who do you use to publish your books?

[faraz]

I've just sold the last copies of my small run of books featuring around 50 sepia and selenium toned prints. Printing to satisfaction was a challenge.

The trouble with Blurb and any digital printing is colour consistency and its particularly bad for BnW. It's almost impossible to control small colour shifts through even a small print run since the greys are made up of CMYK and even the slightest shift is obvious in BnW. I had differences in tone in a single run of 25 books, let alone between runs. Pro photobooks are always litho printed often duo-litho for BnW. The exact black and other inks are set from the start and can be tested until correct. Then only those inks are used and the whole process ensures consistency. Litho can use more paper types and uncoated paper in particular doesn't look great on digital. However due to the overhead it's only worth it if you're doing at least 200 and many printers won't even consider it for less than 1000 copies.

Happy I was able to produce a book, but open a Nazraeli Press book for example and the difference in print quality is night and day.

I used Mixam print in the UK btw

[Paul Ron]

I've just sold the last copies of my small run of books featuring around 50 sepia and selenium toned prints. Printing to satisfaction was a challenge.

The trouble with Blurb and any digital printing is colour consistency and its particularly bad for BnW. It's almost impossible to control small colour shifts through even a small print run since the greys are made up of CMYK and even the slightest shift is obvious in BnW. I had differences in tone in a single run of 25 books, let alone between runs. Pro photobooks are always litho printed often duo-litho for BnW. The exact black and other inks are set from the start and can be tested until correct. Then only those inks are used and the whole process ensures consistency. Litho can use more paper types and uncoated paper in particular doesn't look great on digital. However due to the overhead it's only worth it if you're doing at least 200 and many printers won't even consider it for less than 1000 copies.

Happy I was able to produce a book, but open a Nazraeli Press book for example and the difference in print quality is night and day.

I used Mixam print in the UK btw

thanks giga...

Yeah I know exactly what you mean about color consistancy thats a good reason to use a better publiching house with all the PITA featurs of publiching a real book. BUt yeah as you say... you get what you pay for.

The old fellas who arent really digitally in this century form teh old school were curious to the process n since so many people are doing it, they would like to join in the fun of publishing their own works. I doubt anyone is going over 10 copies at most n as far as selling... well they do great work in the darkroom... but scanning is going to be a challenge and may cost more than the books. and to compund the cheap look. mmm yeah but it may be lots of fun as a personal busy project.

Maybe we will give a go with blurb for starters. Its not all that expensive according to their site prices plus it a print on demand situation.

thanks for the tips guys.