Blurb Maker’s Manual newsletter

Maker's Manual Our gift box photoshoot diary The beauty of photoshoots? Each one takes you on a unique creative journey. From location and lighting to products and styling, every element comes together to tell a story—in this case, the story of the new premium Blurb gift box. Our designer Dakota and social media manager Michelle set out to find the perfect setting for our gift box photos and the accompanying book, ISLA. Here’s how the project came together in their own words, plus a few tips for photographing a book of your own. Create now Behind the making The inspiration “ISLA is a black-and-white surf story: volcanic rock, low light, a coastline shaped more by water than by people. When it came time to photograph our new gift box, we could have used any beach. Instead, we went looking for the one already inside the pages of the book we were using.” Photoshoot tip: Before you look for locations, go back through your own book first. The setting you need is usually already on the page. Scouting the location “We scouted a stretch of tropical coast with the book as our only reference. Once we found it, the rest of the shoot planned itself.” Photoshoot tip: Bring a printed page or two with you when you scout. It's easier to match a place to a photo than to a memory of one. Discovering the best angles “Most of the shoot happened low to the ground. We chased the same contrast the book was built on, matte white box against dark, uneven rock. Some of our favorite frames from the day weren't the wide hero shots, but the small in-between moments: a hand steadying the box against the wind, sand catching the edge of a corner.” Photoshoot tip: Let the small, unplanned shots stay in the mix. They usually end up feeling more true to the story than the ones you set out to get. The result “By the end of the day, the book wasn't just what we'd photographed the box holding. It was the reason the whole shoot looked the way it did. A gift box, shot in the actual world of the story it was built to carry.” Photoshoot tip: If you ever take photos for your own book, try letting the book choose the location instead of the other way around. Create now Add a gift box to your next order Make unboxing your book that much more memorable with our new, premium gift box. Simply select this option at checkout. Visit the Blog Follow Us Help Center Privacy | Pricing | Email Preference Center | Unsubscribe Blurb ®, a division of RPI Print, Inc. 3325 S 116th Street, Tukwila, WA 98168, USA © 2026 RPI Print, Inc., All Rights Reserved ISLA by Michelle Castillo and Dakota Brinkert