Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Photo Organization: Blurb

Are you overwhelmed with all the pictures on your digital camera and have no idea what to do with them?  Do you have boxes full of prints or stacks of huge photo albums that take up alot of space?  I know I used to until I developed this awesome system using Blurb Booksmart.  It is easy to use, so don't be intimidated! 

After years of running back and forth to Walmart to pick up prints, buying stacks of photo albums that wouldn't fit nearly as many photos as I had, I knew I needed to make a change unless I wanted an entire room dedicated to photo albums someday.  That's when I found Blurb and downloaded Booksmart.  It goes right onto your computer and you can open it at any time without Internet connection.

The software tutorial will explain how to use it, but I have found it to be one of the easiest photo book softwares that I have ever used.  
First I will start a book for each year in January: My life in 2011. 
You will choose the size of your book.  For my regular albums I choose the standard 8x10 landscape.
Then as I take pictures throughout the year I will continue to upload them onto Booksmart. 
You can either go back later and create your pages, or do it right away and add journaling with each event.  I try to keep updating the book as I take pictures so that I can easily remember dates and details regarding the event....but I admit, sometimes I get a little behind!
Currently for this year I am already almost up to 350 pages.  Even though it may seem like it is getting large by the end of the year, it will still end up a lot thinner than a normal photo album.  I can spend anywhere up to $100 dollars on an album, however, when I added up the cost of prints and albums that I had been purchasing I found I was actually saving money by doing it this way.

Compared to other albums I have seen at other companies, I really like the quality of the bindings.  I have never had a problem with the pages ripping or coming out. 
I also usually upgrade to their Premium paper which adds under $10 to the cost.
If you search online you can usually find coupon codes that will take off shipping or up to 20% off which helps too.

I also chose to make our wedding album through Blurb.  Getting an album made can be SO expensive.  The cd of pictures came in our photography package which made it much cheaper for us doing it this way.  I love how it turned out and have gotten rave reviews from everyone who sees it.  I love being creative and am glad that I was able to make the album the way I wanted and imagined it to look.  For this album I went with their larger 11x13 size.
I also always choose the hardcover, compared to the image wrap.  I'm not a fan of hardcover books that have the paper wrapped around it because it's one more thing that can get ripped.
When you are finished with your book, it will take you through a spell check and preview to make sure everything is correct.  Then you hit Order Book and it will upload it online to their website where you can then order and choose the type of paper quality you would like.  It should be shipped to you within a few weeks.
At the end of the year I will always copy all of my photos onto a cd, label them, and save in a photo box.  This way if I ever need to go back to get something printed I have it. 
 
It is always an exciting day when I get a new album in the mail after putting it together for an entire year.  I will flip through it numerous times.  Anyone who comes over and looks through it will love the idea.  People are always looking for ways to organizing their photos and journal about events to remember the day, and this is a great way to do it. 

How do you organize your photos?
Have you ever tried another company to make a photo book?

2 comments:

  1. This is SO cute. I need to see these sometime! Adam and I never take pictures together but you have inspired us :) Love these.

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    1. I will definitely show them to you when you come over sometime! :)

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