Has coffee table books replaced wedding albums with prints?

[snyper77]

I've been tormenting myself for months trying to determine what to include in 3 different wedding packages. In the past, I've included 200 4x6 proofs and a wedding album (which holds the 200 proofs). I've seen other photographers offer "Digital Albums" and I'm guessing those are "Coffee Table Books". Right? I just don't know whether to offer "old school" 4x6's or "new age" coffee table books.

Other things to consider is that pages in a coffee table book can rip and destroy several photos (front and back of page). A page from an "old school" type album with 4x6 prints isn't going to rip. Also, if something gets spilled onto a coffee table book, several pages (and lots of photos) could be ruined. But with a standard album with prints, they are inserted into clear sleeves and offer much more protection.

One last thing. If I choose to offer coffee table books, what labs offer a "drag and drop" book template with nice wedding theme page decor?

Thanks to each of you who take the time to help me. I really appreciate you!

[mineymole]

I've been tormenting myself for months trying to determine what to include in 3 different wedding packages. In the past, I've included 200 4x6 proofs and a wedding album (which holds the 200 proofs). I've seen other photographers offer "Digital Albums" and I'm guessing those are "Coffee Table Books". Right? I just don't know whether to offer "old school" 4x6's or "new age" coffee table books.

Other things to consider is that pages in a coffee table book can rip and destroy several photos (front and back of page). A page from an "old school" type album with 4x6 prints isn't going to rip. Also, if something gets spilled onto a coffee table book, several pages (and lots of photos) could be ruined. But with a standard album with prints, they are inserted into clear sleeves and offer much more protection.

One last thing. If I choose to offer coffee table books, what labs offer a "drag and drop" book template with nice wedding theme page decor?

Thanks to each of you who take the time to help me. I really appreciate you!

Maybe repost in wedding section...

[zagiace]

Anytime I have a consultation with a younger couple I always like to show the newer magazine style books. If there is a parent with them I show a traditional album as well. I try to gauge who is paying and then put emphasis on that style. I you emphasize a journalistic style and a trendy album and the Mom is paying your not likely to get the deposit that day.
IMO Drag and Drop templates do not work well. Unless you are shooting keeping in mind typical cropping you ften have to modify the image or the template. Typical templates use standard crop ratios (4x5, 5x7).


I've been tormenting myself for months trying to determine what to include in 3 different wedding packages. In the past, I've included 200 4x6 proofs and a wedding album (which holds the 200 proofs). I've seen other photographers offer "Digital Albums" and I'm guessing those are "Coffee Table Books". Right? I just don't know whether to offer "old school" 4x6's or "new age" coffee table books.

Other things to consider is that pages in a coffee table book can rip and destroy several photos (front and back of page). A page from an "old school" type album with 4x6 prints isn't going to rip. Also, if something gets spilled onto a coffee table book, several pages (and lots of photos) could be ruined. But with a standard album with prints, they are inserted into clear sleeves and offer much more protection.

One last thing. If I choose to offer coffee table books, what labs offer a "drag and drop" book template with nice wedding theme page decor?

Thanks to each of you who take the time to help me. I really appreciate you!

[Roy Mathers]

I've never seen a traditional wedding album with 6 x 4 prints. All the albums I've ever done have had at least 8 x 6 prints - sometimes 10 x 8.

[razyl]

I offer both kinds, but the coffee table style albums I use as parent albums.....although I will start including in my packages (as an option) an A3 size coffee table album.

I agree with your concerns re durability. I would suggest finding a supplier who can offer heavy grade paper (ie greater than 150gsm) and also a laminate option. The guys I use have a gloss laminate that helps protect the pages.

I think with these coffee table style books you really need to educate clients as to the life / wear & tear! Spell it out that they arent going to last like the mat albums will.

[SoccerRef]

...

Other things to consider is that pages in a coffee table book can rip and destroy several photos (front and back of page). A page from an "old school" type album with 4x6 prints isn't going to rip. Also, if something gets spilled onto a coffee table book, several pages (and lots of photos) could be ruined. But with a standard album with prints, they are inserted into clear sleeves and offer much more protection.

One last thing. If I choose to offer coffee table books, what labs offer a "drag and drop" book template with nice wedding theme page decor?

Thanks to each of you who take the time to help me. I really appreciate you!

Two things... First an "old school" type album was the only thing available when I got married 18 years ago and a friend of ours made an absolutely beautiful album for us. We have it sitting in a safe place in our bedroom, it is not out on a table, etc. However it is not as "beautiful" as it once was. Time has a way of destroying things. The nice lacy border is changing color slightly and is a bit frayed from being wiped off. (It, just like everything else, collects dust and needs an occassional cleaning. We have talked about putting it away to "protect it", but we both want it out where it can be seen.)

I WISH we had a coffee table book. I could store that on a shelf with other books and it would frankly be in much better condition than our "old school" album is. (In fact, I am considering buying a good scanner so I can "convert" our "old school album" into a nice "coffee table album".)

I think most people don't leave their "Coffee Table Wedding Albums" sitting out on the coffee table. I think most treat them with great care, just as we do with our "old school" album.

But, if something happens... I offer my clients a "reprint" option. If something happens to their album at any time in the future, I will replace it at a reduced rate. I have already done the work, I keep all of my work backed up. It's a simple matter of re-submitting it to the printer. And it is clearly indicated that if I have to modify the work in any way before submitting it to the printer there will be a "touch up" fee.

[Killjoy]

But, if something happens... I offer my clients a "reprint" option. If something happens to their album at any time in the future, I will replace it at a reduced rate. I have already done the work, I keep all of my work backed up. It's a simple matter of re-submitting it to the printer. And it is clearly indicated that if I have to modify the work in any way before submitting it to the printer there will be a "touch up" fee.

How long do you hold on to your data? The photographer that shot my wedding (11 years ago) told us that he would hold onto the negatives (medium format) for five years. After that, he could no longer store them.
Granted, with digital media, space is getting more affordable.
But again, how long do you hold onto a customers images for?
Five Years? Ten Years? Thirty Years?

Although, it is nice to know that if someones house burned down or some other drastic event, they could get some of their memories back with your reprint option. :D

[SoccerRef]

KJ - I have only been selling my photos for 3 years. I have everything burned to DVD twice, and stored in two locations.

I never really gave any thought to "guaranteeing" for a specific amount of time, but I don't see any reason it can't be indefinite. I should probably protect myself with a clause of some sort, but I have a good filing system and I can have any photo or photo project that I have sold up on my PC within 10 minutes. (If my DVD at home had an error and I had to retrieve the copy at my office, it would be an hour).

[Killjoy]

There are archival DVD's made specifically for keeping data longer.
It's a good idea that if you ARE storing data on DVD's, that you use two different kinds that you are storing at two different places.
The simple logic is that if your Brand X DVD failed at your home due to its age, then the Brand X DVD you have stored at your office is probably inclined to fail as well.

The archival DVD's are a tad more expensive, but it's a better shot that you will still have your data years later.

[zagiace]

Completely agree killjoy, DVD's do not have the lifespan of a print. You would be surprised at how short a lifespan they truly have. CD's are better, hard drives are even better.
I Keep a DVD with the file of the client. I have a copy on my internal HD, I have a mirrored back up on a external, I have an additional external I keep at home and to top it off I am looking into offsite internet back up.
The most common way I loose stuff is when I use lightroom to copy off my camera cards. bad habit imo.

[Killjoy]

I used to keep DVD backups. It got too tedious with having to make new backups every so often.

With the cost of external hard drives being so reasonable now, I have a 500 Gig HD in my computer with only photos on it.
I have that mirrored onto two external drives so I actually have three copies of my photos. You can keep one drive at a seperate location, and swap them out every so often as you back up. Say, every week? Or every month?

I'll be upgrading to 1 Terrabyte HD's soon enough.

[Nick G]

I am a fan of using a drobo for short term peace of mind as I recently had an external (well looked after) drive just pack up. For paid work like weddings, I dealt like the idea of buying 5 pack USB memory sticks for £10 (5x 1gb sticks) then add two £2 storage fee to job cost. Simpley put memory stick in a small plastic bag stapled to the signed customer contract and file it! Life expectancy of flash memory is very good.

Btw - you can buy a 5 pack on 7dayshop.


Rgds,
Nick

[zagiace]

Great idea,
I may try that. My only concern, with Mac phasing out firewire (if they are) will that eventually happen with USB?
I am a fan of using a drobo for short term peace of mind as I recently had an external (well looked after) drive just pack up. For paid work like weddings, I dealt like the idea of buying 5 pack USB memory sticks for £10 (5x 1gb sticks) then add two £2 storage fee to job cost. Simpley put memory stick in a small plastic bag stapled to the signed customer contract and file it! Life expectancy of flash memory is very good.

Btw - you can buy a 5 pack on 7dayshop.


Rgds,
Nick

[razyl]

Mac is phasing out firewire?

[zagiace]

not sure, but thats the rumor. their new macbooks do not have firewire. The Macbook Pro's do.

[razyl]

not sure, but thats the rumor. their new macbooks do not have firewire. The Macbook Pro's do.

hmmmm i find it hard to believe. they will phase out the 400 connection in favour of the 800.....and maybe the 1600 & 3200 to come. see this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firewire_800

[zagiace]

I didn't read the whole thing but were you referring to the expected release of 1600 +?
The new macbooks are out and they have no firewire, only USB 2.0. If you want it you have to get the higher end Macbook Pro.
Considering that Mac developed the Firewire this is very confusing move. I agree, it is hard to believe.
google mac phasing out firewire and you will see many rumors.

[razyl]

Yeh it would be weird, mainly because of the speeds that can be achieved with firewire vs usb 2. Maybe they will just keep it for the high end computers

[Citizensmith]

I'll be upgrading to 1 Terrabyte HD's soon enough.

Got to say I'm kind of disappointed you haven't already. :)

With DVDs I write the date they were burn't on them, and figure on replacing them every 2 years. With the cost of DVDs that's really no big deal.

Of course next replacement will probably be onto BR discs, and then 4 years from now it'll be onto little holographic crystals that hold a hojilabyte of data and we'll all be laughing at that crappy old 5DMk2 while we float around on our anti-gravity furniture.

[Killjoy]

I'll be upgrading to 1 Terrabyte HD's soon enough.

Got to say I'm kind of disappointed you haven't already. :)

Did you see the Fry's ad this week?
They have a 1.5 Terrabyte HD for $119.00
Place that in an external case for another $20 and you have a great big external drive for under $140.

I currently have two 500 Gig HD's in my PC, one external 500 Gig Hd and one 320 Gig External HD.

So now, why are you dissapointed in my choices? :p
Because I didn't get a larger drive when I didn't need one yet? :lol:

Edit: If I wait long enough, I can just switch over to the crystal storage you spoke of. :lol:

[zincozinco]

not even on page to and we are off track, from wedding albums to HD storage... hmmmm :) Does anyone know of a good POD printer for A3 size?

[Killjoy]

not even on page to and we are off track, from wedding albums to HD storage... hmmmm :) Does anyone know of a good POD printer for A3 size?

Actually, this thread got into data storage around post #6. :) Not even close to page two.
It evolved from there as to how long someone expected to be able to hold on to their data, in order to reprint photos for a customer later on down the road.
Imagine if your client had a house fire (heaven forbid) and lost everything.
Twenty years down the road, could they come to you for a reprint of their wedding album? That's how we got to storage. ;)

As for the printer question, perhaps one of the other good folks on here can better answer that one.

[zincozinco]

Actually, this thread got into data storage around post #6. :) Not even close to page two.
It evolved from there as to how long someone expected to be able to hold on to their data, in order to reprint photos for a customer later on down the road.
Imagine if your client had a house fire (heaven forbid) and lost everything.
Twenty years down the road, could they come to you for a reprint of their wedding album? That's how we got to storage. ;)

As for the printer question, perhaps one of the other good folks on here can better answer that one.

i dont think it matters 20 years down the line what you choose today... :) I have a note in my Ical every 18 month to buy a new HD. at this stage I have thrown out 2 perfectly good lacie porsche drives and replaced them with 2 new " 1 TB Big Disk"- did it this summer. so im good until end of 2009 then ill buy 2 new one even if they have not filled up by then. I have done this ever since one of my disks broke after 12-14 month of usage. lost a years work more or less... luckily a lot of clients had on cd/mail etc...

[acousticvibrations]

Did you see the Fry's ad this week?
They have a 1.5 Terrabyte HD for $119.00
Place that in an external case for another $20 and you have a great big external drive for under $140.

I currently have two 500 Gig HD's in my PC, one external 500 Gig Hd and one 320 Gig External HD.

So now, why are you dissapointed in my choices? :p
Because I didn't get a larger drive when I didn't need one yet? :lol:

Edit: If I wait long enough, I can just switch over to the crystal storage you spoke of. :lol:

Kill,, save you some work of buying extra equipment!

$114.00

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8001583

[SoccerRef]

$114! How about a 1.0 Terabyte External HD for $99!!!!!

Check it out... HERE (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0302685)

[acousticvibrations]

$114! How about a 1.0 Terabyte External HD for $99!!!!!

Check it out... HERE (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0302685)

i guess im doing the shipping option, no tax

[Killjoy]

$114! How about a 1.0 Terabyte External HD for $99!!!!!

Check it out... HERE (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0302685)

Yeah, that was last December.
Now Fry's is having external 1 Terabyte drives on sale for $99 just about every other week.

But thanks for the link. ;)