How to Create a Photobook with ZERO Experience

Making a photobook is a great idea when so many of us are sheltering in place. Saal Digital's offerings are great for first-time photobook makers AND high-end event photographers wanting to offer their clients a premium keepsake
FOR A DISCOUNT ON YOUR FIRST PHOTOBOOK WITH SAAL DIGITAL, visit www.saal-digital.com/lp/hbrown...
TO PRE-ORDER STREETS OF New York, THE BOOK (limited edition) visit www.3bmep.com/books
DON'T FORGET TO ENTER BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (MARCH 31, 2020) OUR HOME PHOTOS COMPETITION! Grand Prize: Fujifilm X100V (value: $1,400) People's Choice Prize: 2019 10.2" Apple iPad (value: $430) Details below.
Please show the love to our competition sponsor Adorama by using them for all of your photo, video and electronic needs: bit.ly/33CFko3
To enter:
1) Follow us on Instagram & Twitter:
@hughbrownstone
@adorama
@fujifilmx_us
@apple
2) Post one (and only one) image taken between today and March 31st at home while you shelter in place during these still-early days of the pandemic. Include the handles above and these hashtags when you post your image on Instagram and Twitter:
#3BMEPLemonade
#covid19
#coronavirus
#keepcalmandcarryon
3) Stay tuned for updates on Instagram, Twitter and our KZbin channel. Deadline for submission is midnight, March 31st New York Time. Finalists announced April 7th, when voting commences for the People's choice winner. People's choice and grand prize winners announced April 15th. Adorama will ship worldwide, but winners are responsible for any duties or tariffs.
Happy shooting!
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In all cases, thanks so much for being part of our KZbin community.
Gear Used to Make This Video:
- Panasonic G9: geni.us/0ScEnAD
- Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25mm f/1.7: geni.us/91AA
- Sennheiser MKE 600 Shotgun Mic: geni.us/ZFVOJ0
- TASCAM DR70-D Audio Recorder: geni.us/JhOV7
- D&O Lighting 180W LED: geni.us/hnuCL
- Neewer 72" White Diffusion Parabolic Umbrella: geni.us/JNgop
- Cartoni SDS 8 Tripod System (Carbon Fiber) geni.us/RflQWED
FULL EDIT SUITE
- Apple 2017 iMac with 5K Retina Display (newer model): geni.us/Nji0Flj
- G-Technology G-SPEED Shuttle XL 24TB (8 x 3TB) Thunderbolt 2: geni.us/7GPqOV
- Apple 2018 Macbook Pro 15.4" (newer 16" model): geni.us/1mp8m
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We are also part of the B&H, Adorama, Epidemic Sound and smallrig programs.

[@RikySongSu]

Also created a photobook recently for the first time from Saal Digital and I was blown away by the quality too! Glad to see you are doing well.

[@catmonkey6826]

Perfect timing Hugh! An hour ago I was searching for photobook recommendations, something to occupy my time :-)

[@christopherdounis6729]

Really enjoying this channel. The blend of reviews, technical advice and creative inspiration is just amazing. Please keep going!

[@mariamanolaros8339]

Amazing voice, great communicator and exceptional content. Thanks Hugh

[@tizianobabbi3218]

I have been using Fujifilm's software since 2008. Very easy to use and you can store a copy on your computer. The choice of paper is also very nice, you can e.g. get a whole book on original Fujifilm paper. My books are for documentation of our vacation trips. I also include jpgs of maps and day trip descriptions from travel arrangers. And as a next project, you just gave me an idea, thanks for that and the great video.

[@Don-zo4vx]

You're a gem. Searching all over for a way to print out some wedding images for my daughter's wedding. I happened on this and then uploaded the software (at your recommendation) and unbelievably received my first small photo book four days later. I am so stoked! Best recommendation ever! Thanks to you and 3BME. You're the best.

[@3BMEP]

Delighted to be of service! 😊🙏🏻

[@JensMHA]

Good one, I have two "goals" for the photograpic year of 2020, one is to digitalise my families photos and the second one is to start producing something tangible such as books and prints. Dont think I have made anything that can actually be held, since I went off the Slr back in 2004 or 5. Both of these tasks should be highly appropriate for the current situation.

[@sayaIbnuFajar]

Been a great fans of your work and this channel. Actually made a photobook myself using Google Photos photobook... Glad I did this project, now I have a copy of my pictures I can look at and tell the stories to friends and family.

[@tonydesarzec907]

I use Saal for my books. They are superb!

[@doubleletter]

Your voice is so good that I happily listened to the product and sponsor stuff at the beginning of the video without even thinking of, much less wanting to, skip it.

[@3BMEP]

Ali A 🙏🏻

[@paullachapelle7477]

Thank's Hugh ! What a great idea when we have all the time needed for it . I will review this KZbin and surely try the suggested software. You again produced a great video.

[@3BMEP]

Paul Lachapelle 🙏🏻 have fun!

[@krantzyboursiquot2647]

Loved the frame pause with added text. Also enjoyed n appreciated the vid crop

[@Vagabond1031]

Thanks for the video! Can you cover a bit more on release/permissions? Most street photographers do not have release forms from subjects. Can those photos be included in a self-publishing photo book?

[@anno-fw7xn]

Thanks for the video, gave me a littel more to think about! i am the momten starting my first phohtobook of all my streetshots from the last 3 years. and good to know tha saal is a great staring point!

[@3BMEP]

Have fun with it!

[@ryans_fotos]

They give me a $150 voucher for free and made an amazing book for $8. Highly recommend for clients.

[@JennAlessa]

Sir., I'm new to your channel. I don't know if you do photography related things only or not but... Your voice is PERFECT for audiobooks!!!! Dear lord, what a great voice with such beautiful pacing and intonation!!!

[@3BMEP]

🙏🏻😊

[@morrphotoworld]

Saal is great for my wedding clients but I’m looking for mass production for my photo book. Who should I consider? KDP? Thank you

[@rhykko77]

Thanks Hugh !

[@edruttledge342]

Be well. Stay safe.

[@bbullwits258]

Would love to learn how to compose my books. I have thousands of scribbled pages, hand-drawn portraits and a laptop. But I'm not sure if it's best to pay for software, or just begin with an ordinary word processor? I don't know Jack about putting my photos onto pages; I'm very old school and technologically delayed. Thank you all. - Blaise Francis 🎼💞

[@fanjan7527]

Pretty much a couple of hours...the competition. Lemme see what I can do

[@HirayaManawariFilms]

Thanks James Gunn

[@i_am_semaj_952]

I really enjoyed this I’m subscribed forever

[@badgerag]

Saal Digital look good, I need to get a book made for a friend's wedding I shot last year, so will give this company a try. Treated myself to a copy of your photobook too, since I appreciate your work / channel. Stay safe.

[@3BMEP]

badgerag REALLY appreciate that - thanks!

[@JustBeWell]

The saal link is bad. Preorder your book. Thank you.

[@JohnJBloomfield]

Was there a follow up video to this on who you used for the larger run...saal quality is outstanding but I need a run of 100 for a project and with quality comes price...I'm quite tempted by blurb as they have an indesign plugin and their own software is supposed to be good if it fails but I've been told the quality can be hit and miss.

[@3BMEP]

We work with Mixam - very satisfied!

[@NoRoads2AllRoads]

you mentioned Blurb for higher volume, however when Im pricing out Saal vs Blurb ... the layflat option (which is standard with Saal) with Saal for 100 pages is like 100 euros and in Blurb its 311 dollars which seems prohibitive .... even with a 30% discount we are talking 210 dollars which is double the price! Which options at Blurb do you use to still have a good quality book? Do perfect binding instead of layflat?

[@ccbphoto]

Great video Hugh! I just need another 10K more photos to shoot and sort through.

[@3BMEP]

Craig Brandau Well: get going , then, Craig! 😉

[@ccbphoto]

@@3BMEP I'd love to get out...like all of us....

[@maryclebeau]

Awesomeness!!! Thank you so much 😊

[@3BMEP]

😊🙏🏻🖖🏻

[@ZaighumAliView]

I am watching it exactly after a year. How can I participate?

[@Valadhiel76]

Hi Hugh - typos in both your 3bmep (extra q in the www) and the saal-digtal (missing the .com) website links to your photo book (in the show notes). Did manage to pre-order your book though (detective that I am ... not). :)

[@yeohi]

saal-digtal? Who's the typoist?

[@Biosynchro]

It goes to show that specialised apps are often far superior to apps which do everything. Not always, but often. RAW converters do one thing, not everything. Scanning apps, the same. If you want to publish basic stuff to the Web, and you're not making cinema, you can use iMovie instead of Resolve or FCP. Etc.

[@JeffUnderwoodUK]

Over the last 20 years I've been running a photo scanning service here in the UK, our target market is family photographers rather than professionals. The number one objective of our clients has been to create photobooks. I've taken a keen interest in what they produce - it's not part of our service - along with books made by friends, family and fellow keen amateur snappers. The consistent theme is that they're universally awful. People just want to emulate the old stick in albums we used pre-digital. The creativity and flexibility of modern software is lost on most clients. I once tried to find a designer who could handle page layouts and basic editing for our clients. I found one, worldwide - she was in Brazil. So in these Covid times if you can handle basic image editing and have the slightest eye for design, this could be a side hustle business opportunity. Heaven knows, the photography community needs you.

[@andrewlarking7492]

What’s the company? I have scans to do :)

[@Harz77]

I’m looking for a photo book I can keep adding to, the stick in is nice because it’s on going but I’m yet to find one!

[@edphi]

What software you use to layout the book? not clear from your video.

[@3BMEP]

Saal Digital.

[@fgc1981]

I did a couple of personal photo books with saal last auto, one collection of my best street photos from Copenhagen and one collection of family photos (which also served an excellent Christmas present). The results are great, and the quality of the books is excellent!

[@frankberlin8084]

good morning Hugh, thanks for the video. I use this company for my big annual calendar and I am always thrilled with the result. Now I will create a photo book based on your suggestion. How is things going in NY right now? Horror messages are spread here and the images are somehow surreal. Here in Berlin it doesn't look any better at times. Stupid time. I hope you and your wife Claudia stay healthy. Greetings from Berlin and I ordered your book right away. Look forward. Frank Berlin

[@3BMEP]

Frank, nice to see you here. Thanks for your continuing encouragement, support and good cheer. Claudia and I are OK, under mandatory stay at home order by our governor. We hope you, family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors are safe and in good spirits. But I won’t sugar-coat things: COVID-19 is horrible.

[@frankberlin8084]

@@3BMEP hello Hugh, thanks for your kind words. Yes, we are healthy and I still have the privilege of being able to work and now and then I manage to take a few pictures. But as you say correctly - Covid-19 is horrible. Please stay healthy and I look forward to a new video with you.

[@ChristianMeermann]

Hi Hugh. Your Saal Digital link doesn't work. I guess you forgot the .com 😎

[@mikearst2940]

That seems to be the problem. In the link to the book itself, the problem is the extraneous "q" hiding inside the "www".

[@3BMEP]

Christian Meermann Oy vey. Fixed. 😜

[@philipshucet9481]

So, Cartier-Bresson had been photographing for 20 years before Images à la Sauvette. Robert Frank drove 10,000 miles through 30 states, shot 767 rolls of film, and from 27,000 photos selected about 1,000 images to print and review before selecting 83 photographs that became The Americans. Ok, so let's see where I fit here. Got it. Zero experience. I have Zero experience! That's a start, right?

[@BOSSCREATIVOFFICIAL]

wow

[@Selftaughtthought]

I had to google concomitant. Thank you.

[@3BMEP]

Brian Downey 😉

[@majithaallu7855]

Super

[@esosaaiguwurhuo5885]

Better cal Saal. ahaha clever 😁😁

[@ElvisPriscillaPresley]

Hi Hugh, it might be advantageous to remove the letter q from your books web address 😁

[@3BMEP]

Elvis Presley oh man! Fixed, thank you!

[@jameslee2736]

Hugh, Listened to the interview with Ibarionex. Loved it.

[@3BMEP]

James Lee 😊 He’s really good guy, fun conversation. One day he and I will go shooting together, I am sure of it.

[@jameslee2736]

Three Blind Men and An Elephant Productions I took a 2 day workshop with him last year and it was really good. He’s got a great eye. Stay healthy.

[@3BMEP]

🙏🏻

[@ElectricityTaster]

almost fell asleep

[@johnkraemer5505]

The quality of the books look very nice! Unfortunately, the price is way to high! If one is, creating a book for someone and reselling it ....... forget it! Thy need to work on their pricing!

[@ahahahah9629]

sorry you came to Indesign. A lot of us who want to make these photo books think adobe is too expensive, too lugubrious, too fat cat. don't you have an sl2?

[@TehCatarinaS]

I had a bad experience with those folks from saal, bad assistance.

[@3BMEP]

So sorry to learn of this. I hope you provided them with constructive feedback and gave them the opportunity to make it right.