Storybook Album Designer v6 Tutorials
I have just finished recording 2 hours of screencasts showing you how to use my latest version of Storybook Album Designer. 100’s of photographers worldwide use Storybook every day to design and create digital albums and portrait collages for the wall. Check a brand new series of screencasts after the jump!
When I have created video tutorials I have admittedly gone through the instructional side of things well, but usually at the expense of the creative aspects of creating digital album pages. Therefore when I was planning the screencasts for the 6th version of “Storybook” I wanted to cover how you go about using the actions but also show you some of the more creative aspects of the software as well.
© Michael Sewell 2010
I must say thanks to Michael and Peter for allowing me to use their images. They have been very generous. I have admit I find it much easier to teach this kind of training series with other photographers work. I guess its to do with being a little self-concious about my own photography. Not that I think I take a bad picture, far from it. But I do bring a whole new level of perfectionism into the mix when its my own work and I don’t want that to get in the way of teaching you how to best use Storybook Album Designer.
Getting Started with Storybook Part 1
If you have never used Storybook Album Designer then the first screencast is for YOU! It teaches you the basics of a page canvas and within a few clicks, it will get you designing album pages for yourself. If you are coming from an earlier edition of the actions, then it will give you an insight to some of the new features built into the 6th version, including layouts especially created for Blurb books.
Getting Started with Storybook Part 2
Part Two, gently eases you into using Storybook to create what I like to call freestyle album pages. This alone is an amazing way of working with actions and I know this is the first time I have demonstrated this particular method of album creation.
The Storybook Album Designer Actions are there to make working with Photoshop easier. We all know its a very big mountain to climb and my job in creating this collection of over 220 actions is to make it fast and creative for you to work with Adobe Photoshop CS4, CS3 or even CS2.
The actions take you to the very heart of Photoshop and this alone makes Storybook a much more powerful piece of software compared to more expensive stand alone applications that piggy back Photoshop and build the album pages on the fly at the end of the session. All they do is limit your ability to creatively use Photoshop.
© Michael Sewell 2010
I introduced image apertures in version 4 and they were a great success with photographers working with Storybook on a day to day basis. Why well it allows you layout specific pages before your client has even chosen their images and it also allows you to create consistent repeatable album pages without any great fuss.
Working with the Image Apertures Part 1
However, 2 years down the line from creating the apertures collection. I find they are for me personally becoming more of a starting point rather than anything else. So in these screencasts, watch as I fine tune the size of certain apertures to create a unique page design.
Working with the Image Apertures Part 2
The previous two versions of Storybook Album Designer have come with some pre-designed page templates. Now, these frustrated me because all it did was add to the file size of the product download and I am really not sure how many users actually made use of them. Therefore, in the latest edition I made it a top priority to get a set of pre-designed page templates included as actions and boy did I crack out a good set for you.
I have created a starter set of 12′x12′ inch page templates that auto-build directly from Storybook Album Designer and they are just brilliant 
So good that two of my own clients have had the benefit of them already. Now, I am going to create more but it would be good to know which sizes you use. Would 16′x12′ inches be of use? Well let me know by dropping me an email. Contact If I pick the size you suggest for an expansion pack. I will send you a set for free!
© Michael Sewell 2010
The image above is a great example of the new automated page templates and this particular page contains the new panoramic aperture and also highlights the benefits of having stroke key line edges and drop shadows built directly into each aperture ready for you to switch on. (This is a real time saver)
Introducing the Automated Page Templates
The full set of 60 auto-build page templates will be unveiled on Thursday when we launch Storybook Album Designer to the world. I know these will be used by the many photographers working with Storybook and it will be something we will expand a upon as users let us know what they want from the page templates.
© Peter Ellis 2010
The auto-build page templates can also be used as a launch pad to creating something with your own style brought into the mix. Its very easy to adapt a page to suit your own photographs without any fuss and whilst working within the constraint of apertures and pages, also break out of them easily for an even more unique approach.
Getting Creative with Storybook
Creating blended montages and collages is a tricky thing for a lot of photographers and photoshop users. So in Storybook v4 I came up with the fades, tints, lines and other flourishes that make a digital album just look utterly spellbinding! However, I gave the training side of these features lip service and for that I have been hounded by Sandy and a few other faithful photographers who have asked for a detailed video in both inner and outer fades and how they work. So, in the last two screencasts I go into great depth about how best to use the little miracle actions.
© Peter Ellis 2010
Now, I have only just scratched the surface of all the new features of Storybooks Album Designer and needless to say the best way to find out how these actions will work for you is to download and watch the screencasts. Anyone who has Storybook and is using it… LOVES IT!!
Using Montage Fades and Design Flourishes Part 1
© Michael Sewell 2010
If you look at the background in the image above? You will notice 2 images blending from upper left to bottom right. These are easily clicked into place and flexible enough to swap out if you don’t like your image choice and its all done in seconds, not minutes or hours! Enjoy…
Using Montage Fades and Design Flourishes Part 2
Storybook Album Designer v6 will be on sale from 11am GMT on Thursday 11th February. Storybook including the 90 Page Templates will be on sale from £97.99 and available for immediate download.
Even if you are not a wedding photographer, it is the best way to make coffee book style albums and multi-aperture wall portraits from your photographs and artwork.
I look forward to your comments, questions, and thoughts about Storybook Album Designer v6 and don’t forget to check out the power session screencast posted a few days ago…
Stuart Little is a Professional Photographer and Photoshop Trainer with over 18 years experience in the field. The Little Photoshop is home to Stuart's articles, screencasts, training dvds, actions and inspiration based around the topics of Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Digital Photography and Off Camera Lighting.
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Stuart Little Says:
If your PC is bugging out on any of the screencasts, just click the download link directly underneath each video.
Cheers
Stu
kelvin.hughes Says:
Brilliant Stu Thanks very much
sandy Says:
watched all the tutorials now Stu, great collection. Even as an avid user of earlier versions of storybook I found the latter set of getting creative and using for montages very informative and provided new ideas. Can’t wait to try them out at the weekend when I have more time.
Shelley Fuhr Says:
I am very keen to have a 40×30 which is 12inches by 16inches book tamplate. I forgot to mention that in my previous e-mail re-colour callibration.
Many thanks Shelley
Stuart Little Says:
Thanks Shelley 16×12 is coming soon!
Cheers
Stu
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