In this step-by-step tutorial, professional music photographer Flemming Bo Jensen walks through his full process of creating a photography magazine using Blurb’s free bookmaking software, BookWright. Using his project The Minds of 99 as a real-world example, Flemming Bo shares how he selects, sequences, and designs images to create a cohesive and impactful photo book.
From starting a new project and choosing the right format to working with layouts, typography, and full-bleed images, this tutorial covers the essential tools and features inside BookWright. Flemming Bo also shares practical tips on organizing your photos, building custom layouts, and preparing your book for print. Whether you’re creating your first photo book or magazine or refining your design workflow, this guide offers valuable insight into turning your photography into a polished, professional-quality print piece.
I’ve known Flemming for at least a decade. Probably more, but I’m not good with time or age. “Guess how old so-and-so is,” my wife will say. “Absolutely no idea.” “Twelve?” “Twelve?” “He has three kids.” “Oh, okay…..seventeen?” I met Flemming in Peru. You know, that country in Central Europe. He had a camera. I had a camera. We walked and talked and made pictures. He made a book, Blurb guts, but then customized it with some Danish wizardry. Denmark is strange. Let’s be up front about that. Dangerous people. They ride bikes en masse, have one of the highest rates of happiness in the world, and also hold the front-door key to Greenland.
Flemming works as a photographer. Let that sink in for a minute. He’s got clients and history and has built trust with his base. This took time, years, actually. He doesn’t pretend he’s on assignment; he is on assignment. One of my favorite aspects of his career is the connection to Minds of 99. Flemming built a real relationship. You also have to give a nod to the band for doing more than the social media thing. Like Flemming, they enjoy books and know they will survive. Blurb reached out and asked Flemming if he would make a film about Zines. He was kind enough to play along. Gracias, FBJ.
Comments 11
Watched this the other day. Have used /saved the custom layouts before. Great, efficient feature.
Also, I like that he inserted two of the same photo on a full page spread and seamed them in the gutter to avoid losing the singer in the middle.
Author
Yes, that’s a good trick.
Thank you! That double-spread trick requires a bit of trial and error but it can work really well, especially if the subject in the center is a tiny bit off to one side, not dead in the center. Fun to play with 🙂
That was very informative and helpful thanks Flemming and Dan! I like the textured backgrounds great idea! gone use that….
all the best
frank
Author
Yes, that’s a good one.
Thank you! Yeah printing a texture works pretty cool, it will probably look a bit weird on shiny glossy surfaces but any type of matte paper that has some texture will look great!
That looks good. The layout options look a lot easier to use than the Lightroom Book Module that I have been struggling with. Lightroom has been good for going back and making edits on the original photos after my first test printing (done at Staples in a rush). Flemming made laying out the zine easy. Love his photos! It looks like the text portion might be easier in Bookwright too.
Author
BW is easier than LR. At least in my experience, and more design friendly, text friendly. Flemming is Danish and knows all the words to Star Wars. He has an unfair advantage over us non droids.
Thank you so much! I have never used the LR module, and I find BookWright to be so good and easy to use now that it makes it way more fun to make books and zines, so I have not had any need for InDesign either for years.
“That was very informative and helpful thanks Flemming and Dan!” I hadn’t considered the Magazine option and Flemmings relaxed style screams, YOU CAN DO IT 😁
I am glad you think I sound relaxed, it was a cursed day of recording, I blame Daniel of course, and what you are seeing is actually take 5 after hours of crashes and I was getting a bit annoyed at the whole thing! But then I was also getting really good at the BookWright walk-through, take 5, cut, print!
And yes, BookWright makes it easy to actually have fun just whacking stuff together, don’t overthink it, if it’s not fun what’s the point 🙂