Analogue is making a comeback.
Not only has everyone’s favourite photo-sharing app Instagram recently been given its first UK-based art show, but Blurb has also launched a service that turns your shots into a beautiful book that’s ideal for your coffee table.
Instagram’s speed and ease of use has made it incredibly popular, with more than seven million users in just under a year of existence and over 150 million photos have been shared on its network. Yet, in today’s hyper-digital world, a craving for something tangible is more prominent than ever.
The process of creating your book is fairly straightforward. Situated in the ‘Apps’ section of the company’s website, Blurb’s Bookify software easily connects to Instagram before letting you add a title and author. After looking at a preview, you can drill down by clicking ‘Edit Book’, where a basic drag and drop system (reminiscent of the way you batch organise on Flickr) gives you full control of length - with clear directions making it easy to visualise the finished product.
The software froze a few times when I first started the process, but doesn’t take too long to restart and this didn’t cause any real problems. The only delay is waiting for Bookify to load all of your Instagram photos, which can take a bit of time. This is definitely a tool that works best on a newer browser, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
After you’ve created your book, you need to pick which cover you want before purchasing. The standard softcover is £11.95, a hardcover with dust jacket takes this up to £19.95 and a hardcover with ImageWrap is £21.95. You can also then upgrade to premium paper, or even use Blurb ProLine, which gives you multiple choices for paper type, finish, colour of cover and more, but all of which increases the price.
Delivery takes either 9 or 11 days depending on how much you pay; £11.99 for the faster option and £6.99 to wait a little longer. However, I paid the premium and ended up getting my book in the full 11 days, so it’s probably best to go for the cheaper delivery charge as there’s no guarantee you’ll get the delivery any quicker.
The book itself was very impressive, especially when you consider that Instagram photos aren’t exactly taken at the highest resolution. The printing was of high quality, as was the finishing, and it certainly felt like I’d got my money’s worth.
US-based Blurb made a name for itself by allowing people to publish their own books at low cost, and looks to be onto a winner with this new service. Will it change the world? Probably not, but it’s a great gift idea in the run-up to Christmas and is an ideal way to capture the popularity of Instagram at the moment. In years to come, when it may even have shut down, a keepsake book could provide a lovely reminder of the experiences people thought were important enough to photograph and share.
Vikki Chowney is a writer, currently acting as content editor for the JaguarFuture.com project. You can follow her on Twitter @vikkichowney.