You're welcome to use your own software to create PhotoBooks for us to print.

Even though we highly recommend you use our website or software to avoid certain unforeseen (and some foreseen but ignored) problems.

 

Here are a few things you need to look out for:

Does the software you're using create high-resolution PDF or JPG files that we are able to use to print?

Does the software make products the same size as we make? (see the products on the website)

Be sure to check all the product specification on the website to see what kind of product, cover, pages and other options you will need to design.

If it does, then you're on the right track! -

For those of you who want to use something that does it all for you like iPhoto, this section is for you:

• Beware of 4mm bleed. We have an article on bleed, please check it out. The PDF you give us is going to be trimmed down by 4mm along each edge, so please keep anything important at least 6mm from the edge of the page.
• Please no page numbers. - Page numbers often cross the bleed line and get cut in half, please turn page numbers off.
• Number of pages. - The cover is not included in your page count and spreads are made of 2 pages. 1 page is 1 side of a piece of paper. The other side is a second page.
• Resolution. We are not able to warn you that your pics are low-res or do any colour correction if you haven't used our software.
• Flaps and dust jackets. If you want the flaps that iphoto adds to the inner cover of the book you need to purchase a dust jacket and ensure that the flaps are included in the artwork you supply.
• Please name your file with your order number. 

For those of you who want to use software like Indesign or Photoshop where you're really starting from scratch, then this section is for you.

• Beware of 4mm bleed. We have an article on bleed, please check it out. The PDF you give us is going to be trimmed down by 4mm along each edge, so please keep anything important at least 6mm from the edge of the page.
• For Hardcover and Softcover photobooks, please create individual pages. Not spreads. - a single right-hand side first page and single left-hand side  last page are required. 
• For Ultimate Albums, create your pages as spreads. Ultimates do not have any single pages, they are spreads throughout.
• Please no page numbers. - Page numbers often cross the bleed line and get cut in half, please leave page numbers off.
• Number of pages. - The cover is not included in your page count and spreads are made of 2 pages. 1 page is 1 side of a piece of paper. The other side is a second page.
• Resolution. We are not able to warn you that your pics are low-res or do any colour correction if you haven't used our software. Please create your print file at around 300dpi.
• Please ensure the page sizes and proportions are correct and have enough bleed.
• Your supplied files need to be named and numbered correctly, with a simple un-confusing system. eg, page0001.jpg
• Please name your file with your order number.
• Please ensure your files are sRGB and not CMYK.

Once again, we highly recommend that you use our website or software.

Sometimes, even if you design individual pages in Photoshop and save them as JPG files, you may drop them in our software as backgrounds to get a better preview and help you order.

Hardcover Cover size 
Covers need to be 1 large spread (front cover to the right and back cover to the left, spine in the middle). The covers are 5mm larger than the inside pages (they provide a 2.5mm lip all around). There needs to be at least 15mm bleed on the cover for wrapping in.

Hardcover Spine size
The spine width increases with the number of pages.  For 24 pages please use about 7mm, for 50, use about 10mm, for 80 use about 12mm , 95 - 14mm, 120 - 16mm, 160 - 22mm and 180 - 26mm. Please add a 12mm space to the (6mm) right and  (6mm) left of the spine for the spine hinge and other binding requirements.

Page Size guide for Hardcover Albums

Remember your bleed, so a "200x200 hardcover" book's pages should be 218x218mm - the 8mm will be used as bleed as follows, 4mm trimmed off the top, bottom and side, and 4mm bound into the spine, leaving a 210x210mm final page.

A5                              210x149mm
A4 (landscape)           297x210mm
A4 (portrait)               210x297mm
A3                              420x297mm
200x200                     210x210mm
300x300                     297x297mm
Ledger                       432x279mm
Letter                         280x216mm 

Spread Size guide for Ultimate Albums

Please note: These size already account for bleed as explained above, and will be the final design size.

100x100                     105.4x203mm    
150x150                     152x304mm
150x200                     152x405mm
200x150 (portrait)      203x305mm
200x200                     203x406mm
200x270                     203x548mm
200x300                     203x609mm
300x200 (portrait)      305x406mm
300x300                     305x610mm
300x400                     305x813mm

Photoshop Templates for Ultimate Albums:
Spreads sizes with bleed and center line for all sizes
Download PSD Templates for Ultimate Spread Design

Personalized Covers: Mural, Vista, Fringe and Monoblock
Download PSD Templates for Ultimate Cover Design

Ordering:

When you're ready to order, please register and login on our website.

When you're logged in, you can go to "Upload / Quote" at the to pof the page

Please select the appropriate product, and then "click here to upload your own PDF" fill in all the information and proceed through the ordering steps.

There are other knowledge base articles with more detailed ordering information.

Please ensure your file is named with the order number.