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Thread: Blurb Photos Books

  1. #1
    arca andy's Avatar
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    Blurb Photos Books

    Hi Folks
    I am sure you must have had a thread on this before, but here goes.....
    I have just published a small photo book through Blurb for my Clients Xmas presents and I was wondering have any of you made good money through publishing and selling your book through Blurb. I ask as I may use Blurb to promote future projects.
    Ta Andy
    'Life is tough, but its tougher when you're stupid' John Wayne

  2. #2

    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    The books are so expensive, that the one time I sold them at an exhibition I sold them at a small loss just so people would have them

  3. #3

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    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    Not good money, I mark the soft cover up $2 and the hard-wrapped cover $8. I've made about $140 this year.

    And smut sells!

    Seriously, I do get random sales, just not that many of them. And I know I have a decent book, better than most of them at least. I promote it lightly on my Facebook page (and here for example) to guilt my friends into buying one, otherwise there isn't a lot to do in terms of promotion other than entering their book contests and word of mouth.

    I find their quality control to be running about 20%, as in one out of five have an issue. But their customer service is excellent -- just allow time for reprints.

  4. #4

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    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    Folks,

    A few weeks ago, I discovered that Blurb processes numerous books in Calgary, and I was invited to witness the complete process. A very fascinating experience, especially watching the $500k HP printer at work that seems to be about the size of a household fridge, while another HP printer sat idle waiting for a part from Italy. The books are processed within a floor space that happens to be a bit fewer than 2000 sqft (186 m2).

    The resultant pages were bound and covered in a very clean environment, wrapped to specific orders and destinations, and then placed onto a delivery vehicle by the late afternoon. I must say that the finished work I managed to view with great brevity, was quite impressive, and although I was not allowed to handle any book, the company owner extracted a hardcover sample for a few moments to review the product's fit and finish. I was told that you could order one book or hundreds, and the order would be quickly filled.

    I was surprised to see the shear volume of books published on a daily basis from several authors...

    jim k

  5. #5

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    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    Andy, have a look at MagCloud.com. It's an HP-run print-on-demand service aimed at magazines, but if you can live with perfect bound glossy paper it's a cheaper way of getting reasonable quality colour into people's hands.

    I'm working on publishing each aspect of a larger project as 'magazines' as a simple, affordable alternative to one big book that nobody buys.

    This is a second hand recommendation, as I'm still scanning and trying to learn In Design, but people I trust say the results are as good as Blurb photo books, if you can live with the way a magazine feels in the hands.

  6. #6

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    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    I bought Frank's book and was surprised at the quality of the printing. The images were great, but I already knew that.:-) I am still trying to wrap my mind around the pricing. If we see these as individual art objects like prints, they are really cheap. If they are competing with the latest Nora Roberts novel, they are really expensive.

    If you are not a Lenswork subscriber, check out the www site and see what Brooks is doing with the Ipad. He had a throughtful essay in the magazine about his trepidation at moving to images on the screen from prints, but he is convinced that he has to move to screens to survive.

    It may be that the alt process folks have the right long term strategy - as we become an ever more cheap commerical goods society, the wealthy will want to own one of a kind objects.

  7. #7
    Out of Plumb
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    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    I have a Unibind system that I use to make handouts for one of the classes that I teach. The machine was a few hundred bucks and the plain splines are about a buck apiece. The hard cover fake leather books are about 8 bucks. I've started making photo albums using this system and the turn out really nice. You just have to make sure that the resin is completely melted to the pages.

    http://www.unibind.com/site/covers/c...book-resin.php
    Paul Ward

    First real camera: Nikon F2, gift from gandfather (1980), still have and use it.
    Wista m45 4x5
    Calumet Green Monster
    Agfa 8x10 Field Camera

    “A big negative is really a positive…”

  8. #8

    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Richards;
    as we become an ever more cheap commerical goods society, the wealthy will want to own one of a kind objects.
    Ed my wife is a painter and twice has offered limited editions of hand made books corresponding to prints in her current exhibition. The first book was very elaborate and archivally printed on rag paper and was offered in an edition of nine. Each book sold for nine hundred dollars and sold out immediately. One is in the Yale library special collections. The second bok was much smaller and less elaborate and sold for four hundred dollars each and a dozen were produced. they were offered at her October show and two are unsold. Most buyers also purchase paintings. Some purchase two paintings. The average buyer spends a total of $3000 to $6000 per purchase.

    I'm thinking about producing a very limited edition book of my B&W documentary work. I want it to be the best I can have produced. I'm thinking of no more than a dozen in the edition and selling it with either a single archival silver gelatin print mounted and cased in a linen presentation case or possibly a ten print portfolio of archival silver gelatin prints in a linen presentation case. The book would contain fifty to sixty B&w images. The price would have to be high But it would be aimed at the collector and marketed through my galleries.

    You're correct that people with disposable income want one of a kind objects.

    I'm not trying to get somethig started but I think part of this is responsible for the higher value of handmade prints vs inkjet. In my gallery sales I find the serious collector will buy my platinum prints and the couple decorating their home buy the digital prints. There are very few serious collectors than decorators.

  9. #9

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    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    Quote Originally Posted by ataim View Post
    I have a Unibind system that I use to make handouts for one of the classes that I teach. The machine was a few hundred bucks and the plain splines are about a buck apiece. The hard cover fake leather books are about 8 bucks. I've started making photo albums using this system and the turn out really nice. You just have to make sure that the resin is completely melted to the pages.

    http://www.unibind.com/site/covers/c...book-resin.php
    I also have this system and it seems to work just fine. So far the bindings have held up well, but they (the bindings) are probably not as good as the stitched ones from a Blurb product. But of course the printed images are much nicer. The other trade-off is the time. With Blurb, you just reorder, with the Unibind system, you have to print everything again. And Unibind has an entry level heating element for $99 (through Pakor.com). I happen to use 12x12 inch covers (available in different thicknesses) and they turn out quite nicely. There are several double sided papers out there if you want to use both sides. I happen to use Ilford's smooth luster duo, a very nice paper.

    I have been able to sell a few books for $175. More than covers the product cost, but if you figure in time, I probably make about $.25/hour doing this. Just thought I would mention this alternative. (I will try Blurb in the near future to see how their product looks.) Jim

  10. #10

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    Re: Blurb Photos Books

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becia View Post
    (I will try Blurb in the near future to see how their product looks.) Jim
    Jim, I made one Blurb book

    http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/307981

    as a present to a fellow photographer a couple of years ago. Not large format pictures, just 35mm stuff I knew he'd get a kick out of.

    It was very easy to create the book, and I've been happy with customer service and the quailty of the paper, binding, and printing.

    I've also purchased Blurb books by others (including the Kodachrome-hater Petronio) and have been impressed by the quality.

    FWIW, I recommend you give it a try.

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