If you like to do extensive research before you do business with a company online then you’re going to love the article published this week by Jason Dunn at Digital Home Thoughts before you make your first photo book. This epic review The Great Photo Book Round-Up Review: Who Makes the Best Photo Books compares online experience, print, covers, paper, overall quality and value of several top photo book publishers including Inkubook.

If you’re thinking about making a photo book but haven’t made up your mind which company to use, you’ll be glad you took the time to read and watch (yes, there are videos as well) this one. Check it out! 

The bloggers at Barefoot Mommies, named one of the 50 most influential Mom Blogs by Nielsen Online, recently posted a photo book widget on their site – check it out for yourself. They think the new widget sharing feature rocks. We want to know what you think. Flip-through this book made by some Inkubook fans having a fun time at a recent Coldplay concert. Thanks for sharing guys – looks like you had awesome seats!

It’s easy to make and share your photo book widget. From your Inkubook homepage or book editor page, simply click the pink SHARE button and follow the directions. It only takes a minute or so to create. When it’s done click the GET & SHARE button to choose from several different sharing methods, including social network pages, blogs, email or embedding it into any website. Give it a try and tell us what you think!

Baby photo books made at Inkubook are printed on 100 lb. archival-quality
silk paper, which means they will stand up to years of enjoyment.

When my first daughter was born two years ago, I made a baby photo book  outlining our trip to the hospital, her birth, our time at the hospital, her first car ride and the first 72 hours at home, including her first bath on the kitchen counter. I finally got around to making that book when she was about 8 months old. I wish I had made that photo book sooner, when the events were fresher in my sleep-deprived mind.

This time would be different. This time, I had experience and a little inspiration from Laura, the professional organizer, mom of three and blogger of OrgJunkie on my side. Having made a baby photo book like this before, I already knew what sort of pictures I wanted to include. So, I logged on to Inkubook.com, and started the Simple Square baby photo book. The 8.5 square soft cover book fits nicely on a bookshelf and coffee table and in the diaper bag. I chose the Baby’s 1st Year theme. And in my super-organization state-of-mind, I began to lay out the photo book and write in some of the text I know I’ll want.

Photos you might want to include in your baby photo book:
- Mommy’s belly before and at hospital
- Cord cutting, hospital bath, bracelet
- Mommy, daddy, sibling, grandparents w/baby
- “Birth day” cake
- Car ride home
- First 72 hours at home – feeding, changing, napping, bath

After baby girl arrives and is finally taking a nap longer than 20 minutes, I’ll be able to upload all of the photos and place them in the book, share it with family and friends through Inkubook’s Invite Friends feature and order the photo book before she wakes for her next feeding. How’s that for organized?

A sample of tilt-shift fakery

• How to use Photoshop’s Lens Blur tool for tilt-shift fakery (Part 1 of 2) – The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) – I am a bit obsessed with tilt-shift photography these days (you can tell by all the links). This is a dead simple tutorial that provides great results in a snap.
• BorrowLenses.com – Camera Rental and Canon/Nikon Lens Rental – Want to try some lenses or equipment before buying? Have a special occasion where you'll need a lens you normally wouldn't? Try renting.
• Tilt shifting miniature photography with Photoshop – An article on how-to create a tilt shift effect using Photoshop. Tilt shifting uses a unique angle and focus to give photos a surreal effect that makes objects look as though they are miniature.