I was looking into a good format to for getting a 365 photobook, and after googling and reading many people's blogs, I found that I very much like the idea of a monthly book.
By putting all the photos for a month in a book, you can give all of them all the room they deserve, it doesn't cost you that much at the end of the year in one go, and you get to treat yourself every month with the result of what you have made. I'm already really looking forward now to finishing the first month, instead of just finishing the whole year :-)
This is the format I have drafted right now:
Now, I'd be interested to hear how you go about this. Do you have any creative ideas? I did look into digitally scrapbooking a book, but that became too much to keep up with. 1 photo a day, scrapbooking it, finding designs for the scrapproject. In short, I scrapped that, not my thing :-)
Also, I think I'm going to try blurb.com for making the photobook. It's available for me as well in the Netherlands (not every photoprinter works internationally). Anyone have experiences with them? From their software, I really liked their templates for creating all kinds of books and pages.
I know this topic seems a lot like the Printing Pictures topic, but I'm more interested in knowing how you would format your book. My blurb question is just a side note ;-)
Looking forward to your thoughts and inspirations!
Raymond
I use a MAC and have created an album for my 365 day project. I am going to turn it into a music video and burn DVD's for gifts for my family and I will also make a book.
I create a 12x12 photo book for my husband every year and give it to him for a Christmas gift - we are on number 5. I previously printed through Shutterfly or Apple. I am thinking about using Apple for this project.
I have used blurb a few times and pretty happy with the book quality, certainly better then then ones at Target or Wal-Mart.
I was thinking I would do one book for the year, 1 week per book turn so I could do 6 on the left and a nice big one on the right, I could divide up 3 and 4 or 5 and 2, what ever makes sense for the week. That way the bad pics are still in there but I don't think they need their own page.
Another idea I had was to do this quarterly but in looking at prices, its cheaper just to add more pages onto the book rather than design a new book. And if I did a Book turn per week thats just over 100 pages, not a bad size for me.
i was also going to use blurb and do a weeks worth of pictures per double page spread, making the nicer photos larger components on the page. i feel like a month makes the photos too small to really appreciate, and you can't really play with the sizes, as they need to maintain a grid calendar like format that i find restricting.
I have only started doing Project 365 December 1st 2009. Each day I take my picture and do a little blurb, I transfer it directly to my on line book. I had a book made in September for my daughter's wedding and they did an absolutely beautiful job. So I figured I would make one for my Project 365. The book has a layout capability of up to 16 photos per page or only 1 plus text. I strongly recommend this and it is very reasonable. The cost is very reasonable and the quality excellent. For 24 pages with a jacket with photos on the front and back, delivered to me for $50 canadian. The website is www.photoinpress.ca - check it out. Well worth it.
I've been thinking about making a book from my 365 project photos too. And yes, probably monthly so it's a bit more affordable. However, I think I will try an old fashioned approach and just get them printed at the photo lab, and mount them in a black album, with my text printed underneath. I love looking through photo albums. I don't look through photo 'books' as much as I do through the albums. Nostalgic maybe?
I'm definately going to make a book. I'm busy digitally scrapbooking each week onto a 12x12 inch size page along with journaling. Kind of keeping a record daily for a year. You can see some of mine here: http://www.weedsandwildflowersdesign.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1093
Also, at Weeds & Wildflowers (where my gallery is), you can purchase ready-made digital "Life 365 Quick pages" pages, all you do is add your photos and a bit of journaling and you're done. Very quick and easy. They are also provided in .PSD format for those who want to change them a bit. They are all themed for Project 365, so you don't have much to do really.
Personally, I designed my pages from scratch and used the same background for all of them. I use the same fonts & simply change the basic layout each week to suit the photos I took (i.e. portrait or landscape).
I do however also like the idea of printing monthly, that's certainly an incentive as it'll be great to look forward each month to the printed book instead of waiting a whole year.
I like the idea of doing a week at a time and giving more space to the better photos. I was thinking about breaking it up by season but I started mid-winter so that might not work.
I still have plenty of time to think this one over though.
Hi Veronica, I took a browse through your gallery, and it is what I had in mind when I attempted scrapbooking it, but it didn't really work out for me. What you have setup is very nice though, great mix of photos and journaling. I really love it.
Maybe I'll give it a go for a final yearbook. I will definately bookmark the link, thanks for that!
The last 2 years I made a blurb book of my photos.
I am digital scrapbooker as well & both books are a mix of photos and digi layouts. I can't scrap every photo. I can't even manage doing a weekly page but what I did do was over the course of the year create at least 3 pages each month using P365 photos. I did a 9 photos on the 9th of 2009 every month and scrapped that as well. Then mixed them in chronologically in the square sized photo book
This year I am doing about 14 different theme photos every month and then at the end of the year I will put together 14 different layouts with 12 photos each as "A Year of..." (self portraits, sunsets, dinner out, groceries, etc. There are always a ton of Year in Review templates available at that time to make it extra easy) and then assemble them & the remaining photos into another Blurb book.
oh wow, great Idea! I am a newbie, but it would be neat to have a book printed to show progress as I'm learning and to pass down to my kids, grandkids. I was messing around with blurb so far I like it. Maybe I can do it in Vol. 1 Jan-March with 4 pics on a page until I get good.
I'm a digi-scrapper and am doing a page a week - I've just finished week 4!
If anyone would like to see my pages....here's a link - and feel free to leave me a comment!
Hi Raymond,
I have done a couple of books of trips overseas and found a few little tips that make the photos have a big impact in books.
1. you don't always have to put a photo on every page. Often if I have a "stand out" photo, I will put it on one page so that it prints all the way to the edges, and then keep the page next to it either white or black.
2. create a panorama across two pages. Not sure if BLURB helps you with this, but this is a great way to also create interest
3. Try not to put too many photos on one page - 3 max, and usually the next page should be one or none.
4. for variety, change sizes of photos or position them slightly off centre for interest.
Good luck
Followed your example Johnna, made a vid for januari as well using Animoto. Ross posted an article on them earlier as well, and they make really nice clips.
I watch it! Great Job. I love watching my old videos and know that my children will cherish them when they are old and gray and have children of their own.
I have been making monthly books, makes for a cool series. I have only printed about 6 so far - I am way behind. They are expensive but worth it. I also print out a couple to frame each month. Planning on making a big 365 book - possibly with Blurb but have been using Aperture.
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I create a 12x12 photo book for my husband every year and give it to him for a Christmas gift - we are on number 5. I previously printed through Shutterfly or Apple. I am thinking about using Apple for this project.
I was thinking I would do one book for the year, 1 week per book turn so I could do 6 on the left and a nice big one on the right, I could divide up 3 and 4 or 5 and 2, what ever makes sense for the week. That way the bad pics are still in there but I don't think they need their own page.
Another idea I had was to do this quarterly but in looking at prices, its cheaper just to add more pages onto the book rather than design a new book. And if I did a Book turn per week thats just over 100 pages, not a bad size for me.
Also, at Weeds & Wildflowers (where my gallery is), you can purchase ready-made digital "Life 365 Quick pages" pages, all you do is add your photos and a bit of journaling and you're done. Very quick and easy. They are also provided in .PSD format for those who want to change them a bit. They are all themed for Project 365, so you don't have much to do really.
Personally, I designed my pages from scratch and used the same background for all of them. I use the same fonts & simply change the basic layout each week to suit the photos I took (i.e. portrait or landscape).
I do however also like the idea of printing monthly, that's certainly an incentive as it'll be great to look forward each month to the printed book instead of waiting a whole year.
I still have plenty of time to think this one over though.
Maybe I'll give it a go for a final yearbook. I will definately bookmark the link, thanks for that!
I am digital scrapbooker as well & both books are a mix of photos and digi layouts. I can't scrap every photo. I can't even manage doing a weekly page but what I did do was over the course of the year create at least 3 pages each month using P365 photos. I did a 9 photos on the 9th of 2009 every month and scrapped that as well. Then mixed them in chronologically in the square sized photo book
This year I am doing about 14 different theme photos every month and then at the end of the year I will put together 14 different layouts with 12 photos each as "A Year of..." (self portraits, sunsets, dinner out, groceries, etc. There are always a ton of Year in Review templates available at that time to make it extra easy) and then assemble them & the remaining photos into another Blurb book.
I just did a review of my 2009 book on my blog http://www.havocandmayhem.com/2010/01/2009-photo-book.html
and this is the post I did about my 2008 book http://www.havocandmayhem.com/2009/01/2008-project-365-book-arrived.html
The price for what you get is fantastic!
Go for the premium paper though, to do your pictures justice.
If anyone would like to see my pages....here's a link - and feel free to leave me a comment!
http://oneonethreesixfive.blogspot.com/search/label/layouts
so at the end of the year I'll have a 52 page book....can't wait! xx
I have done a couple of books of trips overseas and found a few little tips that make the photos have a big impact in books.
1. you don't always have to put a photo on every page. Often if I have a "stand out" photo, I will put it on one page so that it prints all the way to the edges, and then keep the page next to it either white or black.
2. create a panorama across two pages. Not sure if BLURB helps you with this, but this is a great way to also create interest
3. Try not to put too many photos on one page - 3 max, and usually the next page should be one or none.
4. for variety, change sizes of photos or position them slightly off centre for interest.
Good luck
They made an online preview available: http://www.blurb.com/books/1166572
Can't wait to get it in my hands :-)
http://coldhouserules.blogspot.com/2010/02/january-photo-recap.html
I am making a video a month and will make a DVD for my husband, kids, and parents at the end of the year.
http://animoto.com/play/z9Ll7vDRI084GWmGHKrphQ?autostart=true