Posted by Peter Conway on November 1, 2009 at 5:12 PM
I have a friend that is in the book business and is looking to do printing for photographers similar to BLURB. He was asking me what is needed in that marketplace.
I mentioned 15 x 10 format since I use that a lot but I wonder what would all of you like to see from a new company?
Posted by Ron Bielefeld on November 1, 2009 at 6:15 PM
I agree with Floris. This is a huge problem with any printer. In a book you want your images to shine.
Posted by Peter Conway on November 1, 2009 at 6:20 PM
That makes a lot of sense to me. He is interested in the premium market. Is there a paper size or quality that would stand out as being better that you would like to see? This is a chance to really influence a vendor!
Active marketing of the book will make your friend a standout among publishers. Most are so passive, you wonder how they can stay in business.
Posted by Jerry Greer on November 1, 2009 at 7:54 PM
You already have this at your fingertips! My email address and phone numbers are available from my links! Hey Floris, tell them about your calendar. From the files that I received your proofs and your final output was spot on except for just a touch of saturation in a couple of them due to the limitations of CMYK. What makes us different at Mountain Trail Press is that we are photographers. I've been doing this for 10 years now and have worked with my printers to perfect our offset workflow. If anyone has questions just give me a call.
Posted by Peter Conway on November 1, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Hi Jerry, I just checked out your website and it looks great. I think the difference would be in run size with my friend looking to get in the smaller runs. His company does that now but in a very different type of venue. They have tremendous color control and would do proofs of individual pages if wanted.
Yep... Jerry's results rock... I'll vouch for that!!!
Posted by Jerry Greer on November 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM
We can do runs of 1000 copies now. I need to change that on the site. Also, our prices will KILL any price you can get in the US. You can usually print 1,000 copies with proofs and printed F&G's (actual printed signatures before binding) for the price of 500 copies or less copies in the US. Also, we have no limits as to paper, glossy or matte art, spot gloss on images/text, glossy or matte lamination on covers. Our prices have no hidden costs and always include proofs/f&g's and shipping to your door. We also offer consultation and design.
If you are looking for very small vanity runs then yes, these kind of printers will give you a pretty nice product. If you are looking at selling your products it is really hard to do. The cost prohibits any wholesale distribution only direct to customer. For example, selling a calendar with a retail of $12.99 will have a wholesale price of about $6.50 to 7.50. So for you to make any money you will need to pay less than $6.50 or 7.50 to manufacture. It is impossible to do with one-off vanity presses. We also can print FSC certified green publications.
Hey Peter, where's your friend from? I've been talking with a guy about doing really small run stuff.
Posted by Peter Conway on November 2, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Great info Jerry.
My understanding is that he is looking at the vanity end (100 or less at a time) with an eye towards great quality and more competitive pricing. He is wondering what photographers find "missing" from those suppliers. I have long thought about a "coffee table book" of my photography that would be oversize and superb quality. Something I would be proud to give to people or sell in small quantities. Probably would never generate enough volume to merit a true marketing effort or big investment. I would guess there are many others like me that are proud of our work but don't really figure we can sell thousands of books.
He is in Minnesota.
Posted by John W. Wall on November 3, 2009 at 7:02 PM
I've been satisfied with a couple of Blurb books I've done, quality-wise. The downsides are using their templates. It would be nice to have more control over layout of text and photos on the same page. I'd like to be able to download all my text, then place my photos where I want them, as big as I want them, and have the text adjust itself. The two hardcover Blurb books I did ended up costing about $60 each for something under 200 pages. At that price it's more of a one-of-a-kind keepsake than something you'll share with anyone, much less sell.
Discussion
10 repliesI mentioned 15 x 10 format since I use that a lot but I wonder what would all of you like to see from a new company?
If you are looking for very small vanity runs then yes, these kind of printers will give you a pretty nice product. If you are looking at selling your products it is really hard to do. The cost prohibits any wholesale distribution only direct to customer. For example, selling a calendar with a retail of $12.99 will have a wholesale price of about $6.50 to 7.50. So for you to make any money you will need to pay less than $6.50 or 7.50 to manufacture. It is impossible to do with one-off vanity presses. We also can print FSC certified green publications.
Hey Peter, where's your friend from? I've been talking with a guy about doing really small run stuff.
My understanding is that he is looking at the vanity end (100 or less at a time) with an eye towards great quality and more competitive pricing. He is wondering what photographers find "missing" from those suppliers. I have long thought about a "coffee table book" of my photography that would be oversize and superb quality. Something I would be proud to give to people or sell in small quantities. Probably would never generate enough volume to merit a true marketing effort or big investment. I would guess there are many others like me that are proud of our work but don't really figure we can sell thousands of books.
He is in Minnesota.