(Disclaimer: I received a $150 dollar voucher from SAAL Digital for use on a “Professional Line” photo book for the purpose of this review. However, I received no other financial consideration from the company.)
I don’t print as often as I’d like, or as often as I should. But when I do, it’s a bit of a thrill to see my images in a tangible form. An entire gallery’s worth of images printed in high quality and bound in a durable leather and acrylic cover, is even better.
I recently received an offer from SAAL Digital, a new printing company, to create a photo book of my images on their dime. I took them up on the offer, and created a 52 page, 8×12, fold-flat, professional line photo book. I haven’t seen their standard line of books, other than images on their website, so I can’t speak to the differences. Here I’ll just be discussing their professional line of books.
The Creation Process
Like most online printers, SAAL has their own proprietary software for book creation. To be honest, this bugs me. It’s not just SAAL, of course, but it’s extremely irritating to have to learn a new piece of software just to create a simple book. SAAL’s is a pretty standard application, but lacked a few things (or I failed to learn how to operate the software sufficiently, which is a distinct possibility). Notably, I wanted a simple “snap-to” feature so I could guarantee that my images were centered on the page, or lined up with the neighboring photo. Too, a simple way to add nice-looking text would have been appreciated. The text boxes were extremely basic, and as such, I didn’t include as much text as I otherwise would have liked.
(Yes, I realize I could have created the layout and design separately in Photoshop and uploaded a fully designed page, but the point was to review their product and design capabilities. I wanted to use what was offered, not a work-around.)
In conclusion, the design software lacked some features. If you are looking to print a simple photo book with little text or specialized design, it serves the purpose. But if, like me, you want the flexibility to add nice text and design elements, then you are better off laying it out in Photoshop before plugging your work into the book’s pages.
They do offer a pdf upload option, but you’d need to have a perfect understanding of their printing bleeds and double/single page layouts to really assure you get this right.
Pricing, Ordering, and Shipping
SAAL has a number of size and page options from 8×8 squares up to a very large, 16×12 book. There are also some cover options, fancy boxes to hold the book, and other add-ons. I went for the color cover with a black, faux-leather binding. My final book is 8×12, 52 pages, with the acrylic and leather cover. Total cost: $162.
The ordering process was built into the design software and simple to use.
The book arrived within a week of my order, by DHL. Honestly, I was shocked by how quickly it got here given the ongoing global pandemic. Good service.
The Product
The book cover was different than I expected. Rather than the standard cardboard cover wrapped in fabric or photo paper, this book has a thick, transparent, acrylic cover backed on the inside with the image I’d designated for the cover. It seems extremely durable, and provides a unique bit of flash to the final product. I like it, but do wonder how long it will remain unscratched. As I plan to use this book as promotional material for browsing at lectures, and to pass around my tour van on long drives, I see this getting some abuse. While I’m sure the book itself will remain intact, how long will the cover take to start looking worn? Time will tell.
The pages are glossy photo paper as I requested (they also offer a matte option). The paper is quality material. I could cut each page out, frame it, and it would be indistinguishable from a high-end print.
Each page also lays flat, which allowed me to include two double-page panoramas, adding some variety to the layout.
The printing itself is exceptional. Great colors and sharpness; the images look amazing.
The Verdict
Aside from the above-mentioned limitations of their software, I think SAAL has created a distinctive and high quality product. The next time I give a lecture, or lead a workshop, I’m looking forward to laying this book out for display. Inside, I’ve included a few images from each of my most popular workshops, and the crisp printing and durable design makes my images look their best. With luck, this will inspire some people to join me on a photo adventure.
To SAAL Digital: Nice job guys, the book looks great. Beef up that software, or better yet, provide some pdf templates and guidance, to allow folks to easily print their own layouts, text and design, and I think you’ve got a winning product.
I’m looking forward to my next order, I’ve got another book idea in mind…
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