Wedding Album Advice

I'm about to start work on my very first wedding album, I came here looking for advice as well.

Should I pick the photos for the album or let the couple? The bride is asking if she needs to pick a certain number of photos. And I don't mind if she does, but I kind of need to as well to create the story I want to create. So maybe we both work together?

The wedding contract only states that I included a 12x12 leather bound album, but I didn't state the number of pages and or pictures. Since I've never ordered a 12x12 album, I don't know how many photos to expect to use. Or how many pages it should be etc...

I've been a 2nd shooter on about 5 weddings total, and this was my first attempt into doing one alone, it was a smaller chapel wedding, and I realized after it was over that this was not my kind of photography. You have to like or love what you do and enjoy it, and I think I was honest with myself afterwards, and its why I've been avoiding and turning down wedding requests since then.

So now I'm just trying to finalize the last part of the wedding contract for this couple and its the album, a 12x12 leather bound album. Not sure how to even get started on one, letting them pick images or telling her to let me design it and tell the story and see what she thinks? I think she'd be happy either way. I thought about tell her to give me a list of the "must have images" and I'd work them into the story and go from there. Is that a logical approach to this?

I have Lightroom 4 and I know they added albums to it and it used Blurb, do the offer leather bound 12x12? If so I think I can do it pretty easy with some of their workflow.

Thanks.

To start, in the future you may not want to offer a product you are not familiar with or know how to produce for your client. In general you'll want to get a sample album from a company and see if the quality is what you are looking for or view their product at an expo or fair. I first picked my albums based on a fellow photographer in my area who allowed me to compare her two album companies. But since you're past that point you're just going to have to go in blind unless you know someone in your area who will allow you to look at their albums to see print and binding quality.

As for how to design your albums, this differs from photographer to photographer. I like to have my clients select 20 images they want in the album and 10 they do not want. I do this because they may have a special picture, maybe one of a special uncle smiling during the ceremony that I otherwise would not have included in the album. Also there may be a picture where the bride's "bad side" is showing and she doesn't want that used, but I might think it's a great image because of the moment it captured. So I do give some power to my clients. But the rest I do myself. My albums are 32 pages/16 spreads and will contain about 60 images max. That's enough, usually, to tell the whole story in my experience. If a client wants to add more pictures that means more spreads and they have to pay for the extras. But this has only happened to me once, with a bride who wanted almost every portrait included in the album which added 15 extra spreads at a cost of $300 extra for her. But those portraits were important to her, so I did what she wanted. Not all photographers will do this, however. They like to retain more creative control and set more limits. Which is actually a great way to do business because it means less work for you.

I use PhotoJunction to create my albums and I used to use Finao but am thinking of switching to PictoBooks to print my albums. Personally, I would not use a consumer website to make a leather bound flushmount album for a client. I don't think Blurb even offers them, but if they do I would not trust the quality. Do you research and compare a few different companies and find the one that suits your needs the best (price, quality, options, etc.). In addition to Finao and PictoBooks, Kiss, Leather Craftsman, and GraphiStudio are just a few that have been discussed on here a lately that I think may be within your price range.

I'm just curious, too... how much did you charge for the album? Did you specifically say LEATHER? Because that's going to cost you a bit more than a leatherette or linen cover will. I hope you charged a lot because my albums generally cost $300-700 to order, with the higher number being the leather bound albums.

Album is about story telling, so organize the photos and think in spreads.
I would say 3-5 related images per spread (2 pages).
You should have an initial idea in your package how may spreads that were included in your 12x12 album. If that was 30 pages or 15 spreads, then you are looking at 75 of the best photos divided in about 15 scenes. If the bride and groom decides to have more photos, there will be more spreads in the album, and that should mean additional profit for you. Give them a deal say, if you pay for 3 more spreads, I will give you the 4th one. They will think more in several spreads to purchase rather than single spreads.

I am also excited to use the album feature of lightroom 4, but right now I am using Millers and GraphiStudio.

jclaveria wrote in post #14143448
I am also excited to use the album feature of lightroom 4, but right now I am using Millers and GraphiStudio.

Been playing with this myself. It's pretty "weak" IMO.

PeaceFire wrote in post #14143446
To start, in the future you may not want to offer a product you are not familiar with or know how to produce for your client. In general you'll want to get a sample album from a company and see if the quality is what you are looking for or view their product at an expo or fair. I first picked my albums based on a fellow photographer in my area who allowed me to compare her two album companies. But since you're past that point you're just going to have to go in blind unless you know someone in your area who will allow you to look at their albums to see print and binding quality.

As for how to design your albums, this differs from photographer to photographer. I like to have my clients select 20 images they want in the album and 10 they do not want. I do this because they may have a special picture, maybe one of a special uncle smiling during the ceremony that I otherwise would not have included in the album. Also there may be a picture where the bride's "bad side" is showing and she doesn't want that used, but I might think it's a great image because of the moment it captured. So I do give some power to my clients. But the rest I do myself. My albums are 32 pages/16 spreads and will contain about 60 images max. That's enough, usually, to tell the whole story in my experience. If a client wants to add more pictures that means more spreads and they have to pay for the extras. But this has only happened to me once, with a bride who wanted almost every portrait included in the album which added 15 extra spreads at a cost of $300 extra for her. But those portraits were important to her, so I did what she wanted. Not all photographers will do this, however. They like to retain more creative control and set more limits. Which is actually a great way to do business because it means less work for you.

I use PhotoJunction to create my albums and I used to use Finao but am thinking of switching to PictoBooks to print my albums. Personally, I would not use a consumer website to make a leather bound flushmount album for a client. I don't think Blurb even offers them, but if they do I would not trust the quality. Do you research and compare a few different companies and find the one that suits your needs the best (price, quality, options, etc.). In addition to Finao and PictoBooks, Kiss, Leather Craftsman, and GraphiStudio are just a few that have been discussed on here a lately that I think may be within your price range.

I'm just curious, too... how much did you charge for the album? Did you specifically say LEATHER? Because that's going to cost you a bit more than a leatherette or linen cover will. I hope you charged a lot because my albums generally cost $300-700 to order, with the higher number being the leather bound albums.

Thanks for the advice PeaceFire (and others). I'm not going at this totally blind. I've been around the wedding photography scene here for a few years, even attended WPPI in 2010, so I've been exposed to a lot of these companies and a lot of the local photographers and the books they use, so I've seen the quality available. Just never had an opportunity to order until now.

I did say leather in the contract, but since have spoken with the bride several times on this subject, and have told her we can do a bigger book if we change the cover options to something not as expensive as leather and she's understanding and will be ok if we do that, depending on what the cost of the final book is when its designed. So it will be a flexible book to do, once I get the pages designed. I like you idea of allowing them 20 shots and 10 non-shots, thats not a bad idea there. I'll see how she likes that.

Blurb does not offer any leather, you are right. I will check out some of the places you mentioned that you use as well. Thanks for that help.

The cost of the album was estimated and put into my cost for the wedding. Which was pretty affordable due to the nature of the size of the wedding and my experience. She knew that I wasn't a seasoned wedding photographer, but loved how their engagement photos turned out, so she decided to go with me for the wedding. She did get a lot for her money, but I knew her budget was low, so I was willing to do the work to gain some experience and build my wedding portfolio.

But as I said, I've since started to avoid weddings, having come to the conclusion its not quite my thing. I may still end up doing some, but right now I'm trying to focus photography elsewhere, and just want to finish up what I promised this bride.

The posts here have helped me, and I agree with you all, I do want to keep the creative control and your advice is exactly what I was looking for to go back to her with.

Thanks!

Also, these seem to be "consumer" grade books, but sometimes I read her reviews and have learned a lot from her experiences...

http://www.photobookgi​rl.com/reviews/

I understand where PeaceFire is coming from on all points given, and agree. The thing is I'm not considering myself a professional wedding photographer, internally, even though I know my bride was and expects professional results, which I think she was happy with and got. And because I don't consider myself that level yet, I am not charging the prices that you or most at your level are. And I know that is probably insulting to you, and I apologize. There is a market though, here in Oklahoma, for a lot of small budget photography and thats where this wedding landed, and it was also a referral from my cousins who own a wedding event planning company and wanted me to get into weddings and partner up with them. So it was my first attempt at a small wedding with them. Again, I've since expressed its not my thing right now. I don't have the passion I once thought I would have. And big real time weddings scare the bajesus out of me. So I won't even go there if approached, no matter what kind of money is thrown at me, besides I don't have enough good shots from weddings to even justify that kind of a job.

I really do understand the business side of the wedding photography world, and how hard you all work for the money. But I also don't think a lot of you outside of Oklahoma understand that the market here for big money weddings is very small, and there are some photogs that get those jobs, but they own the market, so all the little guys are left with these smaller budget stuff, and thats how we get experience and live with it.

Hope I haven't offended anyone.

Wedding albums take time do design to do it right.
Adorama has a nice selection and the software GUI is pretty nice. Since you do not do weddings a lot, you may want to check them out.

http://www.adoramapix.​com/app/products/books

Strongly suggest you outsource the design. My first albums were really awful, it took me a while to get good at them. Choose a vendor first so they know what size to design to, one of the albums labs do will be fine. Tell the couple it's 30 pages, average of 2.5 images per page. Personally I predesign, which is easier for everyone - after they see it they can change whatever they like.

Do you all let your couples choose the color of the cover and material etc?

ChrisMc73 wrote in post #14149682
Do you all let your couples choose the color of the cover and material etc?

Absolutely...

The first draft of the design I choose all the pics... at least 80% of my clients now make no changes. 18% make 0-15 changes. 2% make more than 15 changes.

I include approximately 200 photos in an book... more than that.

I do.. Not everyone like black Nappa leather . Covers and paper type are a personal preferences.

tim wrote in post #14148061
Strongly suggest you outsource the design. My first albums were really awful, it took me a while to get good at them. Choose a vendor first so they know what size to design to, one of the albums labs do will be fine. Tell the couple it's 30 pages, average of 2.5 images per page. Personally I predesign, which is easier for everyone - after they see it they can change whatever they like.

I was telling clients 2.5 images per page and my wife quickly corrected me *LOL* Two to three images per page average is ok but never say to a client 2.5 images per page .!!!

lol...

I let my clients choose their covers. I don't show them every cover option available but I will ask if they want leather or a vegan alternative (about half of my recent clients have been either vegan or vegetarian). Then I'll show them the colors available in that cover type. I've never had a client choose black. Most go with a cover color that matches their wedding colors. I've also never had a client flip flop or get overwhelmed by their cover options so giving them this option hasn't been an issue.

But, none of my samples have black leather covers, either. So I do sell what I show and I show colorful albums. If I just showed black I am sure I'd sell a lot more black!

RT McAllister wrote in post #14144499
Been playing with this myself. It's pretty "weak" IMO.

Right now I do mostly just manual photoshop and upload to millers. I bet anything that will add will be fine. Looking into Fundy, Photofusion, and the likes...any suggestions?