It’s time for me to spill photo manipulation SECRETS.
Well. Sort of secrets? Mild secrets? Basically they’re not secret at all — BUT LET’S NOT DWELL ON SEMANTICS.
It is unfortunately hard to photograph eBooks. And if you’re a big fan of #bookstagram but don’t own a lot of books…THIS CAN BE KILLER. The book covers colour seems dim or your device always goes black when you go to take the photo or the light has hit at a weird angle AND IT’S JUST ALL HORRIBLE. Rest your fluttering little souls, fiends. I can help.
Today’s tutorial is how to take a successful photo of an eBook using photo manipulation. We’re using Pixlr. Which is free. Which is what I live for to be honest — free photo apps and free pizza.
LET’S DIVE IN SHALL WE?!
Also: apologise to everyone who I promised this tutorial to like…a month ago. I DIDN’T FORGET I JUST DIDN’T HAVE A CHANCE TO GET TO IT. I swear, my secretaries these days are all failing. No one makes me fresh cupcakes. No one rearranges my TBR. No one stands on the rooftops quoting The Princess Bride to all and sundry. I have to do it ALL MYSELF. #overworked
TAKE A PHOTO OF YOUR EMPTY EREADER DEVICE.
Yes. Empty. So you don’t need anything on the screen. The darling thing can be turned off if you want. It can be quietly playing Brahms. All you need is IT.
Also, it can be an iPod, a Kindle, a Nook, an iPad, an iPhone, and iSpaceship. Whatever the kids are playing with these days. I personally use my iPod touch which is about 4 years old and likes to scream at me all day long.
Take the photo like you would of a normal book. SO GO WILD. BE PRETTY.
Don’t let my screensaver fool you. I actually dislike Captain America immensely and his bleeding shield on my iPod actually just represents how FREAKING ANNOYING MY IPOD BECAUSE IT’S SO OLD AND CAN’T COMPETENTLY DO ANYTHING EXCEPT THINK ABOUT BUCKY.
Excuse me. I shall not rant on my dying iPod. Back to the tutorial at hand.
I suggest you edit this photo now (if you like editing) with whatever editing program you like. Get it all nice and ready for adding the ebook cover on top.
OPEN UP PIXLR.COM/EDITOR.
Or you can click the above link that I have provided for you because I am Queen Of Lazy Shortcuts and I imagine you are too. But I mean, you know this??? This tutorial is basically titled “HOW TO TAKE PHOTOS OF EBOOKS IF YOU ARE LAZY AND CAN’T BE BOTHERED GETTING GOOD LIGHTING FOR YOUR PHOTOS.” But that was a bit long. So.
Click “OPEN IMAGE FROM COMPUTER” which will look like so:
Upload that nice photo you just took of your empty eReader screen.
Admire it. Good job you for getting so far in this difficult task.
Now get a book cover off Goodreads!
Or google, or whatever. I’m using The Problem With Forever for no other reason than IT’S DOWNRIGHT GORGEOUS. #ShallowBookworm
Next you go to “IMAGE” and then click “OPEN IMAGE AS A LAYER”.
The image will appear just in the middle of the screen and not on your eReader screen, obviously. But patience grasshopper.
Now go to “EDIT” and click “FREE DISTORT”.
This is going to make the book cover you just uploaded completely twistable and bendable like Elastigirl from the Incredibles of which we’re still waiting for that darn sequel.
Just twist and manipulate the cover layer (by pulling on the 4 corners) until it fits onto your eReader screen. You want to make sure it lines up nicely so it looks nice and not like you spent 4 seconds doing this on pixlr. LIKE YOU ACTUALLY DID.
And then TA-DA! DONE!
Now save the beast. Very important. You can go to “FILE” and then “SAVE” or just click “CONTROL S” (or “COMMAND S” for macs).
ADMIRE YOUR GENIUS.
This is pretty much the most crucial step. You are officially a Photoshop Pro and people will be hiring you all over the world for your prowess skills. Well done.
I hope that made sense!
And if not…eh. Just admire my beautiful photos and graphics and definitely don’t blame me for my terrible tutorial skills. But hopefully your #bookstagram game can be STRONG NOW as you represent books you don’t physically own or want to do cover reveals for or just want to pretend you have a cover edition you don’t have. #winning
