Very well written, and yes, you had me with the OM-1n, OM-2s and Zuiko glass! Having been a partner in a printing firm, a professional photographer since 1976 (and even did pre-press after doing commercial blanket shoots!), I have always found it pretty amazing that things turn out as well as they do, with so many opportunities for things to fall apart along the way. Now if I would only take the time to get my own personal projects sorted and get some books made...
Thanks for the shout-out. I'll have some ramblings about how books can be the impetus of getting projects actually FINISHED shortly. I find digital storage, organization, post processing, and display/presentation/sharing to be a huge enabler of not-actual-ever-finished. Prints, exhibitions, portfolios, books... tangible things tend to put a satisfying stake in the ground that allows one to move on and be done in a lot of ways. Just my own psychology I guess.
I'll give you a secret preview... I'll be putting out two big but very accessible providers next. I've not decided which ones I'll write up after that. Figure I'd do two of the heavy hitters, good cost performers first that are very different but similar enough they have broad applicability. I'll let people's feedback guide the order of things from there in terms of more "provider" assessments vs tools vs examples vs Q&A etc. We are really attempting to serve this extremely esoteric "photos on paper" community as best we can and REALLY appreciate the feedback both good and bad (please try to keep the bad stuff constructive if possible, my feelings get hurt easily... kidding)
Thanks so much for taking the time to give us some guidance.
I mentioned that I am thinking of doing a community Q&A that's on various topics, this being one. I am truly inspired by how experienced many members of the community are and I think there are plenty of people that can help with specific questions even if I can't. Take a look at a few of the comments here and see exactly what I mean.
I was intrigued to receive your email today about self-publishing. For years I have struggled with poor quality offerings from places like Photobook Canada or with very high prices from fabulous company's like Blurb, and so now that I am retired from the practice of specialty sleep medicine, I decided to reinvented myself as a publisher (with a digital printing press) and a bookbinder. I chose the wonderful tabloid size XEROX C9000 Versalink digital printer, educated myself with all the different types of coated and uncoated paper out there, and set up a complete bookbindery based on the Finnish FASTBind technology ecosystem to prepare softcover (perfect bound) and hardcover (casebound) books. I am a color perfectionist and this printer allows me to create a custom profiles for each paper type with XRITE hardware and software.
I use Pixellu SmartAlbums to actually create the core of the Photobook, and as needed Photoshop to do things like the cover, the title pages, the colophons and the endpapers. Everything is reassembled in Adobe Acrobat.
You can certainly keep cost down by using imposition software which allows you to place two leaves on a single page.
And of course doing all the binding yourself for the keeps the costs down.
I am able to produce coffee table/library/book store quality photobooks in my own home and am hoping over the next few years that this small run publishing business will provide some ongoing income during my so-called retirement years.
The only problem is producing multiple copies of the same book but to date, none of my clients have asked for more than 50 copies of anything. If somebody wanted thousand copies, I would direct them to IngramSpark.
Do not ask about pricing yet. It is like asking a fisherman who just bought an nice boat how much each salmon costs. I figure I will have everything paid off within a year the way things are going right now.
I must say I am very happy to be producing my own photobooks.
Now THAT is what I call taking the bull by the horns. I've done things sort of like this in the past and typically leaped before I looked. Some of those turned out very well, some of them were extremely educational, I don't regret any of them... well, none that I'll admit to publicly.
I wish you great success with your endeavor and I'd LOVE to hear more about it as you're ready. Hit me up at rwboyer@mac.com if you'd like to discuss a brief little interview regarding your adventure.
RB
Ps. my extremely surface level understanding in offering good quality, low volume, low unit cost on-demand services is that the "secret sauce" is in the imposition software, that process, and managing the volume to manage individual jobs as efficiently as possible based on the page sizes on offer etc... Someday I'll tell you what I think I've been able to deduce about a lot of the on-demand print offerings out there and their position in the print ecosystem of the 21st century.
I hope to have a lot more to this series soon. I've spent weeks evaluating "new to me" as well as familiar printing services. I hope your project turns out well. It's a shame I didn't get some more detailed info out sooner for you (various tools services, etc) but feel free to shoot us (me) an email or comment if there's anything specific I may be able to help with.
Thank you! I'm trying out Mixbook. I used Blurb on my first try a couple years back. I am a pro photographer but hardly a graphic specialist. I was the principal photographer for the US Civil Rights Trail and the official book on the trail came out some weeks back. I wanted to create my own with images I preferred that I could share with art directors I meet with as a 'take-away' gift to remember me by. So I do want it to look at least competent. As you so well mentioned deciding on text and how much, pacing and placement of images and of course how many 'sides'. I have the layout done and have re-edited it at least a dozen times. I'm going to let it stew for some time and have some graphic arts friends as well as some word folks I know check it out.
Preface: I am a retired professor of graphic communication (printing and publishing).
This is an interesting introduction to printing technologies. I applaud your work.
I would argue that "digital offset" printing is not a common phrase to describe digital printing. It is true that the HP Indigo presses use an offset blanket which is similar to the blanket cylinder on a conventional offset press. That blanket, and the smaller particle size of their toner (which they call "electroink" because it's toner suspended in a light hydrocarbon liquid) are the major reasons why the Indigo presses produce such extraordinary images.
Other digital presses like Konica-Minolta, Xerox, Ricoh, and others don't have an offset blanket. Instead, they use an accumulator belt to collect the toner from several drums inside the machine, and then transfer that toner to the paper electrostatically.
You are correct to assert that the cost of producing a small number of books or magazines digitally is more reasonable than the cost of producing a small number of books printed by offset lithography. And, you are also correct to assert that the cost of production drops with offset lithography after a number of sheets are printed. That cost comes down after set-up, but it plateaus and remains constant after the first 1,000 or so impressions.
The ease with which digital presses can produce printing is addictive. It's tantalizingly easy to push the "big green button" and make a book or a magazine. The thing I told my students about digital printing is that the cost per unit is constant. Printing more copies does not deliver economy of scale. After approval of the proof (which is one copy printed in advance of the production run), the cost is the same.
But, even at its high price, digital printing is incredibly good. And, as technology improves, these machines deliver better and better printing. It's very difficult to see the difference between a book printed by offset lithography and one printed on an excellent digital press.
I recently got a quote to produce 500 64-page books from a printer using a Xerox digital machine, and another quote from a printer running a 4-color Heidelberg press with UV inks. The offset printing quote was about half the price of the digital printing quote.
Even with a short press run of 500 copies, the price difference was significant.
I chose to go with the offset printer for two reasons: price, and quality. There is a subtle difference in quality in the photographs on the Heidelberg press. That is a result of better image resolution (finer halftone frequency) and finer detail in the highlights of images (a result of using a hybrid stochastic/conventional halftone pattern).
When I need one – or 25 copies – of a book, I will always go with digital. When I need hundreds, I will get a quote from an offset printing company. I am amazed by the economics of printed in the modern world.
Ps. I am addicted to hitting that green print button and getting back a box books/magazines with digital on-demand services. I have made the mistake of not proofing carefully enough here and there with how easily one can access these services now at a cost that is low enough where it won't kill you but it certainly increases the risk when only ONE person is doing the proofing...
Thank you so much for your input and agree that the break even point for traditional offset color maybe lower than 1000 and probably varies based on service provider, their deal with HP (or other digital press company), various operating costs and how they are allocated, etc. I was intending to give a few people that have not ever travelled this ground some idea when to explore each method.
One other thing to clarify is "better-ness" in terms of digital press vs traditional press comes down to very specific parameters as you pointed out. My intent was to make sure that people in general knew that for many things they can/are very similar in overall quality with the win going to one or the other based on a lot of fine points rather than overall one method vs. the other.
Again thank you so much for your input. I am constantly surprised at the level of expertise with members of this community. I hope to setup a few discussions down the road that are open Q&A's with the intent that if I don't or cannot get the answer another member of the community can.
Well written and well said. As this is my first time publishing a book, the knowledge gained will make my end product a success.
when you finally get it done would LOVE to hear how it went and remember... making something is important, being perfect your first time out is not.
When I grow up....I want to be just like you. Thank you for all that you do and have done. Continued Success.
Very well written, and yes, you had me with the OM-1n, OM-2s and Zuiko glass! Having been a partner in a printing firm, a professional photographer since 1976 (and even did pre-press after doing commercial blanket shoots!), I have always found it pretty amazing that things turn out as well as they do, with so many opportunities for things to fall apart along the way. Now if I would only take the time to get my own personal projects sorted and get some books made...
Thanks for the shout-out. I'll have some ramblings about how books can be the impetus of getting projects actually FINISHED shortly. I find digital storage, organization, post processing, and display/presentation/sharing to be a huge enabler of not-actual-ever-finished. Prints, exhibitions, portfolios, books... tangible things tend to put a satisfying stake in the ground that allows one to move on and be done in a lot of ways. Just my own psychology I guess.
This is a nice teaser...let’s hear more!
Ps. I KNEW that red-headed step child OM-2S would subliminally generate a bit of interest in the subject, nobody can resist an OM ;-)
I'll give you a secret preview... I'll be putting out two big but very accessible providers next. I've not decided which ones I'll write up after that. Figure I'd do two of the heavy hitters, good cost performers first that are very different but similar enough they have broad applicability. I'll let people's feedback guide the order of things from there in terms of more "provider" assessments vs tools vs examples vs Q&A etc. We are really attempting to serve this extremely esoteric "photos on paper" community as best we can and REALLY appreciate the feedback both good and bad (please try to keep the bad stuff constructive if possible, my feelings get hurt easily... kidding)
Thanks so much for taking the time to give us some guidance.
I mentioned that I am thinking of doing a community Q&A that's on various topics, this being one. I am truly inspired by how experienced many members of the community are and I think there are plenty of people that can help with specific questions even if I can't. Take a look at a few of the comments here and see exactly what I mean.
RB
I was intrigued to receive your email today about self-publishing. For years I have struggled with poor quality offerings from places like Photobook Canada or with very high prices from fabulous company's like Blurb, and so now that I am retired from the practice of specialty sleep medicine, I decided to reinvented myself as a publisher (with a digital printing press) and a bookbinder. I chose the wonderful tabloid size XEROX C9000 Versalink digital printer, educated myself with all the different types of coated and uncoated paper out there, and set up a complete bookbindery based on the Finnish FASTBind technology ecosystem to prepare softcover (perfect bound) and hardcover (casebound) books. I am a color perfectionist and this printer allows me to create a custom profiles for each paper type with XRITE hardware and software.
I use Pixellu SmartAlbums to actually create the core of the Photobook, and as needed Photoshop to do things like the cover, the title pages, the colophons and the endpapers. Everything is reassembled in Adobe Acrobat.
You can certainly keep cost down by using imposition software which allows you to place two leaves on a single page.
And of course doing all the binding yourself for the keeps the costs down.
I am able to produce coffee table/library/book store quality photobooks in my own home and am hoping over the next few years that this small run publishing business will provide some ongoing income during my so-called retirement years.
The only problem is producing multiple copies of the same book but to date, none of my clients have asked for more than 50 copies of anything. If somebody wanted thousand copies, I would direct them to IngramSpark.
Do not ask about pricing yet. It is like asking a fisherman who just bought an nice boat how much each salmon costs. I figure I will have everything paid off within a year the way things are going right now.
I must say I am very happy to be producing my own photobooks.
Now THAT is what I call taking the bull by the horns. I've done things sort of like this in the past and typically leaped before I looked. Some of those turned out very well, some of them were extremely educational, I don't regret any of them... well, none that I'll admit to publicly.
I wish you great success with your endeavor and I'd LOVE to hear more about it as you're ready. Hit me up at rwboyer@mac.com if you'd like to discuss a brief little interview regarding your adventure.
RB
Ps. my extremely surface level understanding in offering good quality, low volume, low unit cost on-demand services is that the "secret sauce" is in the imposition software, that process, and managing the volume to manage individual jobs as efficiently as possible based on the page sizes on offer etc... Someday I'll tell you what I think I've been able to deduce about a lot of the on-demand print offerings out there and their position in the print ecosystem of the 21st century.
I spent the whole day working within a book printing service's templates to lay out a book. Could your post have been more timely?
I hope to have a lot more to this series soon. I've spent weeks evaluating "new to me" as well as familiar printing services. I hope your project turns out well. It's a shame I didn't get some more detailed info out sooner for you (various tools services, etc) but feel free to shoot us (me) an email or comment if there's anything specific I may be able to help with.
Thank you! I'm trying out Mixbook. I used Blurb on my first try a couple years back. I am a pro photographer but hardly a graphic specialist. I was the principal photographer for the US Civil Rights Trail and the official book on the trail came out some weeks back. I wanted to create my own with images I preferred that I could share with art directors I meet with as a 'take-away' gift to remember me by. So I do want it to look at least competent. As you so well mentioned deciding on text and how much, pacing and placement of images and of course how many 'sides'. I have the layout done and have re-edited it at least a dozen times. I'm going to let it stew for some time and have some graphic arts friends as well as some word folks I know check it out.
I, too, am guilty of proofing a job to death. It's fun! And it's expensive!
Preface: I am a retired professor of graphic communication (printing and publishing).
This is an interesting introduction to printing technologies. I applaud your work.
I would argue that "digital offset" printing is not a common phrase to describe digital printing. It is true that the HP Indigo presses use an offset blanket which is similar to the blanket cylinder on a conventional offset press. That blanket, and the smaller particle size of their toner (which they call "electroink" because it's toner suspended in a light hydrocarbon liquid) are the major reasons why the Indigo presses produce such extraordinary images.
Other digital presses like Konica-Minolta, Xerox, Ricoh, and others don't have an offset blanket. Instead, they use an accumulator belt to collect the toner from several drums inside the machine, and then transfer that toner to the paper electrostatically.
You are correct to assert that the cost of producing a small number of books or magazines digitally is more reasonable than the cost of producing a small number of books printed by offset lithography. And, you are also correct to assert that the cost of production drops with offset lithography after a number of sheets are printed. That cost comes down after set-up, but it plateaus and remains constant after the first 1,000 or so impressions.
The ease with which digital presses can produce printing is addictive. It's tantalizingly easy to push the "big green button" and make a book or a magazine. The thing I told my students about digital printing is that the cost per unit is constant. Printing more copies does not deliver economy of scale. After approval of the proof (which is one copy printed in advance of the production run), the cost is the same.
But, even at its high price, digital printing is incredibly good. And, as technology improves, these machines deliver better and better printing. It's very difficult to see the difference between a book printed by offset lithography and one printed on an excellent digital press.
I recently got a quote to produce 500 64-page books from a printer using a Xerox digital machine, and another quote from a printer running a 4-color Heidelberg press with UV inks. The offset printing quote was about half the price of the digital printing quote.
Even with a short press run of 500 copies, the price difference was significant.
I chose to go with the offset printer for two reasons: price, and quality. There is a subtle difference in quality in the photographs on the Heidelberg press. That is a result of better image resolution (finer halftone frequency) and finer detail in the highlights of images (a result of using a hybrid stochastic/conventional halftone pattern).
When I need one – or 25 copies – of a book, I will always go with digital. When I need hundreds, I will get a quote from an offset printing company. I am amazed by the economics of printed in the modern world.
Best wishes,
Brian P. Lawler
Emeritus Professor
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, California
Ps. I am addicted to hitting that green print button and getting back a box books/magazines with digital on-demand services. I have made the mistake of not proofing carefully enough here and there with how easily one can access these services now at a cost that is low enough where it won't kill you but it certainly increases the risk when only ONE person is doing the proofing...
Thank you so much for your input and agree that the break even point for traditional offset color maybe lower than 1000 and probably varies based on service provider, their deal with HP (or other digital press company), various operating costs and how they are allocated, etc. I was intending to give a few people that have not ever travelled this ground some idea when to explore each method.
One other thing to clarify is "better-ness" in terms of digital press vs traditional press comes down to very specific parameters as you pointed out. My intent was to make sure that people in general knew that for many things they can/are very similar in overall quality with the win going to one or the other based on a lot of fine points rather than overall one method vs. the other.
Again thank you so much for your input. I am constantly surprised at the level of expertise with members of this community. I hope to setup a few discussions down the road that are open Q&A's with the intent that if I don't or cannot get the answer another member of the community can.
RB