Recommendation for Best Self-publishing in 2016?

[dave lackey]

It has been two years since I last published a photo essay. I have been happy with Adoramapix for quality and ease of use with the old computer system I had at the time. Now I about to begin a storyline, and editing photos, so I need your best recommendation for highest quality self-publishing.

In the last year I remember vaguely of some companies being mentioned, but they escape me at the moment.

Thank you in advance for any discussions on this topic.

 

[rogue_designer]

I've seen some of the recent Blurb options, and have been impressed with the consistency and quality. Sure it's not a Rizzoli monograph, but for the type of service, I was impressed.

 

[majid]

Adoramapix uses real photo paper and lay-flat binding, most others use HP Indigo digital presses, a process closer to offset quality, and book-style binding (curls towards the spine). Photo paper has better repro quality, but feels more like a wedding album and less like a book. All the big print-on-demand companies have their user stories of botched orders, but I've been favorably impressed by the quality of the MyPublisher books my father makes from my daughter's photos, specially considering the price.

 

[dave lackey]

I've seen some of the recent Blurb options, and have been impressed with the consistency and quality. Sure it's not a Rizzoli monograph, but for the type of service, I was impressed.

Thanks, I wound up with a couple of problems with Blurb years ago with a computer problem I could not correct. Not sure if it is better theses days. I was most concerned with pages falling out as happened with an art show I was working for and noticed the fragility of a book one of the artists submitted.

 

[dave lackey]

Adoramapix uses real photo paper and lay-flat binding, most others use HP Indigo digital presses, a process closer to offset quality, and book-style binding (curls towards the spine). Photo paper has better repro quality, but feels more like a wedding album and less like a book. All the big print-on-demand companies have their user stories of botched orders, but I've been favorably impressed by the quality of the MyPublisher books my father makes from my daughter's photos, specially considering the price.

Majid, thank you for that, I will check My Publisher.

I only do Limited Editions meaning in my mind 10 copies max., leather bound, with real photo paper prints. It seems there are different methods that I need to learn,

 

[majid]

Majid, thank you for that, I will check My Publisher.

I only do Limited Editions meaning in my mind 10 copies max., leather bound, with real photo paper prints. It seems there are different methods that I need to learn,

Then MyPublisher won't cut it. You'll need to look at Adoramapix, MPIX, AsukaBook or the like. Avoid Artisan State, their pricing may be attractive but the product is not in the same class (orange-peel effect).

 

[mani]

I've used Blurb for a while - designing and compiling the book from Lightroom. This may not be of interest to the OP, who seems to need a professional publisher, but here are some general impressions, for anyone who's interested:

The good:
- the Lightroom module is really good, although some elements are a little clunky, particularly text layout (which often insists on reverting to default settings, instead of my carefully saved presets);
- the printing so far has been very faithful to my onscreen version;
- the linen-covered books are really nicely produced, and don't feel like they're ever going to fall apart;
- the premium matte paper is good quality and doesn't have any show-through;
- the printing is pretty nice, although looking very closely will show the dots of the raster in large blocks of the same color;
- the whole process is pretty frictionless;
- once a month there are considerable discounts (often 35-40%);

The bad:
- the soft-covers are horrendous: shiny, cheap-looking flimsy card. People have complained about this on the forum for many years, but Blurb seems indifferent to the demand for nicer soft-covers;
- when ordering a book, the order doesn't reflect the settings for paper-choices and finishes that you specify in the Lightroom module. These always have to be updated manually from some arbitrary choice that Blurb have decided you want. Wish it was possible to save all those settings (I usually want to do exactly the same style book, with different content).
- I found the Proline Papers (more expensive than the Premium papers) to have too much texture. The Proline uncoated absorbed too much ink for my liking also. My advice would be to stick with the Premium choices;
- the base prices seem to have gone up quite considerably the last year (I think?);
- the way text-formatting is handled in the Lightroom module is a general pain (see above);
- the delivery cost is comparitively high when ordering a single book;

 

[jesse1dog]

I've used Blurb and been reasonably happy - the only major issue I had was their inability to print onto a coloured background a picture that had a fine white border. Blurb can't do it. They know this and intend to do nothing about it. So there are print limitations.
I agree about the Blurb paper choice mentioned above.
For my last three books I have made my own!
I got individual photos printed on photo paper and achieved better reproduction than I got from Blurb printing.
I then made my own photo book to the size I wanted on the paper that I chose with a cover I wanted. It took time but the results were unique. If you have bookmaking skills this is a possible way to go although I wouldn't fancy making 10 books at a time.
One of my concertina books is illustrated in my Gallery pics.

 

[willie_901]

With apologizes for semi-hijacking this thread:

Does anyone know of an on-line publisher that offers true monochrome printing for photo books?

 

[amirko]

With apologizes for semi-hijacking this thread:

Does anyone know of an on-line publisher that offers true monochrome printing for photo books?

Any printer who does offset (usually 300 copies and up) which means $3K+, even from overseas. Indigo is a hit and miss...mostly miss...places like Adorama are better in this regard, but the prices are too high for any meaningful run.
My experience...I printed ~8 different books (not mine) on Blurb, some sold around 100 copies; all B&W photos either bluish or greenish, never completely neutral, some to the point that the book had to be re-printed, some acceptable, but never true B&W. Costly, too. All in all I'm done with Blurb.
MyPublished is overpriced, the design is a joke, the quality is on pair with the best of Blurb, printed few books there, will be no more. Its also HP Indigo but it looks like they do all printing in-house or at least through one printer (unlike Blurb).
There is also Magcloud, now part of Blurb. I used them for the magazines (2) and soft covers (3). They also print on Indigo press, quality is not bad, same as MyPublisher or the best of Blurb, but not true B&W. The price is very good but the choices of paper/formats are very limited. Tried a spiral bond they have, printed a couple of different books and liked the result. Not absolutely neutral, but not bad.
The last one I used was Createspace. The place prints the trade paperbacks only; for the particular project it was a good match (high contrast images in the style of "PROVOKE"), but I am sure for the most here its not an option. Softcover only, matte paper, good quality perfect bound. The images were monochrome, scanned from the author's darkroom prints and the result was reasonably neutral. The price is great, but again, it will not fit every project as the quality is not your regular coffee table book.

 

[willie_901]

amirko

Thanks for sharing what you've learned.

 

[nongfuspring]

The best way is always to work with a local print lab. If you are able to establish a relationship with the print shop you'll be able to do test prints and experiment with the printing process, and they'll be able to better understand what you're looking for. It's slower, more difficult, but ultimately more rewarding than doing it online since you'll better be able to understand the process and discover options you may have not known about otherwise. Learning to lay out in InDesign isn't that hard especially if you're mainly working with photos.

I know people that take photography really seriously, spend a lot of money on gear, but when it comes to printing they just take the easiest and cheapest option. Don't be that guy.

 

[anorak]

Hello there!

I'm looking for a good printing company here in Europe to print the pages of a book (25 copies, 650 pages in total). I'll be doing the binding by myself. Preferably offset printing, but it can be digital printing if they can handle black and white images without any colour cast. Shipping to France is a must.

Or should I invest in an ink jet printer and print the pages at home? Is this route a cost effective solution?

 

[lawrence]

I printed ~8 different books (not mine) on Blurb, some sold around 100 copies; all B&W photos either bluish or greenish, never completely neutral, some to the point that the book had to be re-printed, some acceptable, but never true B&W.

I've had the same problem with Blurb - always a greenish cast. However I think the answer may be not to print b&w but to print in colour and then adjust the tone accordingly. So I will try Blurb again but this time save my PNGs in RGB rather than grayscale and see if this works.

 

[cz23]

Are you guys following Blurb's B&W instructions and converting your files to CMYK? My experience has been that if followed carefully, grayscale images will be neutral.

http://www.blurb.com/guides/color_management/prep_bw_pdf

John

 

[Zonan]

I've been pleased with MyPublisher over the past few years. Only had one problem with a badly-printed page, called them, they reprinted and overnighted a replacement without any hassle.

 

[lawrence]

Are you guys following Blurb's B&W instructions and converting your files to CMYK? My experience has been that if followed carefully, grayscale images will be neutral.

http://www.blurb.com/guides/color_management/prep_bw_pdf

John

Thanks for the link.

Lawrence

 

[nongfuspring]

Hello there!

I'm looking for a good printing company here in Europe to print the pages of a book (25 copies, 650 pages in total). I'll be doing the binding by myself. Preferably offset printing, but it can be digital printing if they can handle black and white images without any colour cast. Shipping to France is a must.

Or should I invest in an ink jet printer and print the pages at home? Is this route a cost effective solution?

I would call some local companies first and see what they can offer. Commercial printing companies are almost always significantly faster and cheaper than printing from home, usually much better also.