Photo book?

Beth.1212

I want to make some photo books showing LO's first year as Christmas gifts for the grandparents. I've been looking at the different services out there, and I'm really confused about who to go with! I want them to be high quality, and I'm willing to pay a bit more to get it. I'd also love to be able to customize the book, rather than be stuck with a set layout. Different reviews say different things about the same company... some say Shutterfly makes a nice product, but I also see a lot of complaints about print quality recently, for example. Others I've looked at are Mixbook, MyPublisher, iPhoto, and AdoramaPix. 

Does anyone have any suggestions to offer or experiences to share? 

DublinMama

I made a photo book for the first 6 months of DS' life through Shutterfly. It came out great! It was completely customizable in every aspect. I didn't run into any issues with print quality. I have made a few different products from them and have always been very pleased.

vrj0522

I've used different companies but also like Shutterfly the best.

Here is a helpful article someone shared with me about the different companies. It gives you ratings/reviews that you might find helpful.

https://www.digitalhomethoughts.com/news/show/97676/the-great-photo-book-round-up-review-who-makes-the-best-photo-books.html

Kmartinrvt13

A butterfly for sure! My photographer for my wedding made me a book through there and it's beautiful!

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baloneydisc

I've used Shutterfly for all of our photo books and am very happy with them. I've done books every 6 months for both grandmas. I also recently made a photo mug, mousepad and some magnets. I only order when I have codes for free items (which as you can see happens quite often).

Beth.1212

Thanks for the input! After looking through your replies and doing further web searches, I'm thinking of using AdoramaPix, largely based on reviews like this: 

If you don’t mind the digital-print look, which shows screening dots on close inspection, Aperture, Blurb, and MyPublisher give you the best layouts and the best design experiences. If you like lay-flat pages... Adorama will make a book that shows off your images. 

https://www.popphoto.com/gear/2011/02/best-services-printing-your-photo-books?page=0,1

...although the [Shutterfly] book doesn't look super high-end, it is a nice way to save vacation photos or whatnot... I love the paper and print quality [of AdoramaPix]. The paper is very thick and the photos look as good as a professionally printed photograph you'd hang on your wall (they print on real photo paper-- so that makes sense!)

https://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/adoramapix-v-blurb-v-snapfish-v-shutterfly#axzz2kM5yQq81

It's good to know that Shutterfly really does a nice job, though. I may use Shutterfly in the future when I want a more casual book, but I really want to go for the highest image quality reasonably possible on this gift. 

jennygirlmt

I use shutterfly because of all the free books I get. I often am mailed free codes for their 8x8 hardcover and they come out beautifully. I completely customize them. I can work on a 20 pager for weeks. I'm working on a first year album right now.

I've heard a few recommendations for the other companies you mentioned. But I'd just choose who has the best deal at the moment, because they really are pretty similar.

Eta- I almost only use good quality photos from my own DSLR or my brother. If you read a review about pixelated photos, I wonder if they were from a phone or something lower resolution. Anyway, if you want fancy then a photo book might not be what you are looking for, or a site that offers much higher quality. I feel the books are way too expensive without sales/freebies as it is. All the grandparents and great grands rave over the ones I've gifted.

kerbear135

another vote for Shutterfly...I've done 2 books through them (because I had coupons for free ones) and I love them.