$500 wedding, how much extra for an album?

[professorman]

I am doing a wedding for $500. I am still gaining experience, and plan to have 1 year experience first, so I would not be comfortable charging too much right now.

How much extra would be a reasonable amount to tell her to have a wedding album made? What are my options from cheapest to mid-grade professional price to give her? I want to have something laid out so I can show her the options that she have for a album.

[Karl Johnston]

Find out where you would have it made, what it would cost, and then take a reasonable markup for yourself.

I'll never understand the "I'm new, I'm going to cheap myself attitude"
at a garage you get the same job done, for the same price; no matter if its a mechanic or an apprentice.
???

Cover your costs + deliver tangible and proper service = profit.

Where to get wedding albums? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=660530)

this thread may help too

[shaggymatt]

That's a loaded question... You can get a low-end TAP Peel and Stick album in a 10x10 with 20 sides for ~$40 and mount the prints yourself. Of course this means that you have to do all the layout which will be time consuming if you're doing it manually on your first layout.

If you're shooting a wedding with limited experience for $500, I think it'd be tacky to propose an album for a couple thousand dollars. Even what I consider a "base album" is going to be more than what you're charging for the wedding.

[professorman]

I believe it is wrong for someone to charge full price when they have not much experience. I feel like I have the equipment now, but when I am more confident in ability to deliver exceptional images in most situations, I will be good. Right now, my price range will be $500-$1,500. When I am more experienced, my price range will be $1,500-$3,500.

Thanks for the link. It does not tell me about options for printing though. I am looking on the album design programs from that tread though.

[Red Tie Photography]

I have chosen to not offer an album until I am ready. If you are providing them the images, maybet tell them a few places online where they can make their own albums, like My Publisher or Pic-a-boo. I don't want my name to be attached to a low end product in the future.

That is just what I am doing now.

[professorman]

Even what I consider a "base album" is going to be more than what you're charging for the wedding.

What are the base costs for getting the album printed after I design one?

Where is a good place (balance between budget and pro) to get it printed? I just want to know my options so I have knowledge to tell her the options she has in getting an album.

I have chosen to not offer an album until I am ready. If you are providing them the images, maybet tell them a few places online where they can make their own albums, like My Publisher or Pic-a-boo. I don't want my name to be attached to a low end product in the future.

That is just what I am doing now.
Good idea. I might do this with her, but I still want to be able to "present" the options she has to do them, and if she wants to go really cheap, then I can let her do it herself. I will give her the "wake up call" for albums, but I still want to know what to tell her, so any information contributed is more knowledge for me.

[shaggymatt]

If you aren't established, look at mpix.com. This is the consumer side of Miller's which is who I use for my printing services. Since it is approved professionals only, I can't publicly post their pricing. MPIX does have some album layouts on their site for reasonable costs. It is bound, printed, and shipped to you which will be much better than doing a TAP base album. A 10x10 with 20 sides is $110 (http://mpix.com/Product.aspx/assembledalbums). They have an online tool to "build" the album, but you can't do image overlays, etc. on their tool, so you'd have to create your sides and use your finished sides to utilize that album if you didn't want a single image on each side.

[professorman]

The largest that MPIX offer is 10x10?

[tim]

Don't underestimate the work of album design, you'd think it was easy but in practice, when you start, it really isn't. If you go for a simple 1-2 images per page type album that's pretty easy, and will stand the test of time. Trying to be fancy, overlays, borders, etc, spoils albums more than it helps usually.

In your position getting experience is the most important thing. Go with a higher volume album manufacturer, mpix, millers, even if they sell to the public no matter. Go for an album rather than a book. Use a print, bind and assemble service. Go for one image per page, or two portrait images. Keep it simple. Post your design once you're done and some of the more experienced people can help tweak it - my first album was AWFUL and I wish I had someone to help me then. Simple, symmetry, and flow are important, and try not to mix color and B&W images too much. Expect it to take 16 hours work. I've probably made 60 albums now and i'm a lot quicker than that. Try PhotoJunction (free but registration required) as a design too, but remember there is a learning curve. They have tutorials on their site www.photojunction.com

Tell the customer you'll charge cost + your design fee (absolute $ not $/h). Don't forget printing and shipping costs, from lab to you and you to them if applicable. If the lab offers a color correction service use it.

Brain dump over!

[RT McAllister]

Brain dump over!

You should have more of them.

Very seldom do you post more than a line or two and this one was full of great advice.

[tim]

You should have more of them.

Very seldom do you post more than a line or two and this one was full of great advice.

Cheers. I'm pretty experienced with albums by now. You should see my first albums, they were horrible! A semi recent one can be found on my website (http://www.wildphotography.co.nz/gallery/JacquiGlenAlbum/index.html).

btw I don't suggest a design like that to start with, keep it simple. I've headed toward simpler.

[professorman]

Cheers. I'm pretty experienced with albums by now. You should see my first albums, they were horrible! A semi recent one can be found on my website (http://www.wildphotography.co.nz/gallery/JacquiGlenAlbum/index.html).

btw I don't suggest a design like that to start with, keep it simple. I've headed toward simpler.

Your album is pretty nice. I am thinking I could charge $200-300 design fee, and then just get her to pay the cost of printing it. That sound reasonable for my experience level (of zero :)). What do you think?

[tim]

Your album is pretty nice. I am thinking I could charge $200-300 design fee, and then just get her to pay the cost of printing it. That sound reasonable for my experience level (of zero :)). What do you think?

Sounds reasonable. Make sure you say all costs, not just printing. Albums cost more than you expect.

[bigarchi]

great album Tim. great brain dump too :) I gotta start offering these puppies one of these days..

[Rachel B]

If you need a an unpaid second shooter let me know :D PS you know me as Rachel Clare on FB

The wedding I did the other month was for 500.00 and it was 3 til 730 with 1600 pics (mine and second shooters) I set my prices now to 700 for three hours DVD is extra or prints extra....

Are you a member of the PPA sometimes they have coupons on there for discounted albums also have a look at the magazines like rangefinder and after capture (free on line) they often advertise albums.... I looked a while ago and was shocked at how expensive some of the albums were!

[Karl Johnston]

If you aren't established, look at mpix.com. This is the consumer side of Miller's which is who I use for my printing services. Since it is approved professionals only, I can't publicly post their pricing.
where does it say that you're sworn to confidentiality? :confused:

[tim]

where does it say that you're sworn to confidentiality? :confused:

It's just common sense and professional behaviour. Do you want your customers knowing the cost price of your albums? In my case the prices would shock my customers, they won't realise how expensive they are for me to buy.

[Christina]

A semi recent one can be found on my website (http://www.wildphotography.co.nz/gallery/JacquiGlenAlbum/index.html).
I haven't seen much of your work before, Tim. This is a beautiful album. Great, simple layout, and very quality photography. I'm impressed.

[professorman]

If you need a an unpaid second shooter let me know :D PS you know me as Rachel Clare on FB



Thanks for the offer Rachel. I was thinking of offering you the second shooter, but I havent 'booked' as yet. I will let you know on FB when I get the details.

I haven't seen much of your work before, Tim. This is a beautiful album. Great, simple layout, and very quality photography. I'm impressed.

Tim is pretty good. He is always here giving great advice.

[tim]

I haven't seen much of your work before, Tim. This is a beautiful album. Great, simple layout, and very quality photography. I'm impressed.

Tim is pretty good. He is always here giving great advice.

Thanks all, I do my best, and I suck less than I used to ;)

[EmmaRose]

Thanks all, I do my best, and I suck less than I used to ;)

That last pic of the album is absolutely awesome!

[tim]

That last pic of the album is absolutely awesome!

Ta. The two lights were really there, and the fence on one side, but I did a little work in photoshop to enhance the symmetry.