Three Video Tutorials on Making Photo Books
I had so many requests last week to show how to create Photo Book layouts (like the one I did for my trip to Turkey, Greece, and Egypt), that I did three short videos for you (below), to show you how, but using different applications. The three videos are:
- How to create them in Apple’s iPhoto
- How to create them in Lighroom 2
- How to create them from scratch in Photoshop CS4 using Smart Objects
Click on the videos to watch them. Hope this helps jump start you into making photo books, because once you start, you’ll be totally hooked!
The iPhoto Video:
The Lightroom 2 Video:
The Photoshop CS4 Video:
NOTE: If you’d like to see a higher quality version of these videos, click on the links below, which will take you each video’s page on YouTube.com. Just below the bottom right corner of the video (which is already larger in size on YouTube.com), you’ll see a link called “Watch in Higher Quality.” Click that to see a much sharper, and larger version of each video.
- iPhoto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iexUVyMRJ8
- Lighroom 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3EGSLPEYhY
- Photoshop CS4:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTWnrGBbMM4
Thanks Scott for the videos! Can’t wait to see the PS CS4 one…
Have a nice day,
Markus
Hope you had a great Holiday!
I did! The week before sold all my Canon gear and bought lots and lots of Nikon gear and spent the weekend leanring the new workflow.
Anyway… Great tutorials, you never stop amazing me!
Hello Scott,
Thanks so much for this tip. I did not know you could make a photo book with lightroom.
I am a window’s user so the mac way is not an option for me.
I did a “fake toy look” of some of my friends home this weekend using live view map app from Microsoft. I captured the view from 40 yards and then created the toy look via a link suggested by John Nack on his blog.
I have CS4 photoshop, so I figured out a faster way to render the homes. I think I may do a sample book using lightroom of the toy look homes to add value to my photography business.
If anyone wants to see the samples, one can click my name and go to my blog.
Thank you so much for your help, helping me.
By the way, Perhaps do a segment on the “toy look” using photoshop. In my view you have a teaching gift.
Merry Christmas
Ken in KY
Great idea Scott, thanks. I wish there were book printers closer to me though — I worry about sending them internationally, both cost and will they get damaged.
About making youtube videos show in high quality — put &fmt=18 at the end of the url. You can even do this on your embedded videos and it will force them to be high quality.
Hope that helps.
Hey Scott
I’m wanting to make a photo book for some people for Christmas and I’ll be using the Iphoto method but I was wondering what color space does Iphoto require? Mpix wants SRGB for to be used for there books and prints so I assume that Iphoto want something specific. Thanks… Sean.
Oh have you used Mpix books service yet wandering about there quality.
Hi Scott,
Great post as ever…. suprised you haven’t mentioned anything about the new D3x on your blog…
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/19597/20621/nikon-dx3-dslr-camera-leaked.phtml
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/Nikon_Europe_confirms_D3X_camera_spec_news_273034.html
thanks again
dave
Excellent videos Scott. The CS4 one looks like a good option. I have been pleasantly surprised by CS4 so far I must admit.
Kevin Mullins
Hi Scott,
Great blog this morning. Thanks.
Sean, I have used Mpix for a lot of stuff including books. The quality is excellent. The only thing that I have got from them that I didn’t really like was a deck of cards and that was okay, but they weren’t plastic coated like an official deck. However, it is an excellent novelty. Books, Prints, Canvases are all great. The metallic…WOW!!!
Mike
Scott,
Great videos, thanks!
I have a huge request and I hope that you might be able to get something rolling soon. I am a NAPP member as well as a member of KELBY TRAINING and the biggest thing that I miss is the training I get daily while flying or on a location that doesn’t have internet access. Is there anyway for your traveling members to download the kelby training videos so that we have something to watch on our long lights.
Please help!
Thanks so Much!
John Beyer
Scott,
Great suggestions.
On the Mpix sight you can download an application that helps you build up a photo book (MpixPRESS software - My Photo Book). I used it this weekend to build a book from our recent New Mexico vacation (as I use PC and didn’t see your videos yet). It comes with lots of templates and placement automation. I kind of got hooked on using a panorama as the background.
Just a different twist to how a book could look. More collage like, not appropriate for fine arts, but I like it for a family vacation book. It does have options for building with a simple look as well.
There is an option to upload the book to the web as well:
http://share1.sendtoprint.net/bshare.php?hashid=9a48bb6f434ea2cdb7c9
Keep up the inspirational work.
Dan
Scott,
Thanks for the videos. Every time you show your readers a tip I am amazed how generous you are with your knowledge. I can’t even guess how many I have used in some way or another in our photography studio.
Thanks again for your help
Phil
Hey Scott,
Just finished using LR2 and BookSmart to write 2 Christmas gift books for my grand girls. By having both pieces of software open, using LR2’s Export, and then dragging and dropping an image into Blurb’s BookSmart, I am able to quickly compose multiple pages.
Then, since these young girls like loving words, I write a story around each image, bringing their attention to the happening, or simply telling them why I like that particular composition.
Although you have yet to ‘really’ share your workflow for writing A P Lightroom 2 for Digital Photographers, I truly suggest you give thought to doing just that. As noted in a previous comment, it was study of your recently published vacation/fine art trip as Collection Sets which finally cleared the way for my creation of these softbound, printed books. Now I simply finish the edit (always arduous), press Publish, and Blurb sends me finished, bound copies which I wrap and give…
What Xmas fun…!
Thanks for the Print method of making a fine art book using Mpix; I will try that in the future. May I also suggest you consider sharing your writing workflow! Some of us shoot and write – I think we would all benefit!!!
Scott,
Thanks for this post! I have been planning on giving my fiancee a photo book for Christmas, covering everything we’ve done and seen this past year. I was going to use Mpix and their software to make it, but since I just recently purchased my first Mac (yay!) I think I will check out the iPhoto method.
Does anyone here know if there is a big difference in price or quality between the iPhoto books and the Mpix books?
Thanks!
Instructive and inspirational, as ever, Scott, thank you!
Balliolman
LR2 user.
Hi Scott,
Making calendars and photo books from Apple is a great idea for gifts. The quality is really amazing and everyone enjoys getting them.
You might want to let everyone know that the deadlines to get your stuff to Apple is coming soon.
From Apple: http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/printproducts/
To receive books, calendars, or cards by December 25, order by:
* December 14 Standard Shipping
* December 17 Express Shipping
You can save yourself some money if you don’t wait.
Another nice gift idea is a poster. I use software called Posterino from http://zykloid.com/posterino. I reviewed it on my website earlier this year.
While you could do this kind of stuff in Photoshop, this program makes it so simple. I thought it would work well with your vacation photos. It’s a great way to turn lots of photos into an interesting poster for the wall.
Keep up all the good work,
Robert
http://www.photographyandthemac.com
This has nothing to do whit this, but when can I expect a Photoshop CS4 book? Me and the rest of my school are waiting! Hehe
Love the blog by the way, read it every morning on the tram to school/job (or, i read yesterdays post. We are 8th hours in front of you)
Cheers from Norway!
Scott,
I look forward to checking these out.
FYI - there is a relatively simple way to embed the “high quality” YouTube video on your blog. Shoot me an email if you’re interested.
Take Care.
Thanks mate, legend
Great videos! The iPhoto one was so easy and attractive; I think they print through MyPublisher, which makes such nice books.
Don’t forget with iPhoto to edit the plist file and change the DPI it sends the book at! Default it shows you the preview at 300dpi BUT (and it’s a big one) to cut down on size of upload it only sends the book at 75dpi (or something like that!)
Bump it up to 200 or more DPI - sure it will take longer to upload but rubbish in - rubbish out eh
Cheers, Jase
Wow what a quick response to your reader’s inquiry for more info. I have to say this also illustrates how much easier it is to accomplish cool, swanky tasks with a mac. I’m going to export my images from lightroom and drive to a friends house to do this on his mac. Thanks for being so generous with your time and knowledge.
Mark
Hi Scott,
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this post. I have been searching for a way to create a photobook of my wedding as a thanks to my parents and in-laws for Christmas and couldn’t find any layouts I like. I don’t have a Mac (something I have to live with) so the lightroom tutorial is a blessing. Thanks so much and I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t start the day without a coffee and your post.
Have a great day!
There are a couple of other options for making photo books for PC users that are as easy as iPhoto. Simply checkout http://www.blurb.com or http://www.mycanvas.com.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’ve always wanted to make a photo book but the task always seemed so daunting. I thought I’d love the Lightroom method over the Photoshop because it is so simple but instead today I made 6 templates and knocked out 10 pages in about an hour and a half. I can’t wait to finish up and get my first book printed. Thanks for showing me how simple it really is to make great layouts! No excuses for me now!!
Penny
Seems like you have gone to a lot of trouble when you can just create a pdf page from LR. Open the pages into Acrobat, delete that extra white box (or color it) that LR creates, change your text color if you want, save the pdf in Acrobat, place in Indesign set desired background color, automatic page numbering, etc.
I just did a 280 page catalog with 2200 some photos in a matter of an hour or 2. Pitstop plugin helps a lot for making batch changes 280 pages.
hey Scott,
Thanks for the videos and tips. I just actually went ahead and tried out the iPhoto book option, and was pretty impressed by the total-simplicity of the whole thing. It’ll make a great present!
I also put a brief description of my experience of making the book (and a follow-up pic of the finished product) at:
http://www.orangeblob.com/blog/2008/12/an-iphoto-book/
thanks again!
tim