Page 48 - Photo Review

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so it's worth checking out sample designs graphics, such as maps and diagrams.
to see if they suit your purpose and are The number of photos you require depends
aesthetically pleasing. on the kind of book being produced and its
Some services require you to sign up for purpose. Most photobooks contain between
'membership' in order to download a template, 50 and 100 images.
while others provide the templates online. Shorter books work best with a single theme.
:HE EDVHG WHPSODWHV DUH ÀQH IRU OD\LQJ RXW It might be a trip of a lifetime, a family get-
basic books but downloadable software will give together or special event like a wedding or
\RX PXFK PRUH ÁH[LELOLW\ DQG FUHDWLYH FRQWURO special birthday. Make sure all the images you
Look for templates that allow you plenty of choose relate to one another and tell the 'story'
opportunities to revise your layout, and to save of the book in a visual way. Select a couple of
the project and come back to it later. You will images that are graphically strong to use on the
probably change your mind several times during cover and/or for the leading pages.
the layout process so you need a service that Longer books work well if a subject is
lets you rearrange images or move them to complex and/or portrays a substantial duration
different pages. of time. They are ideal when compiling family
Check out the options for adding or reducing histories or compilations of recipes to hand on
Presentation boxes add cachet to important projects
the number of pages or swapping to a different to coming generations. It's important to keep all
as well as making them more durable. (Source: Nulab.)
template. Some templates let you change the of the contents tightly focused on the theme to
number of pages without having to delete or maintain a sense of consistency and continuity.
should be available in most public libraries.
add pictures, although you may need to adjust Edit the images as you select them. Don't be
It provides a useful overview and some names
the number of images on some pages. Some afraid to cull those you have any doubts about.
of companies to investigate when narrowing
programs only allow you to insert or delete <RX UH PRUH OLNHO\ WR EH VDWLVÀHG ZLWK WKH HQG
your choices.
pages one at a time, while others limit this result if you only choose the best shots from
You may have to scan through a dozen or
function to double page spreads. your collection.
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One thing to look out for is how the templates Decide upon any text you will include.
page and book sizes, design features and
handle layouts that extend photographs over two Inevitably your book will need a title. You may
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pages. Although these double-page spreads allow also want to add captions to pictures.
book in a way you like and at a price you can
you to have the photo printed at the maximum These can be simply the time and date when
afford. Some services restrict books to around
size (which is more impressive), the image can be the shot was taken plus a place name or other
20 pages while others can print books with
interrupted by the 'gutter' created by the binding LGHQWLÀHU $OWHUQDWLYHO\ \RX PLJKW ZDQW WR SURYLGH
between 200 and 400 pages.
(see below). a detailed explanation of the picture's contents
Prices for services are usually determined
and its relevance to the publication.
by the size and thickness of the book, the type
Organising the contents Some people like to include their diary
of paper used, the quality of the printing and
The next step involves gathering together entries for the trip. Make sure you correct any
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all the resources you will use: images, text and spelling and/or punctuation mistakes and
pay considerably more for larger, thicker books,
which usually require heavier paper and bindings.
Add-ons like presentation boxes and sleeves will
increase the overall cost of a project but make it
more attractive and more durable, adding to its
long-term value.
Check out the different ways the service
provides for importing photos into templates.
Most will let you import photos from your
computer as well as external storage drives,
cloud services and Dropbox. Some can upload
images from hosting sites such as Flickr or social
networks such as Facebook or Instagram.
Take your time when choosing a service and
look for value for money, rather than choosing
the cheapest option available. Photobooks can
become valuable heirlooms so it's worth doing a
good job right from the start.

Choosing a template
Almost all services are template-based,
which makes laying out the book relatively easy. &DKRRWV (DV\ 'HVLJQHU VRIWZDUH SURYLGHV D JUHDW GHDO RI ÁH[LELOLW\ SOXV D QXPEHU RI DWWUDFWLYH WHPSODWHV WR XVH DV
But many of the templates aren't customisable, a starting point. (Source: Cahoots.)

46 PHOTOREVIEW AUSTRALIA | Issue 75 www.photoreview.com.au