okay. i use asukabooks of rmy bridal albums and i really like them. Sometimes i wish they were on thicker paper and more substantial in the hands, but i love the idea that i can create it from scratch and do completly custom design my albums. I have been looking into cheaper options for parents albums and also to offer to OTHER family members. I tried doing a softcover small book from picaboo. I paid $25 with shipping and the prints were HORRIBLE and it looked like I had shot with a 1MP camera or something. Now i want to try blurb, but i thought- HEY why not ask on here first before sending off for it..!  :)

 so tell me your opinions... thanks guys!

jenn

I'll be watching this thread too.  I am also desperate to find a replacement for Art Leathers discontinued Foto Fun books - those things were awesome, and totally irreplaceable in my product line.  :o(

i know!! but there has to be a compnay out there that can give that kind of quality for a reasonable price.... we HAVE to find them!  :)

 

jkaeding:

i know!! but there has to be a compnay out there that can give that kind of quality for a reasonable price.... we HAVE to find them!  :)

 

Here   blurb  review. from photographers

http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=87351&highlight=blurb

I have gotten 2 books from blurb and am pleased.

jkaeding:

okay. i use asukabooks of rmy bridal albums and i really like them. Sometimes i wish they were on thicker paper and more substantial in the hands, but i love the idea that i can create it from scratch and do completly custom design my albums. I have been looking into cheaper options for parents albums and also to offer to OTHER family members. I tried doing a softcover small book from picaboo. I paid $25 with shipping and the prints were HORRIBLE and it looked like I had shot with a 1MP camera or something. Now i want to try blurb, but i thought- HEY why not ask on here first before sending off for it..!  :)

 so tell me your opinions... thanks guys!

jenn

50 States book is done through blurb and it is awesome.  I would highly recommend them.  They also just go new sizes as well.

I don't mean to hijack the thread but a local photographer just did a coffee table book through H&H Color lab.  I haven't seen it yet but he said it was good.  I was wondering if anyong has experience with this lab?

If it is the place i am thinking of- H&H is about 10 minutes from my house. ALOT of my friends have worked there- they hire from our college a lot. I haven't used them since they STILL haven't granted me an account, but i was at a friends house last night and her wall prints are from them and they are fantastic. When i was in college i used them for all my proofing (through our school account) and they were great.

I still like MIllers better but i don't know if they do books yet... what is H&H charging for them now? the books i mean

 

Thanks for the advice guys, how thick is a 40 page books, the pages look thin like asukas...

 
Vikki- i didn't realize you used blurb, very exciting.... thanks for letting me know!!
 

 

 

RE: H&H Color Lab

My wedding photographer used them and I thought that my proofs and prints turned out well. They are right here in KC, however, I've just been overly impressed with Mpix that I haven't even thought about going to another lab. Mpix is only 1 1/2 hrs. away.

RE: The photo books

I haven't printed through any of those companies but I hear great things from Blurb so i'm going to upload my nephew's senior album there. Prices seem reasonable! 

 

I use VisionArt for my upgrade album. I use Millers hard book w/mettalic jacket for the included album. They both are a big hit.

I definitely second VisionArt if you're looking for an asuka replacement. 

I haven't used blurb, but have been debating it for a more reasonable priced alternative.  I wouldn't ever give up VisionArt books, though for my clients who can afford it.

-meL

www.Photostreambooks.com heritage books are fantastic

I love blurb...  You can order a 'sample' book for $14.95 - I have a copy and it helped me decide to order from them.

ah-ha! a logo... THAT is the knid of thing i wanted to know.... thanks SO much!  :)

 it's like the ibooks... i like them as an alternative, but the apple logo in the back gets me. Asuka only has a small barcode on the last page... and i think even that can be removed...

But i'm gonna order the sample to check on their print quality and i will report back...

I'm also gonna check vision art.. they seem like a small company that caters to photographers? is that correct?
 

Natalie:

PS.... the blurb books do have the blurb logo on the back

It is a small logo on the last page.  The page can easily be removed with a razor knife.  It isn't on the book itself.  Just a page in the back.

ALSO good to know..! thanks AGAIN vikki...

i wish they would send out free samples everywhere that you could see for a week and then return or be charged...??? wouldn't that be nice?? 

rubysphoto:

I use VisionArt for my upgrade album. I use Millers hard book w/mettalic jacket for the included album. They both are a big hit.

 

I am not gonna be an official LLC until next week- so i cna't check Millers just yet.. can you give me a price range? and explin to me what metallic jacket means? I am hoping it is a slide in case -that would be fabulous!

Thanks! RubysPhoto 

I ordered Asuka's elite 10x10 book last week and I'm supposed to have it back by April. They say a 4 week turn around. I spent about 20 hours all told creating a 40 side 20 page book along with the jacket cover. You really have to be into photoshop to use it though since the reference everything in photoshop.My book has the hard binder that the book slides into. I don't know if I should have used Illustrator for the text (probably) so we'll see if that trashes it. I put up an online gallery of the pages and if anyone cares to have a look, the link is below. I didn't tell the bride that I was doing it so I didn't get any feedback from her until after she saw the gallery online. She now says that she wants to buy one... She's young, what can I say but it makes me feel good that she likes it. They give you 50% of your first order so I thought to try them out.

I tried getting sample books from Grafisoft but I ordered back in November and have't seen the sample books yet.

http://www.vistaphotos.net/photo_gallery/album/index.html

Jeff

 

Vistaphotography:

I ordered Asuka's elite 10x10 book last week and I'm supposed to have it back by April. They say a 4 week turn around. I spent about 20 hours all told creating a 40 side 20 page book along with the jacket cover. You really have to be into photoshop to use it though since the reference everything in photoshop.My book has the hard binder that the book slides into. I don't know if I should have used Illustrator for the text (probably) so we'll see if that trashes it. I put up an online gallery of the pages and if anyone cares to have a look, the link is below. I didn't tell the bride that I was doing it so I didn't get any feedback from her until after she saw the gallery online. She now says that she wants to buy one... She's young, what can I say but it makes me feel good that she likes it. They give you 50% of your first order so I thought to try them out.

I tried getting sample books from Grafisoft but I ordered back in November and have't seen the sample books yet.

http://www.vistaphotos.net/photo_gallery/album/index.html

Jeff

 

 

hey- jeff I have only used phgotoshop for all my designing for the books nad i have had no trouble with my text coming out. That is the same book i get with the sleeve and i really like it... I used my 50% for a friend to make her an album, but overall I am very pleased with them...(asuka)

I also have some of my layouts on my website if you'd like to take a peek...

What about trying mypublisher or photoworks for the less expensive version albums...and Miller's does offer books.

jkaeding:

rubysphoto:

I use VisionArt for my upgrade album. I use Millers hard book w/mettalic jacket for the included album. They both are a big hit.

 

I am not gonna be an official LLC until next week- so i cna't check Millers just yet.. can you give me a price range? and explin to me what metallic jacket means? I am hoping it is a slide in case -that would be fabulous!

Thanks! RubysPhoto 

The millers hard bound books are $50.00. It has 20 pages/40 sides 8x10 size. The jacket is like the books you buy that have a cover on it. You design the cover and spine as well.

If you want I can take a picture of it to show you.

 

rubysphoto:

jkaeding:

rubysphoto:

I use VisionArt for my upgrade album. I use Millers hard book w/mettalic jacket for the included album. They both are a big hit.

 

I am not gonna be an official LLC until next week- so i cna't check Millers just yet.. can you give me a price range? and explin to me what metallic jacket means? I am hoping it is a slide in case -that would be fabulous!

Thanks! RubysPhoto 

The millers hard bound books are $50.00. It has 20 pages/40 sides 8x10 size. The jacket is like the books you buy that have a cover on it. You design the cover and spine as well.

If you want I can take a picture of it to show you.

 

 

please do take a picture -- that would be fantastic! I can post an asuka picture if anyone wants to see one of those...

That is an amazing price! The asuka books 10x10 have their hard cover printed with a matching dust cover and are $183 for a 20 page 40 side book.

Do they have any other sizes? 

I think they only have 8x10 but that is just for the hardbound books. They do offer other albums but this is a nise book fo rthe price and it does push people to upgrade to the VisionArt album although recent people have started taking to this album.

 

very cool! thanks so much for the pics!

 

Peek? I would rather download them and have them as examples of what can be done.. Very nice! I think