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How Photo Books Work

Basic steps to creating a photo book

You've decided to create a photo book. Now you need to know how the process works.

Step 1. Upload your images.


There are two general approaches to creating a photo book with Viovio.
Image

Individual Image Uploads

If you have individual images or pages, upload them to a photo gallery, and use the Viovio Book Designer to stitch them together to create a book. Click here for a step by step guide to creating a gallery. Upload Images Now
Image

Complete PDF Document

Using a desktop application, create a complete multi-page PDF. You can then upload the complete file using the PDF Upload Wizard. Be sure to read all of the PDF creation documentation. Upload a PDF Now



Step 2. Click Through Viovio's Product Builder

This is the part of the process where you choose the book size, background color for your pages (if you want a color other than white), etc.
After using desktop software or the Viovio Book Designer to create your book. The wizard will help you create your product. Complete through the remaining steps in the Product Builder.


Step 3. Add Your Product To Your Shopping Cart and Checkout!

Now that the Product Builder has completed you are ready to purchase your book. You can also display your book in our webstore for others to purchase smile

That's it! Get started now and order your book today!


Public or Private? It's your choice.

Keeping your book private is easy - just use our Security Levels so only those you trust can purchase your book or browse your images.


Comments

Reply to this comment

by William, Wed 15 of Apr, 2009 (05:36 UTC)
Very frustrating trying to use these programs to create a book. I try to add a picture to a page and it just expands the picture to fit the page while cutting off most of the image. There is no tool to resize the image, unless I don't know how to use the program but I don't see anything to edit. I just looked at the Blurb software and it makes more sense. Unless I can get help with how to create the book, I will most likely create with Blurb.

Also, when I created a book in Machine to see what my options were, I try to click next to go to cover options but the window keeps popping up tell me to check the PDF. I check the PDF but can't get anywhere, the window keeps popping up.
Reply to this comment

Re:

by Viovio Support, Fri 17 of Apr, 2009 (12:11 UTC)
William, I see you only had one image in your gallery, you need more than one image. Also, just so you have this information — we prefer one complete PDF or separate .jpg files. We recommend your images be at 300 dpi.

For all our trim sizes we recommend you make the cover images as well as the interior page images 1/2" larger than your book size. For example if you plan to create an 8.5x11 book the cover image as well as interior pages would be 8.75x11.25 (at 300 dpi).

Most importantly, keep all important items (people, heads, text,borders) away from the outer 1/2" on all sides.

Here is a page that may help
http://www.viovio.com/wiki/index.php?structure_id=303

We trim 1/8" on all sides and just keep in mind an 1/8" is a greater percentage of the book for our mini books than it is for say an 8.5x11 book. In other words 1/8" is a greater percentage of 5" than it is of 8.5". Does that make sense?

Reply to this comment

Re:

by Viovio Support, Wed 15 of Apr, 2009 (14:15 UTC)
William, so sorry for any frustration. I think the trouble is present because you only have one image in your gallery.

We offer two ways to upload your pages/ pictures to Viovio 1) .jpgs or 2) PDF. If you upload .jpgs then there are two ways to pull your book together 1) original photo book creator and 2) recently released book designer.

To upload .jpg files
Just login
select "create a gallery" under the photos column
title the gallery something meaningful to you
Click the SAVE GALLERY button
click the UPLOAD PICTURES link
and upload your pictures from your computer

After you get your images from your computer to viovio you are ready to create your book's interior and cover files.

Using the book designer wizard to create your book's interior file
click the dashboard link to the right of the screen
Select the "create a product" option under the products column
Then select the PHOTO BOOK DESIGNER button
Select "I Understand, Let's get started" button
Title your book
Select the ratio (square, portrait, landscape)
Select the number of pages your book will be
Click the CREATE button

Reply to this comment

Re:

by William, Wed 15 of Apr, 2009 (19:17 UTC)
I understand that part and how to get the pictures uploaded and into a design, but I can't figure out how to resize the picture that I add to a page. I drag and drop a picture to the page with a template, it then resizes the picture automatically and fits the picture horizontally across the page but then crops out every at the top and bottom. I don't see a feature where I can manually resize the picture to shrink it down to have the entire picture fit onto the page.
Reply to this comment

Prices

by Tom Straub, Fri 04 of Apr, 2008 (21:13 UTC)
I have a price in mind for customers. When I want to purchase my own books, do I go about it from a different place, so I'm not clicking the customers "buy now " button. I'd like to buy small groups of my own books to take or send ahead to conventions to sell myself. Can I buy my own books and have them mailed to an address of my choosing ?
Reply to this comment

Re: Prices

by Viovio Support, Tue 08 of Apr, 2008 (21:31 UTC)
Tom, yes, you can ship an order to any location around the world. If you want your book to be available at a price higher than your price you can become a retailer member and add a commission to your books. Here is a link to the page that gives details about the retailer membership
Reply to this comment

keep individual pics private.

by Tom Straub, Fri 04 of Apr, 2008 (21:09 UTC)
I'm planning on making a couple books to sell of my artwork. I noticed I can enlarge photos that are from other books being sold here, in the viewer pages. If people can view my pictures that large, they could save them to their computers and not bother buying the book at all. Is it possible to keep the viewable images small to prevent theft of bigger sizes, or is there a watermark I can use, that won't be on the printed books ?
Reply to this comment

Re: keep individual pics private.

by Jane, Sun 13 of Apr, 2008 (16:57 UTC)
Some folks that are planning to sell a book keep that gallery private, and then post a low resolution copy publicly.
Reply to this comment

Re: keep individual pics private.

by Tom Straub, Wed 09 of Apr, 2008 (22:00 UTC)
Thanks Judy. I'll consider doing that...
Reply to this comment

Re: keep individual pics private.

by Judy R., Tue 08 of Apr, 2008 (19:39 UTC)
When I click on the large version of one of my 8.5 x 11 pages and then copy it onto my computer it is only coming out to be 622 x 800, or 164kb, which is pretty poor quality. What I would do if I was you, would be to watermark all my photos (easy if you have photoshop) after creating my book. Also, after you create your book you will be taken to the "webstore options" page and their you have the opportunity to have people view a low res PDF of your book. To avoid this do not check the "Show Preview" box on the book order page so that their will be no link to a low resolution PDF of the book.