"Make it great." Blurb BookSmart photo book software provides the tools and means to inspire and allows for unlimited creativity. On Blurb.com, previous customers who have used the photo book software to create a photo book have given the website permission to publish their books. If you have the opportunity to view some of these photo albums, we recommend doing so. Not only will you garner ideas for your own photo books, but viewing how past Blurb users have used this photo book software is truly inspiring. This photo book software was created to be centered on social media, and users are encouraged to share their albums on Facebook and YouTube and through email to friends, family or potential clients. Whether creating a photo album full of your child's artwork, photos documenting your road to self discovery, or a collage of memories or photos from places you've visited, Blurb invites you to also share your work with the online Blurb community by selling your work in the Bookstore.
When creating your photo albums, you may have questions about specific features or text options. There is no in-software manual to reference, but there are direct links to the help and support pages online. While finding answers to your questions online, we suggest you take advantage of Blurb's excellent online community where ideas are shared by other creative geniuses just like you.
Within the software, there are great layout and theme options:
- Portfolio – Ideal for any young professional wanting to create a unique portfolio to show to potential clients or during interviews.
- Guest Book – The layout for the guest book is simple, and it's a classic fixture for weddings and receptions. Photographs can be inserted on one side of the page, while the other side is reserved for guest signatures.
- Cook Book –The cook book layout provides room for an ingredient list and directions as well as a photo of the dish. This would be a perfect gift idea for children or grandchildren wanting to know how to make their grandmother's famous dishes. Or it would be a great travel log for dishes eaten or prepared.
There are other layouts ideal for poetry writers, journal keepers or photographers. Regardless of the layout you choose, you have the option to change the order and size of text and image boxes for a custom look.
After the photos have been uploaded, text written and embellishments added, it is time to share your photo book. You have the option of sharing your album using social media, or having the book printed using Blurb's services. If you choose to print your book, this photo book software requires the book be previewed and scrutinized for any errors. Blurb BookSmart will let you know if a photo has low resolution, or if text is positioned incorrectly, and it presents an itemized checklist to help ensure your photo album is perfect.
Blurb appeals to a vast audience due to its many features and ease of use. When beginning to create your photo album, there are a few choices that must be made before you can dive in. The title, cover photo, size of album and album cover (leather, photo wrapped) are chosen. If, later on, you feel as if your book has taken a different path and the title no longer applies, you can easily change that. The size of your book cannot be changed once the design process has begun, however, so make sure you know what size will work best for you.
"Wing it" or "Guide Me." These two options are presented after the initial setup process has been complete. If you feel confident in just playing around and figuring out this photo book software on your own, that's great. If you would rather be guided through the process, Blurb is more than happy to take you to their online help and support page where they offer tutorials.
Importing photos into the Blurb photo book software is simple. This photo album software allows photos to be imported from:
- Personal computer
- Flicker.com
- Photobucket.com
- Picasa web albums
- Smugmug.com
- Other contributors
When photos are imported, they can be sorted by the date they were taken, the date they were imported or file size. This helps keep photos organized for later use. Using Blurb's filtering system also keeps photos organized by allowing you to filter out photos that have already been used, ensuring no duplicates in the album.
On the help or resource page, there are a few webinars that are wonderful for those seeking ideas for their books. One webinar is presented by a pro photographer who displays several books he has created and covers the typography, cover design and layout for each book. Very helpful information.
We love the sense of community Blurb BookSmart brings into the entire photo book process. We feel this photo book software is perfect for young professionals looking to create unique portfolios. Blurb will also create a modern, classy book to showcase photography or poetry, and it will even help you make just a custom journal to write in. With Blurb BookSmart, creativity is limitless.
