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Blurb book = disasters ?

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
I can hardly believe how photographers like Jean Paul Caponigro just to name one among many, sells with success his books through Blurb in such a medium with so poor quality. Perhaps his are made special.

I have just received two books by Blurb which I was wishing to sell on line. I gave up.
Both black and white photography Portraits and Street Photography - India and both are complete disasters.
The cover is not B&W, it is bluish. The images inside have different tones, on the right bluish, on the left an acceptable B&W but the next pages are reversed, the left is bluish and the right is correct. Sad.

That depends of course on the viewer, how demanding he is when looking at the book. I do know people who looks at blurred photos and say they are very nice. It is incredible.

Blurb has been investing strongly in publicity and promotions lately. I believed them but I can't be doing so in the near future.
I prefer to get a box and collect my images one by one/separated with correct printing - what is more expensive obviously - than having books which I am not proud of.

i-fRsCBdg-XL.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Antonio,

I'm surprised and disappointed too. What a waste of your time. Is it possible for them to correct their error? Did you order one test book? I'm not familiar with what the upfront costs are.

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Antonio,

I'm surprised and disappointed too. What a waste of your time. Is it possible for them to correct their error? Did you order one test book? I'm not familiar with what the upfront costs are.

Asher


I e-mailed them and I will be waiting for some kind of help.

I spent 70 € but from now on I will print my images on sight on the shop and place them inside a sophisticated box.

It is more expensive but I control everything

Thank you Asher for your concern :)
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I e-mailed them and I will be waiting for some kind of help.

Well, they had better listen to you!

I spent 70 € but from now on I will print my images on sight on the shop and place them inside a sophisticated box.

It is more expensive but I control everything

I have bought some printed works from michael Reichman. One is a portfolio of handmade prints in a nice box and the other is in a book. I'll look over them again and report back.

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Well, they had better listen to you! I have bought some printed works from michael Reichman. One is a portfolio of handmade prints in a nice box and the other is in a book. I'll look over them again and report back. Asher

Thank you Asher :)
I also read about the links LensWork gives.

http://www.danecreekfolios.com/ for example.
But I have to find something nearby. :)

Perhaps it was all my mistake because I working with the wrong profile. But if the images are on line how can I control that ?
Oh well ... :)
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
This is disappointing to hear, Anotonio. I was about to produce one myself.

As alternative to portfolio boxes, you could try a handmade chapbook. TOP recently had a post on making them.

John

Yes it is disappointing John but I can't help it, can I ?? :)

I will have a look at the boxes. I remember seing in LensWork - in fact I am not sure anymore if it was there - Brooks Jensen making a box.

... some minutes later after surfing and insisting a bit...

I found it ! It's here. He teaches how to make a Folio ! and a box !
I must go and see it carefully !

Thank you for the link John :)
 
The problem with Blurb is that black and white photographs are printed in four-color, not in grayscale, and there is often a color tint to them. Great photograph, by the way.

I, too, never wanted to publish a book i was not proud of. So I formed Lodima Press (www.lodimapress.com). My first book, Landscapes 1975-1979, was awarded Le Grand Prix du Livre at the Arles Festival in 1981. Then Paula Chamlee and I published a number of books of our own photographs and beginning in 2000 we began publishing books by other photographers as well. Most of our books are printed in 600-libe screen quadtone--the highest possible reproduction quality obtainable. We have published books by Edward Weston, a 19-volume series of the photographs of Brett Weston, and books by a number of other distinguished photographers, as well as books by virtually unknown photographers. We also act as consultants for other's books.

Michael A. Smith
 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
Perhaps it was all my mistake because I working with the wrong profile. But if the images are on line how can I control that ?

I never tried blurb, but do they give you print profiles? Can you attach the profiles to your pictures? If yes, that may improve things (if the printer is competent).

Another advice is to try to avoid pure B&W. Photoshop offers a duotone function which can be used to give an interesting "tint" to your pictures. You won't use it to print real duotones with blurb, but the results converted back to CMYK usually give better prints than neutral B&W.
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
They have indeed profiles and guide lines to follow.

I gave up to print through them. As told before, I go to the nearest shop and print "at sight".

I can do that. The lab is small and the talk with the photographer is personal and interesting with him helping. Very close relation ship and ... friendly.

:)
 
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