Recently, I had the opportunity recently to try out the 'Professional Line' phonebook from Saal Digital. The book comes with an acrylic sheet front cover and a choice of 'leather' bindings. It features heavy-duty lay-flat pages. However, before talking about the result in detail, a word about the software.
So to the software provided by Saal. This is the first time I've had software that one downloads to the computer. I run an iMac with an i7 processor, 56 GB RAM and with the 5K 27" screen. For the first time, I could make use of the full screen, just like when I'm working in a DTP programme. The precision of image placement and the professional additional guidelines for bleed edges was much appreciated.
What was less appreciated was that the software crashed the moment I tried to access my high res files on an external hard disc. Like most professionals, I keep my image library on an external disc as its currently 3.2TB which would swamp the 'puny' 2TB drive in the iMac! Anytime I'm away from home for a couple of days the hard disc is stored away securely - just in case. The Saal.... software is apparently picky over accessing external drives, an oversight I believe.
The acrylic sheet is relatively thick, it is a heavy slice indeed! The cover photograph mounted/glued behind it glowed rich colours. I thought that the pages would be heavy paper but in reality, they are a heavy and substantial card. The quality of the prints is remarkable, and really could only be bettered by a giclee print.
In closing, I can give a solid endorsement to Saal for the quality of the software and the exceptional finish of their Professional Line phonebooks. My thanks to the firm for the opportunity to try the product at a low cost.
Many of us have produced photobooks with a number of providers. I have experience of low-level mass market and middle market photobooks, and the low-level cheap stuff I would not consider using again. The online design tools were really the size suitable for my smartphone, precise alignments virtually impossible to achieve and in the end, I needed a total reprint before I resigned myself to the result being the best they could achieve.
Middle price providers are very much better, and myself and my clients have been happy enough with the results, although again there are not the super-precise alignments where one could confidently mix full-bleed images and text content.
So to the software provided by Saal. This is the first time I've had software that one downloads to the computer. I run an iMac with an i7 processor, 56 GB RAM and with the 5K 27" screen. For the first time, I could make use of the full screen, just like when I'm working in a DTP programme. The precision of image placement and the professional additional guidelines for bleed edges was much appreciated.
What was less appreciated was that the software crashed the moment I tried to access my high res files on an external hard disc. Like most professionals, I keep my image library on an external disc as its currently 3.2TB which would swamp the 'puny' 2TB drive in the iMac! Anytime I'm away from home for a couple of days the hard disc is stored away securely - just in case. The Saal.... software is apparently picky over accessing external drives, an oversight I believe.
A couple of days later I tried the software again and this time all went smoothly. As it did every time I sat down for some further tweaks to the book I put together. I believe the software is happy to access the external drive if that drive is up and running already?
A very happy time ensued where the book - a collection of my best landscape and architectural works for showing to potential clients (if we ever get out of house arrest...) in the future. Having these precise levels of control, of course, means that one is tempted to fiddle at length but that's my own fault because I rarely use set templates!
So, design done and the book ordered at the special rate Saal had offered me to try their new product. When the result came through I have to say I was wowed by the quality of the result.
The acrylic sheet is relatively thick, it is a heavy slice indeed! The cover photograph mounted/glued behind it glowed rich colours. I thought that the pages would be heavy paper but in reality, they are a heavy and substantial card. The quality of the prints is remarkable, and really could only be bettered by a giclee print.
The book really lays flat and it is a pleasure to see one's work so well presented. The leatherette binding is another classy touch and that finish stretches right across the back of the book.
I rarely shoot weddings, as I have the late gift of fatherhood and I prioritise time with my 8-year-old - but I would not hesitate to offer an album to this quality to the few who have sought me out for such work. I am sure that when this is shown off to friends and family I may need to keep my head down or I will end up doing many more than I would like to!
In closing, I can give a solid endorsement to Saal for the quality of the software and the exceptional finish of their Professional Line phonebooks. My thanks to the firm for the opportunity to try the product at a low cost.
Stephen Ellis Bell MA(ed) BA(hons) PGCE
Stephen Ellis Bell Photography.
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