IntroductionWelcome| 00:00 |
(music playing)
| | 00:04 |
Hi I'm Nigel French, welcome to designing
a photo book.
| | 00:08 |
In the last few years there's been an
explosion in the popularity of photo
| | 00:12 |
books as the tools used to create them
have become more accessible and
| | 00:16 |
increasingly sophisticed.
In this course, we'll look at what makes
| | 00:20 |
a good photo book, and at the choices
involved in its creation.
| | 00:24 |
Whether it's a book of wedding photos, a
design portfolio, a family history, or a
| | 00:29 |
photo essay with a strong narrative.
We'll look at choosing and sequencing
| | 00:34 |
your photos.
The arrangement of cropping of images.
| | 00:38 |
How to include text and captions and
technical considerations like image resolution.
| | 00:44 |
We'll also look at the fundamental
considerations of size and format of both
| | 00:48 |
the photos and the book itself.
Today as photographers, we have
| | 00:53 |
thousands, tens, or even scores of
thousands of digital images.
| | 00:57 |
And a myriad number of ways to display
them on screen.
| | 01:02 |
But there's nothing quite like distilling
a collection of photos into a physical book.
| | 01:07 |
And the satisfaction that comes from
leafing through that book and seeing its
| | 01:11 |
spine on your bookshelf.
So let's get started with designing a photo book.
| | 01:16 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
|
|
1. Planning the Photo BookPlanning your photo book| 00:00 |
Let's begin by asking some important
questions about your photo book.
| | 00:05 |
Do you intend to self publish the book or
do you intend to approach a traditional publisher.
| | 00:10 |
In this course I am assuming a self
publishing sceneario.
| | 00:15 |
But if the latter is the case, I
recommend this book by Darius Hines and
| | 00:20 |
Mary Virginia Swanson, which also has
lots of useful advice for those intending
| | 00:25 |
to self-publish.
To self-publish your photo book, the
| | 00:29 |
obvious route is to use an online
print-on-demand service.
| | 00:34 |
This has the enormous benefit of allowing
us to print our books in print runs as
| | 00:39 |
small as a single copy.
This course assumes such a scenario but
| | 00:45 |
it is not the only route to self
publishing.
| | 00:47 |
If you're printing in quantities of more
than a thousand than offset printing
| | 00:52 |
would be more cost effective.
Or if you have an established
| | 00:56 |
relationship with a commercial digital
printer.
| | 00:59 |
They may be able to offer prices for
short print runs that are cheaper than
| | 01:04 |
those offered by online photo book
services.
| | 01:08 |
Another option, if you have the knowledge
and access to the necessary resources, is
| | 01:13 |
to create a hand-bound book from pages
you output on your desktop inkjet printer.
| | 01:21 |
Do you intend to sell the book or is it a
non-commercial project.
| | 01:26 |
Some online photo book services allow you
to add your own markup and sell the book
| | 01:31 |
through their website.
Not that this will impact the mechanics
| | 01:35 |
of how the book is designed.
But it may have an impact on what photos
| | 01:39 |
you choose to include.
| | 01:40 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Looking at photo book services| 00:00 |
There are many online photo book printing
services.
| | 00:04 |
Here is a list of some popular sites.
This course is not a comparison of these
| | 00:09 |
services but rather hopes to help you
make an informed decision based upon the
| | 00:14 |
requirements of your project.
Here are some factors to consider when
| | 00:18 |
evaluating these services.
Templates or creative control.
| | 00:23 |
When designing your pages are you
required to use propriariaty templates or
| | 00:29 |
can you use the software your already
familar with.
| | 00:33 |
If you know anything about book design
and have a working knowledge of the Adobe
| | 00:37 |
Creative Suite you may find on-line
templates limiting.
| | 00:42 |
If you want complete creative control,
make sure your service allows you to use
| | 00:48 |
your own software and upload a PDF.
To keep down costs, on-line photo book
| | 00:54 |
services offer a limited range of book
sizes.
| | 00:57 |
These vary from one service to another.
Make sure that your service offers a size
| | 01:02 |
that shows off your work in its best
light.
| | 01:06 |
What paper stocks are offered?
Again, to keep down costs, the choice
| | 01:09 |
will be limited.
Photo books are typically printed on 100
| | 01:15 |
pound paper.
Anything lighter than 100 pound and you
| | 01:19 |
might have show through, where you see
the image coming through from the other
| | 01:23 |
side of the paper.
Some companies also offer a proline of paper.
| | 01:29 |
Which undoubtedly gives better
photographic reproduction.
| | 01:32 |
But of course, comes with a higher price
tag.
| | 01:35 |
One might use generalities like glossy
looks classier, matte is more durable,
| | 01:42 |
luster which is a happy medium between
the two, doesn't show fingerprints as
| | 01:47 |
much as glossy.
Ultimately it's a matter of personal preference.
| | 01:51 |
Do you want a hard cover or a soft cover?
Hard covers are more durable and better
| | 01:58 |
convey quality and gravitas.
Obviously they also cost more.
| | 02:03 |
Only you can decide whether the
additional cost is justified.
| | 02:07 |
Some services offer two types of hard
cover.
| | 02:11 |
Image wrap, where the image is printed on
the cover itself, and linen covers with a
| | 02:16 |
removable dust jacket.
Some services also offer the option of a
| | 02:21 |
slip case.
The type of binding and cover type are
| | 02:25 |
closely linked.
For hardcover books, library binding is
| | 02:29 |
used, with the pages sewn in place and
the spine reinforced.
| | 02:34 |
Soft cover books are perfect bound, here
the pages are glued like a paperback.
| | 02:39 |
Other binding options may include spiral
binding, which aesthetically may
| | 02:46 |
compromise the look of your book, but has
the advantage of allowing the pages to
| | 02:50 |
lay flat.
Useful if your book is instructional like
| | 02:55 |
a cookbook.
If you want your pages to lay flat but
| | 02:58 |
also want a more high end look you need a
flush mount book.
| | 03:03 |
Flush mount books are constructed of
unbendable mat board and have a very
| | 03:08 |
narrow gutter so you lose very little of
the image in the center of the book.
| | 03:14 |
This makes them effective when you have
images that cross over both pages.
| | 03:18 |
As you might imagine they are also
significantly more expensive.
| | 03:23 |
Other factors to consider when picking an
online photo book service, are obviously
| | 03:28 |
their price and reputation.
Research online, asks friends and
| | 03:33 |
colleagues for recommendations.
How accessible and how responsive is
| | 03:38 |
their customer service if you have a
question or a problem?
| | 03:41 |
And finally, does the service offer tools
that make it easier for you to use your
| | 03:46 |
own software?
Some photo book services offer free
| | 03:50 |
downloads of plugins that make it easier
to use Adobe programs like InDesign and
| | 03:56 |
Lightroom in conjunction with their
service.
| | 03:59 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Choosing your tools| 00:00 |
When choosing software tools for
designing your photo book, there are
| | 00:03 |
several choices available.
Programs like iPhoto and Photoshop
| | 00:08 |
Elements have integrated photo book
features.
| | 00:12 |
If you're already using one of these
programs, it's easy to integrate making a
| | 00:16 |
photo book into your existing work flow.
For the serious amateur and professional
| | 00:22 |
photographer, Adobe Lightroom and its
Apple competitor, Aperture, also now
| | 00:28 |
include bookmaking tools.
These make it easy to take a subset of
| | 00:32 |
your existing photo catalog and craft it
into a book with seamless uploading of
| | 00:38 |
the result to photo book services like
blurb.
| | 00:42 |
My personal preference is to combine
Lightroom, which I use for cataloging and
| | 00:47 |
developing my images, with InDesign where
I arrange the images on the page.
| | 00:52 |
Once the prepped images have been
exported from Lightroom, I use Bridge to
| | 00:57 |
view them and if necessary change their
order.
| | 01:01 |
While I find Lightroom sufficient for
prepping most images, there are always
| | 01:06 |
those that require additional processing.
Perhaps the removal of distracting
| | 01:11 |
elements, fixing perspective distortion,
or masking to make selective adjustments.
| | 01:17 |
For such images I use Photoshop.
In making your photo book there is no
| | 01:23 |
definitive right or wrong way.
The best tool to use is the one you are
| | 01:28 |
most comfortable with.
| | 01:29 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Types of photo books| 00:00 |
There are many different types of photo
book.
| | 00:03 |
Here are some common types.
A family history, perhaps moving
| | 00:07 |
chronologically from historic photos to
contemporary images.
| | 00:11 |
A narrative, or document of a newsworthy
event that you were fortunate or
| | 00:16 |
unfortunate enough to witness.
There's no requirement to be balanced or objective.
| | 00:22 |
The book can simply be what you saw.
Weddings are, of course, an obvious choice.
| | 00:28 |
And photo books have for some years been
an important part of the package offered
| | 00:33 |
by wedding photographers.
Other big life events, like the birth of
| | 00:37 |
a child, graduations, or reunions also
make great subjects for photo books.
| | 00:44 |
Photo books have superseded the photo
album crammed with prints as a way to
| | 00:49 |
collect and display holiday memories.
If you're a collector, you might use a
| | 00:54 |
photo book to show off your collection of
coins, hats, shoes.
| | 01:00 |
Or whatever it is you collect.
More and more artists and graphic
| | 01:04 |
designers are using photo books as a way
of displaying their portfolios.
| | 01:10 |
But these ideas are just the tip of the
iceberg.
| | 01:14 |
Any collection of images arranged around
a compelling theme could make a good
| | 01:18 |
photo book.
| | 01:19 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Researching photo books| 00:00 |
As with any design project, your photo
book will turn out better if you first
| | 00:05 |
take the time to do some research.
Go to library.
| | 00:08 |
Go to the bookstore.
Look online.
| | 00:11 |
Photo books have a rich history.
Learn from what has come before.
| | 00:15 |
Think about the books that you like.
And think about those that you don't like.
| | 00:20 |
Try to articulate why.
What is the central concept of your book.
| | 00:26 |
It's better to have one strong idea
rather then several lesser competing ideas.
| | 00:33 |
Try to articulate the theme of the book.
And if you find this challenging and even
| | 00:38 |
if you don't find it challenging, it's a
good idea to write a single paragraph
| | 00:42 |
statement about the book.
Then there are practical considerations.
| | 00:47 |
Who is the audience for the book.
Even if you don't plan to sell your photo
| | 00:52 |
book, you will almost certainly want to
show it to others.
| | 00:56 |
Think about who will see your book and
what they will respond to.
| | 01:01 |
What is the budget for your book?
Try to view budgetary constraints as a
| | 01:06 |
design challenge, rather than a design
limitation.
| | 01:10 |
And then in the broadest sense what kinds
of images will you be working with.
| | 01:16 |
Are they black and white or color or are
they a mixture of both.
| | 01:20 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Collaborating on photo books| 00:00 |
Depending on your own skill set and the
scope of your photo book, you might
| | 00:05 |
consider collaborating with others.
For example you might consider working
| | 00:09 |
with a writer, a graphic designer, a copy
editor, a proofreader.
| | 00:14 |
Your photobook will only be as good as
its weakest link.
| | 00:18 |
It's no good having a selection of
fantastic photographs if the overall
| | 00:23 |
project is let down by a poor design or a
weak text.
| | 00:28 |
You might also consider a collaboration
with another photographer.
| | 00:32 |
I'm presently working with another
designer and lover of type on a photo
| | 00:37 |
book of typographic images.
For both of us, this has given us new
| | 00:42 |
ways of thinking about familiar themes.
And don't forget that, unless you're an
| | 00:47 |
artistic genius, it's always a good idea
to get feedback.
| | 00:51 |
If the photographs are your own work,
you're too close to the project to be objective.
| | 00:57 |
Get feedback and critiques from friends
and colleagues whose design sensibility
| | 01:02 |
you trust.
| | 01:03 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Making a flat plan and determining a schedule| 00:00 |
All projects go smoother when you have
worked out a timeline.
| | 00:04 |
Visit the website of the photo book
service you are using and find out how
| | 00:08 |
long it takes to print and as importantly
how long it takes to ship your book.
| | 00:14 |
Rush shipping will be available but it
will also be expensive.
| | 00:19 |
You don't want to blow your budget on
express mailing so that you receive your
| | 00:22 |
book in time for any birthday or event
for which is intended.
| | 00:27 |
You will also need to factor in your
design and production time, including any
| | 00:33 |
time for learning on the job.
Even if the photo book is a personal
| | 00:37 |
project and you are the only client you
have to answer to.
| | 00:40 |
It's still worth formalizing this with
milesestones like the date of the first draft.
| | 00:47 |
The date of the second draft.
The date of the finished book.
| | 00:51 |
Organizing your photos into a book is
different than organizing them to be
| | 00:55 |
displayed on a wall.
A book is a three dimensional object.
| | 01:01 |
It will likely be viewed by a single
person at a time at a viewing distance of
| | 01:06 |
about 12 inches or 30 centimeters.
The photographs follow a linear progression.
| | 01:13 |
Visual relationships are strengthened and
the meaning of the image is potentially
| | 01:18 |
altered by how you group them with other
images.
| | 01:22 |
How you position them on the page and the
relative sizes of those images.
| | 01:29 |
Two simple tools make it easier to decide
what photos go where.
| | 01:34 |
The first is a flat plan, which is simply
a page plan of the book.
| | 01:40 |
If you have the room, you can stick or
hang pieces of paper to or from your wall
| | 01:45 |
and move them around freely.
Alternatively you can use InDesign to
| | 01:50 |
print a plan of the number of intended
pages in your book and then mark in
| | 01:55 |
pencil what image or images go on what
page.
| | 02:00 |
So that you can better conceive the flow
of the images and how the left-hand pages
| | 02:05 |
are interacting with their facing
right-hand pages.
| | 02:09 |
You might also when you print your first
draft consider making a maquette or dummy
| | 02:15 |
of the publication.
This can literally be held together with
| | 02:19 |
staples and or glue.
Its value is that it offers you a three
| | 02:24 |
dimensional view of your photo book in
progress.
| | 02:27 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Choosing and sequencing your images| 00:00 |
Unless you're a famous photographer, your
photo book will probably be more
| | 00:05 |
successful if it is arranged around a
strong theme, rather than a greatest hits monograph.
| | 00:12 |
So when making a shortlist of photos to
include, think about the themes of your work.
| | 00:18 |
You can spark ideas for thematic grouping
by looking at the work of others.
| | 00:23 |
You may over a period of time also notice
that some themes emerge organically.
| | 00:29 |
I find that by keywording images, themes
in my work that I hadn't even known were
| | 00:34 |
there begin to emerge.
Over a period of time I might only half
| | 00:40 |
knowingly amass a group of images around
a theme.
| | 00:44 |
It can sometimes be surprising to revisit
my keyword list and find that I have 10,
| | 00:50 |
20 or more images tagged with the same
keyword.
| | 00:53 |
Bridge and Lightroom are very useful
tools for making short lists of images.
| | 00:59 |
They allow you to stack photos, make
pics, filter your view, and batch rename
| | 01:08 |
your images to lock in a particular image
sequence.
| | 01:12 |
Once you have decided upon a theme, you
should determine the criteria for
| | 01:16 |
including photos in your short list.
Firstly, do the photos fit the theme?
| | 01:23 |
As hard as it may be to leave them out,
photos that are off topic must be
| | 01:28 |
excluded, no matter how good they are.
Secondly, are the photos good enough?
| | 01:33 |
Both aesthetically in terms of focus and
composition but also technically in terms
| | 01:40 |
of resolution or pixels per inch.
While you can in some cases get by with
| | 01:45 |
slightly less, ideally you want an image
resolution of 300ppi or pixels-per-inch.
| | 01:54 |
You can use Bridge to view the images'
metadata and find out the images'
| | 01:59 |
dimensions in pixels.
Dividing this number by 300 will give you
| | 02:04 |
a quick estimate of its potential maximum
image size at optimum output.
| | 02:09 |
Thirdly, do the images belong together?
Are they all in color or black and white?
| | 02:16 |
Mixing the two can be tricky.
Do they fit the same mood?
| | 02:20 |
For example, are they all interior shots
or exterior shots?
| | 02:26 |
Are they all day shots or night shots?
When it comes to telling a story,
| | 02:31 |
consider the narrative flow of the
pictures.
| | 02:34 |
If your book is about a time-based event,
then the shooting order will largely
| | 02:39 |
determine the order of the photos.
But even here, you will probably want to
| | 02:44 |
make exceptions from a strict chronology.
Some images will naturally complement
| | 02:50 |
others, either because of their subject,
color palette, or mood.
| | 02:55 |
And may work better arranged on facing
pages.
| | 02:58 |
Consider the rhythm of the images.
Your rhythm may be a completely
| | 03:03 |
consistent one with all the images at the
same size and at the same location on
| | 03:09 |
each page.
Or your rhythm may employ contrasting
| | 03:12 |
scales for visual interest and
punctuation.
| | 03:16 |
It's also worth mentioning that the
images that best fit the theme will not
| | 03:21 |
necessarily be your best images.
To round out a theme, perhaps by pairing
| | 03:26 |
close-up detail shots with long-range
views, you may end up choosing images
| | 03:32 |
which, by themselves, are less than
stellar.
| | 03:35 |
Keep in mind data is the some of the
parts that is most important.
| | 03:39 |
And throughout the process of making your
short list don't loose sight at the fact
| | 03:44 |
that what you leave out can be as
important as what you choose to include.
| | 03:49 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
|
|
2. The Page as a CanvasSetting the page size and orientation| 00:00 |
The orientation of your book is
determined by the orientation of your photos.
| | 00:05 |
This allows you to run the images at full
frame without cropping and insures that
| | 00:10 |
the white space around your photos
remains as even as possible and forms a
| | 00:16 |
comfortable framing rectangle for your
images.
| | 00:19 |
If most of your images are landscape,
then choose a landscape format book.
| | 00:24 |
If most are portrait, then choose a
portrait orientation.
| | 00:28 |
If your images are square format, or if
you have an equal number of landscape and
| | 00:33 |
portrait shots, then choose a square
format book.
| | 00:37 |
In terms of size, consider the following.
How will your book be used?
| | 00:42 |
Is it intended to be a coffee table book?
If yes, then go bigger.
| | 00:47 |
Does it need to be portable?
If yes, then go smaller.
| | 00:50 |
Perhaps most importantly, what is the
subject?
| | 00:55 |
Sweeping vistas of national parks lend
themselves to a large format.
| | 01:00 |
Whereas, intimate portraits of mother and
baby might be better suited to a smaller size.
| | 01:05 |
As always, there are practical
consideratoins.
| | 01:09 |
Not least of which is your budget.
Bigger books cost more.
| | 01:13 |
Both at their base price and for each
additional page.
| | 01:18 |
Then there is the question of resolution.
If the images were captured on a low
| | 01:23 |
megapixel camera, or a camera phone, then
there probably won't be enough image data
| | 01:29 |
for high quality printing at large sizes.
Rather then stretch the images beyond
| | 01:35 |
their optimum print size choose the
smallest size of book.
| | 01:39 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Understanding the elements of a page| 00:00 |
When designing your photo book think not
in terms of pages but rather in terms of spreads.
| | 00:07 |
Every left page or verso has its facing
right page or recto.
| | 00:13 |
We are designing the hull not the
individual page.
| | 00:18 |
Traditionally in photo books, the image
is placed on the right hand page leaving
| | 00:22 |
the left hand page blank or perhaps with
a small caption.
| | 00:26 |
When you open a book or a magazine or a
newspaper, it is the right hand page to
| | 00:31 |
which your eye is drawn first.
The right hand page and especially the
| | 00:36 |
top portion of the right hand page is the
most important part of the spread.
| | 00:43 |
That said, you by no means need to adhere
to leaving the left page blank.
| | 00:48 |
Whether or not you put images on your
left-hand pages, you will be paying for
| | 00:52 |
them, so you may well decide to have
images on every page.
| | 00:56 |
After all, the credo of less is more has
its limits when you're on a budget.
| | 01:04 |
Unless your photographs are all full page
bleeds the margins serve the important
| | 01:10 |
function of framing your images.
The margins should be at least a quarter
| | 01:15 |
inch with the inner margin at least 5 8th
of an inch.
| | 01:20 |
This defines the safe image area.
If you are designing your own pages, you
| | 01:25 |
can have the margins define the image
area of the page.
| | 01:29 |
The page numbers, if you choose to have
them, can be placed outside this image area.
| | 01:37 |
So long as they remain within the safe
area.
| | 01:40 |
So too can the captions if they are
short.
| | 01:44 |
By adjusting the size of your margins you
can define an image area that is the same
| | 01:50 |
aspect ratio as your pictures.
In this way the margins combined with the
| | 01:55 |
boarded created by the caption create
uniformly sized frames around your images.
| | 02:01 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Working with a layout grid| 00:00 |
If you are designing the pages of your
photo book rather then using a template.
| | 00:04 |
You might consider the use of a layout
grid to help you make decisions about
| | 00:10 |
image placement and as a way to organize
multiple images on the same page.
| | 00:16 |
If you're comfortable with using
InDesign, you can use its Create Guide
| | 00:21 |
feature to divide either your whole page.
Or the image area of your page into a
| | 00:28 |
series of rows and columns.
These rows and columns, make up great fields.
| | 00:35 |
Each of which is surrounded by a gutter.
With care and practice, you can create
| | 00:41 |
layout grids that allow for easy
proportional scaling of your images.
| | 00:47 |
That insure that any white space on your
page is used in an active way that
| | 00:52 |
enhances the design.
And insures the spacing between the
| | 00:57 |
images remains consistent.
For more information about designing with
| | 01:01 |
grids, I recommend you visit the
excellent website, thegridsystem.org.
| | 01:07 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Looking at background colors, images, and textures| 00:00 |
Let's consider the use of backgrounds.
For a background color, I recommend one
| | 00:06 |
of three simple choices.
White, black or neutral grey.
| | 00:11 |
White is simple.
Black provides contrast and drama and can
| | 00:17 |
draw the eye into the page.
Pages printed with black ink tend however
| | 00:22 |
to show finger prints.
Neutral gray is just that, neutral.
| | 00:27 |
It is about the photographs and you don't
want anything to distract from them.
| | 00:32 |
Textures when used with discretion can
add visual interest tie together a
| | 00:37 |
disparate group of images or give more
context.
| | 00:40 |
A background image when done well can
fufill the same role.
| | 00:45 |
Done badly you end up with the worst of
both worlds.
| | 00:49 |
You cannot read the background image
because it is obscured by the images on
| | 00:53 |
top of it.
And its presence is detracting from
| | 00:57 |
rather than enhancing those images.
With any of these devices, ask yourself
| | 01:03 |
if they really strengthen the theme of
your book.
| | 01:06 |
And if in doubt, leave them out.
Keep it simple.
| | 01:09 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
|
|
3. Arranging Images on the PageCropping images for maximum impact| 00:00 |
An effective crop can transform a
photograph.
| | 00:04 |
Unless you're a purist who believes that
all cropping should be done in camera.
| | 00:08 |
Most images will benefit from being
cropped.
| | 00:12 |
Here are some things to consider.
Crop non-destructively.
| | 00:15 |
Programs like Photoshop and Lightroom
allow you to crop images by hiding,
| | 00:21 |
rather than permanently deleting, the
cropped portion.
| | 00:25 |
Your photographs may be used again in
different scenarios.
| | 00:29 |
A crop that works for one situation may
not be suitable for another, so you'll
| | 00:34 |
want to be able to return to the
uncropped original.
| | 00:38 |
You can combine your crop tool with an
overlay like a rule of thirds overlay
| | 00:43 |
which can aid you in composing the crop.
The rule of thirds is a compositional
| | 00:49 |
technique that predates photography.
It divides an image into three rows and
| | 00:55 |
three columns.
By aligning the subject of your image
| | 00:59 |
with the points of intersection of the
rows and columns.
| | 01:02 |
You create more tension, more energy, and
more interest.
| | 01:07 |
It may sound overly formulaic, but it
really does work for most images.
| | 01:13 |
Should your crop be constrained or
free-form?
| | 01:16 |
That is, do you want the cropped result
to retain the image's original aspect ratio.
| | 01:22 |
Or should the new cropped shape be
determined solely by the subject of the image.
| | 01:28 |
Personally, I like to retain the 2:3 or
3:2 aspect ratio of my camera, where possible.
| | 01:35 |
This is because I frame the image this
way in camera.
| | 01:40 |
And because the photo book will benefit
from the consistency of having all the
| | 01:45 |
images at the same aspect ratio.
That said there are certain subjects that
| | 01:50 |
just work better with a one to one or
square crop.
| | 01:54 |
And others that acquire a more cinematic
feel from a letter box or 16 9 aspect
| | 02:01 |
ratio crop.
Ultimately it's down to personal preference.
| | 02:06 |
Lastly, we return again to the issue of
resolution.
| | 02:09 |
After cropping you will have fewer pixels
then you started with make sure your
| | 02:15 |
image still has enough information for a
good quality print.
| | 02:19 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Adjusting tone and color| 00:00 |
There are some photographers who proudly
proclaim that they do not use Photoshop
| | 00:06 |
or an equivalent photo editor.
I'm not one of them.
| | 00:10 |
I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get
the best looking image possible.
| | 00:14 |
And that means adjusting the tone and
color of images in Photoshop or Lightroom
| | 00:20 |
or Aperture, iPhoto.
Whatever is your tool of choice, even if
| | 00:25 |
you have only a casual acquaintance with
these programs, a few simple moves can
| | 00:31 |
dramatically improve a photograph.
Transforming it into the image you had in
| | 00:37 |
your mind when you released the shutter.
The histogram shows the distribution of
| | 00:42 |
brightness values throughout an image.
On the left are the shadows, and on the
| | 00:48 |
right, the highlights.
You can increase the contrast of an image
| | 00:53 |
by making its brightness values stretch
across the full tonal range.
| | 00:59 |
More subjective is the issue of color
balancing.
| | 01:02 |
If you're feeling un-confident about
this, try the auto color options in your
| | 01:07 |
photo editing software.
For a more hands-on approach, you can use
| | 01:12 |
the color-balance tool to identify an
area of your image that should be neutral
| | 01:18 |
- that is, without a color cast.
And use this as your target to color
| | 01:23 |
balance the image.
Color balancing, or white balancing, as
| | 01:28 |
it is also called, is a complex issue.
For more information, check out some of
| | 01:33 |
the many Photoshop, Lightroom, or iPhoto
courses on lynda.com.
| | 01:39 |
Keep in mind that the current crop of
digital SLR cameras do a good job of auto
| | 01:46 |
color balancing your images.
Speaking of complex issues, there's also
| | 01:51 |
color management.
Color management is about achieving
| | 01:55 |
consistent color, so that the colors of
your image on screen match the colors in
| | 02:01 |
your proof prints, and match the colors
in your printed book as closely as possible.
| | 02:07 |
To this end, online photo book services
provide color profiles.
| | 02:12 |
Small files that you can download and
install on your computers.
| | 02:17 |
These color profiles describe the
characteristics of the printers used to
| | 02:22 |
output your book.
Installing them will make your images
| | 02:26 |
appear on screen the way they will look
in print as closely as possible.
| | 02:33 |
It's important to know that using color
management and color profiles does not in
| | 02:38 |
any way change the data in your images.
Only how those images are displayed.
| | 02:43 |
Color management is complicated.
If you want to know more, I advise you to
| | 02:48 |
check out Chris Murphy's course, Color
Management Essential Training.
| | 02:52 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Sharpening your photos| 00:01 |
After adjusting the tone and color
balance of your images you'll also want
| | 00:05 |
to sharpen them.
Sharpening makes your images more punchy.
| | 00:09 |
It especially emphasizes any textural
detail in the image.
| | 00:15 |
There are several tools that can be used
to sharpen images.
| | 00:18 |
In Photoshop the two easiest methods are
applying either the Unsharp mask filter
| | 00:24 |
or the Smart sharpen filter.
Both achieve a sharper result by
| | 00:30 |
accentuating edge detail.
Sharpening will not bring an out of focus
| | 00:35 |
image into focus but it will remove a
layer of fog from your images you hadn't
| | 00:41 |
even known was there.
It's only when you compare the before and
| | 00:46 |
after that you realize how much the image
needed sharpening.
| | 00:50 |
Almost every image will benefit from
sharpening.
| | 00:53 |
Depending on the subject of the image,
and the amount of edge detail, it contains.
| | 00:59 |
Some will benefit dramatically.
While for others, the improvement will be subtle.
| | 01:04 |
There's a lot of information about image
sharpening here at Lynda.com including a
| | 01:10 |
section of one of my own titles.
Photoshop For Designer Filters.
| | 01:14 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Printing duotones| 00:00 |
Have you ever looked at a stunning photo
book of black and white images and
| | 00:05 |
wondered how the photographr achieved
such a density and richness of tonal values.
| | 00:11 |
Chances are those black and white images
weren't black and white at all but were
| | 00:16 |
dual tones tri tones or quad tones.
In Photoshop terminology duotone is an
| | 00:23 |
umbrella term for printing a grayscale
image in one two three or four color inks.
| | 00:30 |
Monotone duotone tritone and quadtone are
each variant of the duotone color mode.
| | 00:38 |
By printing in up to four colors, each
with a different tonal range, you can
| | 00:44 |
allocate specific colors to specific
parts of the tonal range.
| | 00:49 |
You can use dual tones for a sepia or
color tinted look, or to achieve a richer
| | 00:55 |
denser black and white.
You can customize your own duotones,
| | 01:00 |
tri-tones, and quad-tones, choosing
whichever colors you want and adjusting
| | 01:05 |
the tonal values of those colors.
But a good place to start is simply by
| | 01:10 |
using one of the presets that ship with
PhotoShop.
| | 01:14 |
Note that images converted to the duotone
mode must be saved in the native
| | 01:19 |
Photoshop or psd file format.
| | 01:23 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| When and how to use a bleed| 00:00 |
A bleed is an image that extends to the
edge of the paper.
| | 00:04 |
A full bleed extends to all four edges.
To avoid any chance of the paper color
| | 00:09 |
showing at the page edge, the image is
extended beyond the page edge or trim line.
| | 00:16 |
The typical size of the bleed is one
eight of an inch or three millimeters.
| | 00:21 |
Ascetically you might want to use a full
bleed to give your photograph a sense of
| | 00:26 |
boundless space.
The image is not confined within the
| | 00:30 |
rectangle of the paper but extends
without limit beyond the pages edge.
| | 00:35 |
For example a full bleed can enhance the
openness of landscape shots with big skies.
| | 00:42 |
When considering whether to bleed your
images, here are some things to take into account.
| | 00:47 |
When using a four bleed for a single
image.
| | 00:50 |
Unless the aspect ratio of the page and
the aspect ratio of the image are the
| | 00:56 |
same, the image will end up being
cropped.
| | 00:59 |
Even if the aspect ratio of the page and
image are the same, a bleed will
| | 01:04 |
inevitably crop the very edges of your
frame.
| | 01:08 |
This may work for one or two of the edges
but not necessarily all.
| | 01:11 |
Make sure that you are not losing
important image detail at the edges of
| | 01:16 |
your frame.
Consistency is important.
| | 01:20 |
If your going to use a bleed, it will
look out of place if you do this only
| | 01:25 |
once in your book.
While you don't have to bleed all pages,
| | 01:29 |
you will want to make this a style that
is repeated.
| | 01:33 |
A full bleed requires a large image.
Depending on the size of the book and the
| | 01:39 |
pixel count of the image.
Sizing the image up to cover the whole
| | 01:44 |
page may reduce its effective resolution
to below what is optimal for printing.
| | 01:50 |
That is three hundred pixels per inch.
| | 01:53 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Creating a cross-over| 00:00 |
A crossover image is one that extends
from the left page to the right page, or
| | 00:05 |
vice versa.
I've mentioned before the importance of
| | 00:09 |
designing spreads, rather than individual
pages, and crossovers are a great way of
| | 00:14 |
tying together the facing pages of your
book.
| | 00:18 |
A well-placed crossover image can make
your facing pages look like an integrated
| | 00:23 |
whole, rather than two separate parts of
the same design.
| | 00:28 |
When you employ crossovers, you
effectively double the width of your canvas.
| | 00:32 |
Here are some points to consider.
Unless your book has a lay-flat binding,
| | 00:37 |
you will some information in the inner
margins.
| | 00:42 |
Sometimes referred to as the gutter.
Make sure that any photograph you use as
| | 00:47 |
a crossover doesn't include essential
information like a person's face for
| | 00:51 |
example, in the area that crosses the
spine.
| | 00:55 |
While a crossover doesn't have to also be
a full bleed.
| | 00:59 |
Any image that straddles both pages
should look like it's doing so intentionally.
| | 01:06 |
That is, don't just extend a small part
of the image to the opposite page.
| | 01:11 |
That will look like a mistake.
Instead, make your intent clear and cross
| | 01:17 |
over a substantial portion of the image.
And, I don't mean to be a kill-joy, but
| | 01:22 |
once again, there's the issue of
resolution.
| | 01:25 |
Any image that crosses over a facing page
spread will have to have a high pixel
| | 01:30 |
count in order to allow for scaling and
still print at good quality.
| | 01:36 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Adding frames and borders| 00:00 |
There are a number of frame and border
treatments we can consider for our photographs.
| | 00:05 |
The most straightforward is a simple
keyline or stroke.
| | 00:09 |
As well as providing an elegant frame, a
keyline might also help define the
| | 00:13 |
borders of an image where its edges are
indistinguishable from the paper color.
| | 00:18 |
Drop shadows can give a sense of
dimension and help lift images from the background.
| | 00:24 |
Then there are distressed frames and
reflections.
| | 00:27 |
Keep in mind that if you adopt one of
these treatments, you'll need to be
| | 00:30 |
consistent and carry it through to all
the images in your book.
| | 00:35 |
And you definitely would not want to mix
and match these different frame styles.
| | 00:40 |
Like just about everything else frame and
border styles come in and go out of fashion.
| | 00:47 |
The reflection might be considered the
modern day equivalent of the drop shadow
| | 00:51 |
popular in the 1990's.
Perhaps the best advice I can give
| | 00:56 |
regarding frame treatments is not to
overwhelm your photographs with graphic tricks.
| | 01:02 |
You'll want your photo book to last, and
what looks cool and cutting edge today
| | 01:07 |
might look dated and corny in the near
future.
| | 01:11 |
If you want your reader to see what you,
the photographer, saw then perhaps the
| | 01:16 |
best treatment is no treatment at all.
Save for the simple, unadorned
| | 01:21 |
presentation of your photographs.
| | 01:23 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Breaking the grid| 00:00 |
I've spoken already about the usefulness
of designing with a Layout grid.
| | 00:05 |
While using a grid makes it easier to
create layouts that are ordered, and consistent.
| | 00:10 |
A rigid adherence to that grid can
sometimes result in a design that looks
| | 00:15 |
too boxy.
For that reason it's good to sometimes
| | 00:18 |
break the grid.
Here are a few simple ways to do so.
| | 00:22 |
Overlapping images can create a fun,
informal look, as if the photos were just
| | 00:27 |
tossed down on a desktop.
The trick is to make their placement look
| | 00:32 |
random, but of course in reality it is
anything but.
| | 00:36 |
And it can take some time to make sure
that certain parts of images are
| | 00:39 |
concealed, while the essential parts
remain visible.
| | 00:43 |
If you have a group of images rotating
just a single member of that group is an
| | 00:48 |
easy way to create visual interest and
tension.
| | 00:52 |
Then there are the cutouts and pop outs
that we see so often in magazine design.
| | 00:58 |
A cutout is where the whole image is
isolated from it's background.
| | 01:02 |
A popout is where just a portion of the
image subtly breaks out of the image frame.
| | 01:09 |
All of these techniques can be
tremendously effective, but they will
| | 01:13 |
give you photo book a more magazine-like
feel.
| | 01:17 |
If yours is a serious book of art
photography, you'll probably want to skip them.
| | 01:22 |
If on the other hand your photo book is
documenting a fun event or travel
| | 01:27 |
adventure then you might consider using
them to make your book more officially compelling.
| | 01:33 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Adding text| 00:00 |
Adding text to your photo book can give
context to the images, as well as fill in
| | 00:05 |
any gaps in the narrative and aid
navigation throughout the book.
| | 00:09 |
You might choose to include an essay,
either before the presentation of the
| | 00:15 |
images or mixed in with the photographs,
perhaps in the form of extended captions.
| | 00:21 |
If the photographs in your book are
someone else's and you are championing
| | 00:26 |
that persons work, you might write a
foreword or an afterword explaining their importance.
| | 00:32 |
If your photo book is broken into
sections, you might consider section
| | 00:37 |
titles to create a pause and control the
pacing of the book.
| | 00:42 |
You might also consider a table of
contents to make it easier for readers to navigate.
| | 00:47 |
This in turn will necessitate the use of
page numbers.
| | 00:51 |
These should be unobtrusive, and be
stylistically consistent with the rest of
| | 00:56 |
the text.
You can choose to put them on both left
| | 00:59 |
or right pages, or just on a single page
of each spread.
| | 01:04 |
Captions are by no means compulsory
within a photo book.
| | 01:07 |
You should only include them if you feel
they add information that the photographs
| | 01:13 |
do not already offer.
Such as the title of the image, its
| | 01:17 |
location, date, details of the event, or
the type of print.
| | 01:23 |
Don't repeat what is already obvious from
the photo.
| | 01:27 |
Captions typically accompany the photos,
but you can instead run the captions as a
| | 01:32 |
list at the back of the book.
This has the advantage of keeping the
| | 01:36 |
photo pages uncluttered, but isn't very
user friendly because the reader has to
| | 01:41 |
constantly flip back and forth.
Lastly, programs like Bridge, InDesign
| | 01:47 |
and Lightroom can automate working with
captions by creating live captions
| | 01:53 |
derived from the images metadata.
| | 01:56 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Choosing type| 00:00 |
When choosing a typeface for your text,
consider the following.
| | 00:04 |
The type should be stylistically in
keeping with the theme of the book.
| | 00:08 |
If your theme is modernist architecture,
for example, then choose a modernistic typeface.
| | 00:14 |
If your theme is rooted in a particular
time and a particular place, research
| | 00:20 |
typefaces from that era and from that
place.
| | 00:24 |
But be careful.
If readers of the book are more apt to
| | 00:27 |
comment on your type choices than the
photographs themselves, you have failed.
| | 00:32 |
The type is there to play a supporting
role, not to trump the photograph.
| | 00:38 |
Avoid at all costs trying to make the
type look more personal by choosing a
| | 00:43 |
fancy or decorative font.
Thousands have come before you with the
| | 00:47 |
same idea, and it didn't work for them,
either.
| | 00:50 |
It ends up looking amateurish and
undermining the credibility of your images.
| | 00:57 |
If your theme is a personal one, and you
want your type to reflect that, scan your
| | 01:02 |
own handwriting.
You're the only person who writes the way
| | 01:06 |
you do.
Whatever your chosen style of typeface,
| | 01:09 |
be consistent with it.
Stick where possible to a single font
| | 01:14 |
style at a single size.
Unless you can articulate a good reason
| | 01:19 |
for changing either, you probably don't
need to.
| | 01:22 |
When in doubt, it's best to choose
typefaces that are neutral.
| | 01:26 |
While all typefaces carry some
connotations, some carry more stylistic
| | 01:32 |
baggage than others.
For me, a sans serif typeface, like
| | 01:37 |
Myriad Pro, with its graceful shape, lack
of adornment, and relative neutrality is
| | 01:43 |
a safe choice.
As with much else, it's ultimately down
| | 01:48 |
to personal preference.
To learn more about typography, check out
| | 01:52 |
the Foundations of Typography by Ina
Saltz or my own InDesign Typography here
| | 01:59 |
at Lynda.com
| | 02:01 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Designing the cover| 00:00 |
I'm going to say a few words about the
cover of your photo book.
| | 00:04 |
Firstly, the cover will be designed as a
separate document, and is comprised of
| | 00:09 |
three parts: the front cover, the back
cover and the spine.
| | 00:14 |
Choose an image that most fully
represents the theme of your book, so
| | 00:18 |
that its obvious at a glance what the
book is about.
| | 00:22 |
It's okay if the image is also used
inside the book.
| | 00:25 |
Along with the title of the book, you'll
also want to include your name as author.
| | 00:31 |
When combining the cover image with type,
everything we've already discussed applies.
| | 00:37 |
Keep it simple, keep it stylistically
consistent with the rest of the book and
| | 00:42 |
remember that the type is there to play a
supporting role to the image.
| | 00:47 |
The back cover should not be forgotten.
By the time you get to designing the back
| | 00:51 |
cover, you may already be tired and keen
to be finished.
| | 00:55 |
But the back cover serves some useful
functions.
| | 00:59 |
Stylistically, you can tie together front
and back cover by choosing an image that
| | 01:04 |
wraps around both.
But don't force it, as not many images
| | 01:09 |
will be suited to this task.
They will need to have the subject on the
| | 01:14 |
right side, and sufficient quiet space on
the left to run text over and have it
| | 01:20 |
still be readable.
If you are including an image on the back
| | 01:24 |
cover, it should be one that offers a
sense of closure to your theme or story.
| | 01:30 |
Text on the back cover can describe who
the book is for, and without giving away
| | 01:35 |
any plot spoilers, give a brief synopsis
of its content.
| | 01:40 |
This text can also serve as the
descriptive text for the photo book
| | 01:45 |
website's online store.
You can also include a short author
| | 01:49 |
biography along with your web address.
The text for the spine should be big
| | 01:55 |
enough and bold enough, and on a
background with sufficient contrast that
| | 02:00 |
it can be read from a distance.
Look at the books on your bookshelf and
| | 02:05 |
think about which spines are easy to read
and why.
| | 02:09 |
In the United States, the British
Commonwealth, Scandinavia and for books
| | 02:15 |
in Dutch, titles are usually written top
to bottom on the spine, or 90 degrees counterclockwise.
| | 02:23 |
In most of Continental Europe and Latin
America, titles are usually written often
| | 02:28 |
the top on the spine or with the text
rotated 90 degrees clockwise.
| | 02:35 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
|
|
ConclusionNext steps| 00:00 |
So that brings us to the end of this
short course on designing a photo book.
| | 00:05 |
Before I leave you, I'd like to draw your
attention to this PDF of resources that
| | 00:09 |
is a free download in the exercise files
folder.
| | 00:13 |
Here you'll find links to the major photo
book sites, links to useful sites on
| | 00:18 |
different aspects of photo book history
and technique.
| | 00:23 |
And also to other courses on lynda.com
that will allow you to go deeper in such
| | 00:28 |
aspects as Photoshop, Lightroom,
typography, and color management.
| | 00:34 |
I'm Nigel French.
Thanks for watching.
| | 00:37 |
Goodbye for now.
| | 00:39 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
|
|
