Getting started on my first photobook

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Steven Hook
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Congrats on starting your first photobook project! We hope it's creative, fun, easy and you end up with a beautiful finished book in your hands. You are not alone - we are here to help you. This article is a GREAT start - have a browse and you'll be on your way to success. We have loads of helpful resources on your YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@RapidStudioMedia and if you have any questions, our contacts are at the bottom of this article.

READ this article to walk you through the whole process from start to finish. WATCH this VIDEO: One hour step-by-step how to make a photobook video tutorial:

JOIN our FREE monthly photobook workshop on Zoom: Sign up here: https://rapidstudio.co.za/site/workshops

Step 1: Choose your photobook

There are three main photobook types to choose from. Go to rapidstudio.co.za and click on Photobooks & Albums.

Hardcover Photobooks: ideal for capturing everyday moments
Ultimate Albums: For heirloom projects, weddings, newborn beautiful leather or linen binding, layflat pages on highest quality printing. 
Softcover Photobooks: a more affordable option. Not as long-lasting, but good for sharing multiple copies. 

Or

Themed album design: These are artistically designed album layouts ready for you to use. They come in different designs and themes like baby, wedding, mother's day etc. From the Photobooks & Albums drop-down menu, choose 'more book designs' to browse our themes library.

Once you've selected the type of photobook you want and the size, click the blue create now button to launch the photobook editor/creator.

Watch this 3 minute video demonstrating how to create a photobook:

Step 2: upload your photos

When the online editor opens, the first thing to do is upload your photos.

Click the 'galleries' tab on the left and 'create gallery'. Give it a name, then click to enter the gallery you made. To upload your photos, click the button at the bottom of your gallery that says '+upload images'.

You can add photos from:

  • Your computer: select the photos you want and click upload (we recommend shortlisting your pictures first so you import the ones you actually want to use in your book).
  • Your phone: After clicking the "+upload images' button a QR code will appear on your screen. Open the camera on your phone and scan this code, click on the website link that pops up on your phone and this will connect your phone image gallery to the editor and you can select and upload your pics from your phone into the gallery you just created. Here's a video demonstrating the process:

TIP: For the best print quality, use the original photos from your camera or phone rather than copies that have been sent via WhatsApp or downloaded from social media, as these are often compressed and lower quality. These can still be used, but you might need to place them in smaller placeholders. The software will warn you if the resolution is too low - see article What can I do about low resolution images? [insert link] for more info

Step 3: design your pages

Once your photos are uploaded, you're ready to start building your book. Use the autofill button (looks like a magic wand at the top of your gallery), or drag and drop them manually into the placeholders.

The black vertical navigation bar on the right-hand side is where you can change your page layouts (we provide many options to choose from and you can make your own), Add and edit text, edit images (zoom etc), add backgrounds etc. There's also clipart on the left-hand tab. For tips on designing your pages, it's helpful to watch this video. There are chapter titles in the description box to skip to the feature you'd like to learn rather than watch the whole thing:

Add and remove pages: You can add extra pages or remove ones you don't need. RapidStudio books have a minimum page count of 24 pages. Most printed hardcover book sizes can accommodated up to 200 pages (some exceptions apply).

Don't feel like you have to fill every page with design, sometimes a clean layout with great photos speaks for itself.

Step 5: check your photos

Before you place your order, it's worth doing a quick quality check:

Resolution warnings: If a yellow exclamation mark appears on an image, it means that photo may not print sharply at the size it's placed. Try making the image smaller on the page, or replace it with a higher resolution version. See our article "Low Resolution Images - What to Do" for more detail.

Unedited placeholders: Make sure all placeholders have been filled with your photos. Any empty placeholders will print as blank boxes.

Spelling: Give your text a read-through — the editor doesn't have a built-in spell checker.

An excellent/essential final check is by clicking the 'preview' button that simply displays your book how it will print. It's the 'triangle play' button near the top right corner of the editor. With fresh eyes, go through each page - problems are easier to spot on this screen and you can go back and fix anything that's not right... then page through again.

Step 6: order and pay

Once you're satisfied the your design is ready

  1. Click Add to Cart and follow the prompts
  2. Choose you delivery method. Orders over our minimum threshold qualify for free door-to-door delivery if you live in a main centre and Pargo if you're outside a main centre. Pargo is ideal as you don't need to be home to receive your order. Delivery fee (if applicable) will be calculated after you enter your delivery address (we deliver across South Africa).
  3. A Rush Fee option is available in the shopping cart if you need your order faster. Standard is 5 days for production (if your files are correct + PayFast) plus delivery time. See our article "Rush Orders" for details and pricing.
  4. Pay securely by credit card, debit card, or EFT. We use and recommend PayFast as it's secure and links directly to our production systems (quickest production option). If you choose manual payment (EFT), add 1 day to production time as payment needs to reflect in our account and be manually allocated to your order before we begin production.

You'll receive an order confirmation by email straight away, and a dispatch notification once your book is on its way to you.

How long does it take?

Standard production time is 5 working days, plus delivery time depending on your location and chosen delivery method. You'll be kept updated by email throughout. NEED HELP?

If you get stuck at any point, we're here to help:

Have more questions? Submit a request

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