photo gifts - calendars

[Andy]

i'm the youngest of six - and so consequently, we have a very very big extended family. all of my family members routinely ask for prints, and i'm happy to give them as gifts when the occasion arises.

this year, i had planned to make a calendar to give everyone at the holidays. so, i went a-googling, and found lulu.com (http://www.lulu.com), a website that amongst other self-publishing tools, has a calendar creation feature. they print your photos on 100lb stock, four color printing. i just ordered a sample copy for proof, i'll let y'all know how i feel about the quality when it comes back... but from what i have read through some independent reviews, the quality quite good - not photographic paper/print quality but near. but as always, the proof's in the pudding, and so i'll wait a few days and report back.

lulu is a cinch to use and learn, just follow their on-screen instructions and you can make a calender in no time :-) they have a few different templates, and you can customize the calendar with important dates of your own, as well as national and / or religious holidays.

here's a sample output (from the pdf file that lulu generates). the original doc is 11" x 8.5" each page.

http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/9340556-L.jpg

there are more photo-gift ideas in these threads:

here (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=6811567)

and here (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=6811567)

enjoy (making gifts from) your photography,

[Allen]

I went to the lulu site and read everything I could. I'm thinking of creating one for each family and show all the birthdays and anv. I saw only one example that had events listed and was rather disapointed with the font size and style. I don't know if this can be edited. I have some days with mulitple events and wonder how they'll fit.

Otherwise I really like their setup and if I can get the pictures together I'll have some great xmas gifts. I'm thinking of creating montages for each month using the pics of persons that have birthdays or anv. that month. Could turn into quite a project.

Thanks for finding this, again a great idea.
Al

[ian408]

enjoy (making gifts from) your photography,
Absolutely!

Those gifts created and given by your own hand are the best.

Ian

[wxwax]

Cool idea, Andy! I look forward to reading your reaction when you actually get your hands on a sample calendar.

[Andy]

package arrived from lulu.com today. nicely packaged, all safe and sound (flat with foam padding).

the calendar quality is quite good. it's not photographic paper quality, but as good what you would find if you had a brochure printed at your local printing press outfit - so, in iow, for the purposes of a calendar, i'm very pleased.

i hope this little mini-review helps :)

andy

[Andy]

today i received in the mail, a box, with 36 calendars printed up. first of all, the packaging was safe and secure, the calendars arrived in perfect condition (sadly, many companies fail at this simple part of the fulfillment process).

the quality? i'm *very* pleased with the quality. the price? about $11 usd cost for a 12 month calendar, with cover, and spiral bound. the pics look great, and the family-personalized version came out perfectly (31 members in the extended family, that's a lot of birthdays and anniversaries etc to note on the calendar...) :lol3

i recommend this service highly. please read the linked thread carefully, many of your questions will be answered there. and, if you want more information, you can just go to their website, here (http://www.lulu.com)


http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/10098320-M.jpg

enjoy (getting your holiday shopping done early) photography,

[wxwax]

:clap Outstanding! The only problem I see is that you can only submit photos that approximately match the ratio of the page size. In other words, no creative cropping.

"Lulu centers your picture on the page and resizes it proportionally, that is, by an equal percentage of height and width, until one dimension reaches the limit of the page - either 10 5/8" wide or 7 7/8" high."

[mercphoto]

I'm having problems when I attempt to upload my 12 calander images to lulu.com. The browser sits and spins for a really long time. No progress meter, no indication that it is uploading. After 10 minutes or more the browser complains that it is not getting a response from the server.

This is on Mac OS-X and the Safari browser with pop-up blocker enabled. Anyone else having success or failure on this combination?

[wxwax]

Are the files in one of the formats that they accept? :dunno I only ask because I've mistakenly tried to upload TIFFs to smugmug before, with the same result.

[patch29]

:clap Outstanding! The only problem I see is that you can only submit photos that approximately match the ratio of the page size. In other words, no creative cropping.

"Lulu centers your picture on the page and resizes it proportionally, that is, by an equal percentage of height and width, until one dimension reaches the limit of the page - either 10 5/8" wide or 7 7/8" high."

Couldn't you float your image on a white background (extend canvas) so you can get the crop and background you want?

[Andy]

:clap Outstanding! The only problem I see is that you can only submit photos that approximately match the ratio of the page size. In other words, no creative cropping.

"Lulu centers your picture on the page and resizes it proportionally, that is, by an equal percentage of height and width, until one dimension reaches the limit of the page - either 10 5/8" wide or 7 7/8" high."

make your total doc size the lulu-spec size, and then put your smaller pics inside that doc. a white border, and yer done!

[Andy]

I'm having problems when I attempt to upload my 12 calander images to lulu.com. The browser sits and spins for a really long time. No progress meter, no indication that it is uploading. After 10 minutes or more the browser complains that it is not getting a response from the server.

This is on Mac OS-X and the Safari browser with pop-up blocker enabled. Anyone else having success or failure on this combination?

... and you'll be all set.

[wxwax]

Couldn't you float your image on a white background (extend canvas) so you can get the crop and background you want?
Good call. Thanks Patch and Andy. :nod

[lynnma]

today i received in the mail, a box, with 36 calendars printed up. first of all, the packaging was safe and secure, the calendars arrived in perfect condition (sadly, many companies fail at this simple part of the fulfillment process).

the quality? i'm *very* pleased with the quality. the price? about $11 usd cost for a 12 month calendar, with cover, and spiral bound. the pics look great, and the family-personalized version came out perfectly (31 members in the extended family, that's a lot of birthdays and anniversaries etc to note on the calendar...) :lol3

i recommend this service highly. please read the linked thread carefully, many of your questions will be answered there. and, if you want more information, you can just go to their website, here (http://www.lulu.com/)


http://www.moonriverphotography.com/photos/10098320-M.jpg

enjoy (getting your holiday shopping done early) photography,I created one of these calendars and it arrived in a couple of days. I was quite pleased with it except for one of the pictures which I had over cropped was crappy (pixelated). (my fault) Andy I'm seeing writing underneath the picture is that something you created on the white background or is it something you can add in and they create it. :scratch and another thing.. I must have missed half the instructions, is the text on the cover yours or "theirs" .... I mean is it a graphic? I do rush through things so and miss half of it.
Lynn

[Andy]

I created one of these calendars and it arrived in a couple of days. I was quite pleased with it except for one of the pictures which I had over cropped was crappy (pixelated). (my fault) Andy I'm seeing writing underneath the picture is that something you created on the white background or is it something you can add in and they create it. :scratch and another thing.. I must have missed half the instructions, is the text on the cover yours or "theirs" .... I mean is it a graphic? I do rush through things so and miss half of it.
Lynn

i created a custom border for each shot, with a 2 pixel (inside) stroke (black) as the border. i added the text to each shot, my © sig, mrp (via my custom brushes), and a title for the shot. i used a.a. fonts in ps.

for the cover, i added the text to my own photo, eschewing the lulu-provided cover text options (you must remember to un-check the title for the cover, else lulu will put your job title over your artwork. oh and it's always good to view the lulu-provided final pdf of your work before you send off for final print - you'll see if there's going to be a prob, at least i did...

yay lynne!

[lynnma]

i created a custom border for each shot, with a 2 pixel (inside) stroke (black) as the border. i added the text to each shot, my © sig, mrp (via my custom brushes), and a title for the shot. i used a.a. fonts in ps.

for the cover, i added the text to my own photo, eschewing the lulu-provided cover text options (you must remember to un-check the title for the cover, else lulu will put your job title over your artwork. oh and it's always good to view the lulu-provided final pdf of your work before you send off for final print - you'll see if there's going to be a prob, at least i did...

yay lynne!Thanks honeypie... just the info I needed.. I wanted to make the calendar NOW as I want everything NOW.. so I rushed it.. I started to download the pdf and thought.. "oh hell" and ordered it without really checking.. I also found it hard to match up pictures to months.. (husband chimed in) I need to SHOOT MORE!!. I also found them a little pricey.. unless I'm all screwed up...:rofl

[Andy]

Thanks honeypie... just the info I needed.. I wanted to make the calendar NOW as I want everything NOW.. so I rushed it.. I started to download the pdf and thought.. "oh hell" and ordered it without really checking.. I also found it hard to match up pictures to months.. (husband chimed in) I need to SHOOT MORE!!. I also found them a little pricey.. unless I'm all screwed up...:rofl

hey lynn,

how and where did you print the naked ladies calendars?

[lynnma]

hey lynn,

how and where did you print the naked ladies calendars?The naked ladies are about to be published (signing is Nov 13th) by a local printer Highland Press. I think they are starting with 1,500 of them. It went outta my hands soon as I handed over the files.
Lets hope they come out all right.... nuttin I can do now anyway.

Did I tell you CNN tv is gonna be there and WBZ Boston?? it'll either be a fun night or a lynching..:rofl or should I say Lynnching....

[ginger_55]

The naked ladies are about to be published (signing is Nov 13th) by a local printer Highland Press. I think they are starting with 1,500 of them. It went outta my hands soon as I handed over the files.
Lets hope they come out all right.... nuttin I can do now anyway.

Did I tell you CNN tv is gonna be there and WBZ Boston?? it'll either be a fun night or a lynching..:rofl or should I say Lynnching....
Lynn, I didn't pay the attention I should have when you and some were talking about this. Is this like the British One?

I loved that.

I need a really big calender, I do shoot a lot, could have 12 photos for about every subject in my life, that is a problem. Also I really limit that type of spending and I do need this huge calender........... the dog people are not putting one out this year. I hang it on the wall near me and I always know the date, can just look right over. If anyone hears of a super oversized calender please let me know..

What kills me is I would like a calender from each of you, lol. There must be something charitable or whatever, a drawing.........??? I don't know but I would love a lot of people's work. Maybe there is a calender where more than one photo can go on the page???

I don't know. My church gives me a great calender and so does the drug store, I just need this supersizer, plus, I would love one with work from all of you.

And you know the funny thing is............ my family doesn't ask for my photos. Of course, I give a lot away. But I know like that Shem Creek that was grainy, totally unacceptable, my daughter who grew up here, she loved that, but didn't ask for a copy. She loved my entry to this challenge here, before I perfected it. Kept saying that she would have put it over her couch............ and she meant it, but had just bought a photo. I just get a kick out of you all being begged for photos and my kids saying.......oh good lord, what am I going to do with all these. A calender would get the best chance of being used, aside from an expensively framed photo. They have those from me, too.

I would like a calender to be all black and white, but I don't do much blk and white, oh dear. I use channel mixer and the black in the selective colors, but I don't think mine look "rich" enough.

Why was it pricey Lynn, was it more than the 11.00? I don't think Shutterfly is cheap.

ginger

How did you get all your photos sized?

[lynnma]

Lynn, I didn't pay the attention I should have when you and some were talking about this. Is this like the British One?

I loved that.

I need a really big calender, I do shoot a lot, could have 12 photos for about every subject in my life, that is a problem. Also I really limit that type of spending and I do need this huge calender........... the dog people are not putting one out this year. I hang it on the wall near me and I always know the date, can just look right over. If anyone hears of a super oversized calender please let me know..

What kills me is I would like a calender from each of you, lol. There must be something charitable or whatever, a drawing.........??? I don't know but I would love a lot of people's work. Maybe there is a calender where more than one photo can go on the page???

I don't know. My church gives me a great calender and so does the drug store, I just need this supersizer, plus, I would love one with work from all of you.

And you know the funny thing is............ my family doesn't ask for my photos. Of course, I give a lot away. But I know like that Shem Creek that was grainy, totally unacceptable, my daughter who grew up here, she loved that, but didn't ask for a copy. She loved my entry to this challenge here, before I perfected it. Kept saying that she would have put it over her couch............ and she meant it, but had just bought a photo. I just get a kick out of you all being begged for photos and my kids saying.......oh good lord, what am I going to do with all these. A calender would get the best chance of being used, aside from an expensively framed photo. They have those from me, too.

I would like a calender to be all black and white, but I don't do much blk and white, oh dear. I use channel mixer and the black in the selective colors, but I don't think mine look "rich" enough.

Why was it pricey Lynn, was it more than the 11.00? I don't think Shutterfly is cheap.

ginger

How did you get all your photos sized?Ginge.. go to lulu.com and check it out.. the calendar is'nt very big but it's nice.. I think it was around 13.00 plus shipping

[ginger_55]

I must have missed something, I can't get the darn stuff to load and go to the next page either. I don't have a pop up control on, but I do have AOL.

And, Andy, or someone, if you see this, how did you get what I notice is an odd sized border. (More white at the bottom than the top and sides?)

ginger

[Andy]

I must have missed something, I can't get the darn stuff to load and go to the next page either. I don't have a pop up control on, but I do have AOL.

And, Andy, or someone, if you see this, how did you get what I notice is an odd sized border. (More white at the bottom than the top and sides?)

ginger


contact lulu support, ginger. sorry, i have no clue...

as for your other question, look at response number 11 here in this thread.

andy

[lynnma]

I must have missed something, I can't get the darn stuff to load and go to the next page either. I don't have a pop up control on, but I do have AOL.

And, Andy, or someone, if you see this, how did you get what I notice is an odd sized border. (More white at the bottom than the top and sides?)

gingerGinger... I think Andy created his own border in ps. I had to do the same, so you are not using thier border at all. Also.. it takes AGES to load up AGES AND AGES.. go to bed and leave it loading.. It took about 45 for mine if not longer and I have dsl.

Lynn

[mercphoto]

Well, I did complain about my browser doing funky stuff when uploading to lulu. I'm not really sure what the problem was Ginger, but I found that my files really did upload. Takes forever to do so, you get no progress meter, and when its finished you can't move to the next step. I was able to basically log out and then back in and resume the process of creating the calendar.

I have two calendars now published and neither process went particularly smoothly. But it does work and they look nice.

[Andy]

uploading

i have cable, it took me about 1, maybe 2 mins per photo to upload. the long part is once you are done and it goes into the lulu processing engine ... that took about 20mins if i recall..


andy

[ginger_55]

While you all have been talking, I finished my calendar and ordered one. Sorry, didn't notice the posts. Sometimes I just let Lulu notify me when processing was done. Watching was like waiting for water to boil, when I quit looking the darn thing worked.

I have ordered a copy as a proof, and I looked at the PDF and changed a couple of things. I left one photo in that looked, perhaps, over sharpened and subject to bad noises from photographers, but I really like the photo. Will see on the calendar.

I took all the dates of Christian, or any religion, holidays off, and all natl holidays. I thought if anyone wanted one, well, it seems we have learned by now that everyone is not a WASP. And not everyone lives in the USA. I get those calendars from my church and other places. I suppose I could have left it on for my copy, but I didn't.

The darn thing is just sitting up there for sale, hehe, at cost, uh hmm, since I haven't seen a copy yet myself. It is under my name, Ginger Jones, yes, that one, is easiest. And it is called "Silly Bird photography" no quotes. I figure no one else likes my bird, I love the darn thing. Told my son I had glued his feet on with crazy glue and that usually works. (he didn't think he was funny as he couldn't didn't think the feet were right.)

I have so many photos, that was really stopping me, but I just used ones I have not put on a CD yet and the sand/wind fence at the beach, had it in a file. Most of the stuff is more recent. But not all was RAW, so..... etc.

There is a preview that I should have entered. The preview shows up as a super large size and that sucker is sure in focus, etc.

My husband was so impressed, he changed his mind and decided to give his mother a Christmas present this year, and his sister. Then there are my kids, four.

Question: The shipping was 1/3 of the cost, Andy, when you ordered a bunch, was the shipping per item, or does the shipping go down with quantity, per item.

Just the latest news from Silly Bird.

ginger:D

[Head in the Clouds]

Have just spent most of today (about 4 hours so far) getting my lulu calendar organised.
I'm glad I re-read this thread, as last night I was about to rip my computer off the desk and throw it out the window 'cause I didn't think the pictures were uploading!! (they really need some kind of progress meter...).
Today I was patient ..... 1 1/2 hours worth of patience!!!! (dial up is VERY slow!) But finally it worked.
Have learnt enough about photoshop today to put some snazzy boarders on my pics and have sent emails around asking for everyones birthdays .......
Hopefully now, when I get to the payment part, the US - AUS $ conversion won't mean that it is now too expensive!!!! ????
I need to get them all to Australia by x-mas, so I don't think i'm going to be able to see a proof before I order the whole lot .... bummer.
Does anyone know if they give bulk order discounts on shipping/postage?

[Andy]

Have just spent most of today (about 4 hours so far) getting my lulu calendar organised.
I'm glad I re-read this thread, as last night I was about to rip my computer off the desk and throw it out the window 'cause I didn't think the pictures were uploading!! (they really need some kind of progress meter...).
Today I was patient ..... 1 1/2 hours worth of patience!!!! (dial up is VERY slow!) But finally it worked.
Have learnt enough about photoshop today to put some snazzy boarders on my pics and have sent emails around asking for everyones birthdays .......
Hopefully now, when I get to the payment part, the US - AUS $ conversion won't mean that it is now too expensive!!!! ????
I need to get them all to Australia by x-mas, so I don't think i'm going to be able to see a proof before I order the whole lot .... bummer.
Does anyone know if they give bulk order discounts on shipping/postage?

if you want, send the proof to me and i'll look it over for you... would be happy to help. pm me for addy if you want me to do this.

[Andy]

good on you, ginger, for getting it done :thumb

shipping for 30 calendars was only like $8 or something silly like that.

[Head in the Clouds]

if you want, send the proof to me and i'll look it over for you... would be happy to help. pm me for addy if you want me to do this.
You ROCK andy!! thank you.
My cmputer wont let me view the PDF format either, says something about some 'adobe' thingo cannot be found ...... so I might just take you up on your offer (saves potentially wasting a fair few $$!)

Have checked out conversion rates too, Aussie dollar is at about $0.75 to US1$ so isn't too bad.

Lulu is currently 'converting', and from the above posts, i'm guessing this will take a bloody long time.

If it works i'll let you know. ....... (you should get some kind of commission from LULU!!!)

Thanks again Andy.
:thumb

[Andy]

you just need an updated version of adobe acrobat reader. get it from www.adobe.com it's free. do it tonight, when you go to sleep, if you are on dialup b/c it's a big file :D

You ROCK andy!! thank you.
My cmputer wont let me view the PDF format either, says something about some 'adobe' thingo cannot be found ...... so I might just take you up on your offer (saves potentially wasting a fair few $$!)

Have checked out conversion rates too, Aussie dollar is at about $0.75 to US1$ so isn't too bad.

Lulu is currently 'converting', and from the above posts, i'm guessing this will take a bloody long time.

If it works i'll let you know. ....... (you should get some kind of commission from LULU!!!)

Thanks again Andy.
:thumb

[ginger_55]

I got my copy of the Calendar I put together. Came yesterday. It is really wonderful. Just as I expected when I ordered it. I am changing the cover to include a photograph that one of my daughters liked. But that is not Lulu's fault, smile. Lulu did a great job.

I have finished two calendar versions now, and am about to put a cover on a third version. I did one of my dogs, just for me. And I did another one of mostly beach shots, with a marsh shot, or two, thrown in.

I, personally, want all three. Lulu is doing a great job! Even my husband admits to a fondness, and he has decided to give Christmas presents this year, to his family : the calendar with MY photography.

I did not know this going into the calendar making "business", but you can sell these things. Andy's calendar is for sale there, very reasonable, for anyone who has been lusting after his photographs.......which I have, just have to draw a line somewhere on how many calendars, etc.

ginger

later: I finished the third one, lol. I might start on one of my friend's dogs, then I would have to send it to her, but she did have me overnight at her house last month.

Then I could do my daughter's dogs, just because it could drive her nuts. And I could do the Charleston scene, rather than the beach and marsh scene.
Andy, this has created a monster.

You all, it really is easy, and you don't have to do it all at once. You don't have to size any photos except the cover, I always put a frame around it, that way it looks like the extra white belongs, the last one I made the short side 7 inches, because that was close enough, lulu stretched it to fit, and it looks fine.

[Andy]

wtg, ginger :thumb :D congrats (and thanks, too!)

I got my copy of the Calendar I put together. Came yesterday. It is really wonderful. Just as I expected when I ordered it. I am changing the cover to include a photograph that one of my daughters liked. But that is not Lulu's fault, smile. Lulu did a great job.

I have finished two calendar versions now, and am about to put a cover on a third version. I did one of my dogs, just for me. And I did another one of mostly beach shots, with a marsh shot, or two, thrown in.

I, personally, want all three. Lulu is doing a great job! Even my husband admits to a fondness, and he has decided to give Christmas presents this year, to his family : the calendar with MY photography.

I did not know this going into the calendar making "business", but you can sell these things. Andy's calendar is for sale there, very reasonable, for anyone who has been lusting after his photographs.......which I have, just have to draw a line somewhere on how many calendars, etc.

ginger

later: I finished the third one, lol. I might start on one of my friend's dogs, then I would have to send it to her, but she did have me overnight at her house last month.

Then I could do my daughter's dogs, just because it could drive her nuts. And I could do the Charleston scene, rather than the beach and marsh scene.
Andy, this has created a monster.

You all, it really is easy, and you don't have to do it all at once. You don't have to size any photos except the cover, I always put a frame around it, that way it looks like the extra white belongs, the last one I made the short side 7 inches, because that was close enough, lulu stretched it to fit, and it looks fine.