDF files and convert to album. Discovered the export-to-PDF feature in LR5 somehow skews the paging in the output - swapping odd pages for even and vice versa, which of course destroys your carefully planned layout! Hopefully there's a simple workaround for that.
 
Export as jpegs and assemble PDFs in Bridge. Far more control than LR.

Also, if all you want to do is show them the album and not have any of the "stuff" (which saves me time and makes me money) then you are overcomplicating this.

Export each page to jpeg. Assemble pairs of pages into spread (action in Photoshop). Upload to Flickr (or any other photo host).
 
Thanks Jonathan (and other responders!). Really appreciate your taking time and effort to respond to these. I'll take a step back, consider all the suggestions before deciding the approach I'll adopt for the long term! :ty:
 
JonathanRyan said:
Export as jpegs and assemble PDFs in Bridge. Far more control than LR.

Also, if all you want to do is show them the album and not have any of the "stuff" (which saves me time and makes me money) then you are overcomplicating this.

Export each page to jpeg. Assemble pairs of pages into spread (action in Photoshop). Upload to Flickr (or any other photo host).
Click to expand...

Yeah, actions are really going to be your friend here.
 
Out of the box idea....

Use a simple and free screen sharing service like https://join.me/ ...very simple to use.

Arrange an appointment, send you clients a link to your system so the can see your computer screen and you can walk them through the book remotely. Might help provide a more personal service.
 
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