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Photo Books: Having Fun With Your Digital Pictures

Saturday, February 15th

Photo Books: Having Fun with Your Digital Pictures

Today's digital cameras allow us to have more fun, do more experimenting, and cavalierly click away, taking candid shots that can become the icons of our lives. If you don't like the shot, delete it and take another. Cost per image is no longer an issue.

Once we load the contents of the memory card onto our computer, software programs, such as PhotoShop, give us the opportunity to take the images we want to keep and make them even better. It is possible to shrink or enlarge the photo, crop it, rotate it, change the color intensity, lift it out of context and plunk it down somewhere else. Doing this is great fun, in and of itself. The only drawback is not many people get to enjoy your effort since, for the most part, the improved images are on your own electronic gadgets.

Enter the photo book. Now the fun of creating a tangible, customized memento of your life event is available to anyone who can click and drag.

The photo book creation software programs usually do not have the options to manipulate digital photographs, after that solvable drawback however, about the only thing limiting your creative efforts is your imagination.

For those with minimal computer skills, or time to work on a photo book project, you can still have lots of fun using the photo book creation software's templates. The templates, with their preset placement and preset sized photograph holes, guide you through the customizing processes with ease and speed.

Real fun, for those with a yen to make a truly personalized photographic record, can be had by using all the options available in the photo book software.

A rule of thumb is, when it comes to photo books, less is more. Take your time choosing just the right image. Pick one that captures the fun, beauty and soul of the moment you want to share. Make that one great photo the focal point of a page. If you feel the need to augment the central photo, choose small images that expand on the theme of the page.

When it comes to the story you want to tell in your photo book, choose only pictures which support the overall theme. No matter how great a particular photo may be, if it doesn't fit the story line, don't shoehorn in it. In this one instance, making brutal choices can be a fun activity. Work hard on arranging the sequence of your pages. Advance your story, logically; from beginning to end or from a large overview to a specific viewpoint or vice versa.

The photo book creation software has a myriad of options for including text in your book. Spend the time choosing a font that is pleasant to your eye and easy to read, and then stick with it throughout your photo book. Write your descriptions, captions and commentary and live with what you've composed for a few days before committing them to permanence on the pages.

Editing what you have included in your photo book is essential for a good product. Get a second opinion from someone who shared in the original fun or from someone to whom the story is news. It's a fun thing to do and worth the effort.

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Photo Book Company FAQ

Photo Books are available year-round, ranging in celebration type, shapes and sizes. Photobooks can be used for any life event, keeping the memory within wedding albums, yearbooks, travel adventures, and more. A lot of companies allow the customer to pick a style and size to best fit for the occasion. When it comes to the type of cover, many companies have softcover, image-wrap hardcover, debossed hardcover, flush mount, or deluxe hardcover, to name a few.
Depending on the size, and type, the number of photos can range from 50 to 800 per photo book. On average a typical photobook has about 20 pages that are customizable. Each page can contain several photos and if you run out of pages, most companies will add a page for an additional cost.
Photo books range in value of $15.99 to $39.99 depending on the company, size, material, style, and number of pages. Some companies offer discounts upon first purchase and include monthly free promos. Cover styles can include softcover, hardcover, and leather. Paper type options can range from the base type of semi-gloss finish to premium matte lay flat.
Photo books come in all shapes and sizes. Standard photo books normally start at 8.5-inch x 8.5-inch and can get larger or smaller. The maximum size available is 12-inch x 12-inch. The minimum size offered is 5.5-inch x 4-inch. Some companies do offer layout size options as well.
Delivery can take anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks depending on the what you order. Bulk deliveries may take longer than the normal to receive. Shipping costs vary on the specific service and size of the package.
Most companies have you start out with picking either a theme/style of photobook, whether it is modern, simple, birthday, wedding, you name it they will have it. Then you select the size of the photobook and the type of cover and paper within. Finally, the fun begins, insert photos. For some people it may be easier to have the photos already downloaded on your device before you upload them to the photobook
Customization can differ per company. Customization can include size, style, type, format, color, font, quality, page style, and number of pages. Some companies offer bulk bundles of photo books (like yearbooks for schools).
Depending on the company, if you are not satisfied with your purchase you can return your product with a full refund. Most companies offer a customer satisfaction guarantee and excellent customer service options. Make sure to check the site has a customer satisfaction guarantee before purchasing.
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