image selection for albums

[mrbojangles13]

hey guys i just had a few questions regarding how you did your albums.
1. do you let the customers select the images?
2. do you run the layout by them?
3. do you allow a set # of revisions (and charge for any additional)?
or do you make all the calls?

[tim]

1. I do initial selection and design, customer can change anything they want. It's called predesign.
2. Yes.
3. Yes, with no limits. My packages include a 20 page album, but I tell them BEFORE they book that's a basic album, most end up 30 pages, some 40 or 50, and pages are $x each. I tell them i'll design the best album I can, regardless of size, and then i'll let them change anything they want. I feel that if you predesign a larger album than is in a package you can't limit their changes. On average people do 1-2 sets of changes, I think my most is 11 but that's very rare. Changes go much more quickly if you have customers in your office sitting with you while you do the changes, they can easily see what works and what doesn't.

[mrbojangles13]

awesome tim thanks for the input!
what about anyone else?

[Chelsey Somohano]

We give our clients a few different options.

1. They can let us design the entire thing, including what images we put in it, etc. We always let them proof the album, and give them unlimited revisions, to a certain extent. We want our albums to be artwork that our clients leave out for people to see, and they really need to love it in order for that to happen. Unless a client is going to make 25+ revisions, it doesn't take me long to go in and replace a photo or two. Or eleven?
2. They can choose their top 25-30 images that they want in the album, and we'll give feedback and what works and what doesnt.
3. They can choose all the images to put in the album. I haven't had anyone do this yet, and usually, if that happens, you can let them know why a certain image might not work, and what they can replace it with instead.



Clients know how we design our albums-very streamlined, lots of white space and just really showcasing the images. That doesn't change, regardless. We make sure to shoot lots of vertical images for the layouts and templates that we use.

[Valjoy]

I design all albums and choose photos but before production the client proofs the pages to allow for any changes they may want. 90% of clients make no changes at all. The other 10% may make a couple of minor changes.
This works well for me and my clients are happy with this.

[scorpio_e]

Every customer is different. Some clients say. Your the photographer..you design it. Others want more of a say as to what goes in the album. I made seven revisions for one client on a 40 page book. It was a nightmare but they loved it.
If you have the right software it can be easy. If you are using Photoshop, making changes is pretty time consuming.

[Your Story Photoart]

I design all albums and choose photos but before production the client proofs the pages to allow for any changes they may want. 90% of clients make no changes at all. The other 10% may make a couple of minor changes.
This works well for me and my clients are happy with this.

this.

[robnlauren]

We've put together a helpful blog post on album workflow that was just posted this morning!

You can check it out here: http://www.photographyconcentrate.com/2011/may/25/awesome-album-workflow/

We allow a set number of changes (25) and then we charge for additional changes. We rarely have to charge for changes, most people only make a few alterations to the predesign.

In terms of revisions (like the back and fourth process) it usually only takes one revision. Most clients can usually let us know all the changes they would like to make in one batch.

Cheers!