Looking for MAC/Aperture user in the Morgnatown WV area

Question

Greetings,
I am trying to find some help with a book project.
I have two strikes against me.
1. I have no MAC
2. I have no Aperture
I am trying to find a MAC users group or helpful person in the Morgantown WV area who would willing to lend me a hand a book project.
The project is turning this website: http://EpicRoadTrips.us/ca2007 into a book for my mother for Christmas.
There are nearly 800 images and nearly as much text.
Can anyone help?
Thanks,
-Mike

Answer 1

Kirk, thanks very much for taking the time to write me.
Thus far, this has been a frustrating disappointment and probably is not a feasible project.
Just what kind of "book" do you have in mind?
Basically a book version of the web site: a travelogue.
Format and size is yet to be determined but I am leaning towards landscape 11x8 or larger. I have been looking into VioVio (http://www.viovio.com) as a possible printing service.
The good news? I "borrowed" some of your online image files
What was the URL for the images you used?
I shoot with the web in mind so I must resize my images.
Usually I have a small image in with the text which is linked to a higher resolution image if anyone wants to see it.
Such as:
"Thumb"
http://epicroadtrips.us/2007/summer/california/D1/web/ert07CAD121.jpg
"HiRes"
http://epicroadtrips.us/2007/summer/california/D1/web/hres/ert07CAD121.jpg
and most appear to be 180 DPI.
How did you determine this?
I still do not understand how.
DPI is a printing term (dots per inch) and the more an image file has, the better (and larger), the image prints will display. 300 DPI would be much better and maybe you have them stored on your PC or camera memory card.
I know that 300dpi is considered a minimum for quality printing, but I have never been sure how to determine this. Usually, I just use the original image from my cameras when getting prints made.
For web use, I resize them to a width of 400-600px.
If only 180 files were shot you'll be limited in the display dimensions in your "book". More like 4X5 inch sizes (maybe even smaller) on glossy paper. But you could arrange the images "4 up" to print a larger "coffee table" size book if you wanted.
I went to the MAC lab here at WVU yesterday and test drove Aperture.
I was able to make three or so pages without much problem.
But, I could not find a way to resize the image containers as they are set up in the templates.
I could resize image containers which I added to the page template, but then I could not apply the template style to these containers. The were unstyled boxes, not like the ones in template.
See: http://epicroadtrips.com/matt/book-style/ss.jpg for the book style I was working with.
If your Mom has a computer you could just save your Web pages as PDF (Portable Document Format) and each "page" of your Web site could be joined together into a single file. With the correct tools (and an online connection) she could view the thumbnail images and text in their current form and a click on the thumbnails would load the full sized images in any browser.
She has no computer, never has and never will.
But, she is a lifelong bibliophile and a book of the website she would truly appreciate and cherish.
You may also want to take a look at the Apple TV appliance. It could display your images on any modern TV (no text) in a slideshow mode with dozens of transitions and even a custom audio track.
I thought about this, but she is nearly deaf and TV is still TV - not a book.
Last, but not least, is the power of QuickTime Pro. Very easy to make a custom side show from your images and add an audio track. Then just send this file to your DVD burning software.
You can add text tracks (text over images or "black") and audio and even some simple transitions to make a nice DVD version.
A good idea for sharing with others - but not my mom.
I may look into using InDesign for the PC, but the thought of placing 800 images and the related text is quite daunting to me. That is why I had hope to use Aperture. It is some what automated/pre-laid out, but allow some customization.
Thanks again for the ideas and suggestions,
-Mike