Silver Halide Photo Paper vs Digital Print Paper

Some of you have been wondering about the difference between our SmileBooks photo books on silver halide photo paper and those printed on digital print paper and I hope this post will help answer your questions.

Our standard books are printed on 135lb digital print paper and are perfect bound. This means that the pages are printed on industrial printing presses, e.g. HP Indigo’s, Kodak NexPresses or Xerox I-Gen’s and are then cut on 4 sides and glued into the hard or soft image wrap cover.

Digital Print Paper

 Our books on silver halide photo paper with a lustre finish come in 3 sizes; 8×8, 11×8 and 12×12, with image wrap hard covers and a lay-flat binding. There is no seam in the middle of a double page spread so these books are ideal for full bleed spreads.

Silver Halide Paper

 We’ve also often had Facebook fans asking how to change from one type of paper to the other while working on a project or how to select the books on photo paper/lay-flat bindings from the get go. The following screenshots should help!

In order to select a photo book on photo paper/lay-flat binding from the main menu in the software, simply click on the last tab as shown below (see orange box). 

Selecting a book on photo paper/lay-flat binding from the main menu

However,  if you’ve already started a project on digital print paper, which means you initially selected one  first 3 tabs on the photo book selection screen (see orange box)…

Selecting photo books on digital print paper from the main menu

 …the photo book in the editor will have a dark seam dividing the 2 pages of the photo book spread and the paper type will be set to “Digital printing” (see orange box)…

Digital print paper editor

…while the paper type in the lower left hand portion of the screen will be set to “Digital Printing”  which comes with perfect binding. You can change this by simply selecting “Photo Paper” in the pulldown menu.

You will be alerted that the maxiumum amount of pages will be reduced in this option. This is because these pages are considerably thicker than digital printing paper pages and 82 pages are the maximum numer of pages on photo paper we can bind at this time…

 

Notice regarding max. number of pages

 …click on “Yes” to convert your photo book into one on silver halide photo paper with a lay-flat binding (see orange box).

Silver halide photo paper editor

If you have any further questions, please leave a comment below! 

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I Heart Faces

This is one of my favourite sites! I’m a huge fan of their weekly photo challenges, the quality of the entries is impressive… actually it’s intimidating, i’m too shy to upload any of my own photos but one day I hope to be good enough or brave enough to join in the fun!

There’s still time to vote in this week’s competition. Click here to vote and if you have time to spare, go through previous week’s challenges and gather inspiration for your own photography projects!

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Software update

The new software will be released today (at last!) and here’s a heads up on what some of the major changes are. In order to update your old software, just click on the “Update” button when you run the software.

The first thing you’ll notice is that we now offer a range of Greeting Cards and Calendars. In addition, we have a new 8×6 Compact SmileBooks Photo Book and you will now also be able to order the 16.5×12 Panorama Professional SmileBook with an image wrap hard cover! We’ve changed the name of the 8×8 photo book from Mini to Medium, so don’t let that confuse you.

The following photo books will now have a maximum of 154 pages in their image wrap hard cover on digital print paper options: 8×11 Classic, 11×8 Panorama, 12×12 Deluxe, 11×14 Portrait Professional and the 16.5×12 Panorama Professional SmileBook.

For all SmileBooks photo books printed on silver halide photo paper (those with a lay-flat binding), the maximum page number of 82 stays the same.

Some of the tools and functionalities have been moved or have a new look so i’ve included some “before” and “after” screenshots help get you started:

Here’s the photo book editor in the old software with the shopping cart and save functions (1) and the preview, zoom, page and rotation functions (2).

Version 4.5.9 - Preview mode & Save/Shopping Cart functions

 In the screenshot of the new software, you’ll notice that the shopping cart icon has been replaced with an “Order now!” button and the save functions have moved to the top of the screen along with the button for activating the SmileBooks Assistant (1a). The whole preview mode, zoom, page and rotation section (2a) has moved.

Version 4.6.5 - Preview mode & Save/Shopping Cart functions

In the old software, in order to add frames/borders around your photos, you’d click on the button (3) to activate the tool:

Version 4.5.9 - Border/Frame tool

In the new version, this tool can be found here:

Version 4.6.5 - Border/Frame tool

The text tool (4) has moved from…

Version 4.5.9 - Text tool

 …to here…

Version 4.6.5 - Text tool

 You can still set images to full bleed on either one page or across both pages with a right mouse click under “More image options”.

A huge change is that you’ll now be able to switch from digital printing paper to silver halide photo paper! This option applies to 8×8 Medium, 8×11 Classic, 11×8 Panorama and 12×12 Deluxe SmileBooks. This feature can be found in product information area (5) along with the cover type options and the page number selection tool. We’ve also added price information to this section and if you click on the “Change size” button, you’ll be able to change an 8×8 into a 12×12, a 8×11 into a 11×14 or a 11×8 into a 8×6 photo book and visa versa. This function is ideal for anyone wanting to make a large photo book to keep and a smaller version to give away as a gift.

Version 4.6.5 - Product information area

In a rush to get the new version out today, you’ll notice that the book sizes in the “Change size” function are still in cm’s. Some of the book names are incorrect as well. If you try to change 12×12 or 8×8 photo books, you’ll notice that the Medium book is called Square. For 16.5×12, 11×8 or 8×6 size changes, you’ll notice that the Panorama is called a Classic. We’ll get this fixed in the next few days.

Version 4.6.5 - Change size window with incorrect product names

The photos in these screenshots were taken from my vacation to Venice 2 week’s ago. Once i’ve finished making my SmileBook, i’ll share it with you and show you how to use the new share function.

If you need any more information, leave a comment and i’ll be more than happy to help!

On Monday i’ll be showing you all the new features in the SmileBooks Assistant. There’s a fantastic new section on style selection which will help you make themed photo books with a few easy clicks!

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Meet the team – Andre B.

Today you get to meet André who a lot of you will already know from our Facebook fan page.  

André in NYC

Christian, André and Daniel

Me: Where were these pics taken?

André: They were taken in NYC on a guys weekend with Christian and Daniel who you might recognize from the Sample Books pages on the SmileBooks web site. It was Christian’s first trip to the States so Daniel and I had to show him NYC before he got married this fall.

Me: You’ve spent a lot of time on Facebook lately. What’s been the most fun aspect of communicating directly with our fans?

André: Talking directly to our customers and getting to know them. It’s also great knowing you’ve helped someone and i’ve especially enjoyed watching our fan base grow.

Me: What type of camera do you use? Most of us are huge photography freaks. I’m assuming you are too.

André: Of course I am. I got my first camera when I was 6 years old! At the moment though I only have the camera on my mobile because mine broke. Luckily it’s Christmas soon so i’m sure there will be a new one under the tree for me!

Me: You studied International Economics & Business in the Netherlands. Was that a huge culture shock?

André: Not really because I spent my childhood in the US and in Germany so I was pretty much used to European culture in general. And I also already knew how to ride a bicylce so I did fit right in!

Me: You’re really into sports. What sports do you play and which teams do you support?

André: I play soccer and I used to play volleyball. My favorite soccer team is Werder Bremen (German Bundesliga) and my US teams are the Pittsburgh Steelers & Penguins and the Chicago Bulls.

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Our new software is nearly ready to launch

Long in the making but worth the wait! We’re busy putting the finishing touches to the new SmileBooks software. Not only do we have a new 8×6 Compact SmileBook but we’ll also be introducing SmileBooks Greeting Cards and SmileBooks Calendars!

Screenshot of new SmileBooks Software

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Meet the Team – Carl P.

Today’s the first in a series of employee interviews. On the 1st of each month i’ll ask one of the SmileBooks team to answer 5 questions posed by me and to submit their favourite photo of themselves!

First off is our Intern Carl:

Carl sailing on the Baltic Sea

Me: Where was that photo taken?
Carl: On my uncle’s boat. We were sailing from Denmark to Germany.

Me: When did you start sailing?
Carl: I think I was 5 or 6. My Dad took me sailing around the harbour at Kiel in Northern Germany.

Me: Do you have any other hobbies?
Carl: Yes, playing golf and soccer with my friends. I also love travelling and taking photos of my trips.

Me: Where will your next trip be to?
Carl: I’m going to Spain with my girlfriend in December.

Me: If you were in charge of SmileBooks, what’s the first thing you’d change?
Carl: I would hire a specialist for getting the coffee.

Me: Was that 5 questions?
Carl: Yes. Can I go and get you some coffee now Ma’am?

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Jack o’ Lantern Carving Contest on Facebook!

SmileBooks Facebook Contest
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Life – The Week’s Best Photos

I can, and do, spend hours at www.life.com going through all their online photo archives and if you’re having a rainy weekend where you are, please go and take a look at the site.

If you’ve not got hours to spare, here’s a slide show of this week’s best photos:

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One Life International Photography Competition

You take great photos. Now is your moment to share them with the world.

You are invited to participate in the One Life Photography Project, building a yearly international record of photography to be immortalized online and in a bound archive submitted to the Library of Congress. The top participating photographer, as decided by our esteemed judging panel, will be awarded a $25,000 award and a feature in PDN Magazine.

Your Photos Tell Stories.  Click here to share them with the world.

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Weekend Photos – Fun Fair Perspectives

Yesterday Birte, who’s in charge of Color Management at CEWE, and I made the most of a gloriously sunny Fall day by visiting the local Fair. Our main reason for going was to take photos from the top of the Ferris Wheel but the veiw at the top was dissapointingly hazy so most of the photos in this post were ones I took when we got back on the ground.

Most of us use the same perspective for nearly all our photos. We stand directly in front of an object and point & shoot. Yesterday I tried to find interesting angles and perspectives and here are the results:

I liked this shot of the Ferris Wheel peeking out from behind the trees:

Ferris Wheel and Fall Foilage

 We spent such a long time taking photos of these balloons that the seller made us buy one:

Ferris Wheel and Balloons

This photo was taken while we were waiting in line for the ride:

Ferris Wheel and Blue Sky

A photo of Birte taking a photo:

Birte in the Ferris Wheel

The following phtoto of the swings is hazy i’ve only posted it to show you how much better they look in the last photo which was taken from the ground looking up at them:

A view of the swings from the Ferris Wheel

The swings shot from below

Upate:

Sunday was the last day of the fun fair and while they were dismantling the Ferris Wheel yesterday, this happened:

Zum Glück wurde bei dem Unglück in Oldenburg niemand verletzt

Luckily no-one was hurt, unless you count the Ferris Wheel which is now totally Kaputt!

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