photo album question

I was wondering how many of you sell or give 4x6 albums...I'm making one right now and it feels so uncreative compared to other album options. I also bought one that holds 4 photos per page and it's sort of annoying to have to figure out exactly enough horizontal and vertical photos to have for "the ceremony" for example. What does everyone else do about this.

What brand do you use for simple photo albums?

Thanks,

No way would I do that, they feel too cheap.

Do you ever have clients that ask for that? What are the different types of albums that you offer?

I only use 4x6's for proof albums, which I think are great, but wouldn't use them for an actual album.

Do you inlcude a proof album for every package and what brand do you use? Thanks,

Personally I do electronic proofs unless customers ask and pay for 6x4 proofs, and I use Queensberry albums.

I have two prices, one w/o the proofs, and one with. Although, I'm going to change that and make the proofs included, but my packages are all "customizable." I put them in simple, plain albums w/the slip in pages. I find good leather ones at Bed Bath & Beyond, Target and Fred Meyer sometimes, but there's also a company based out of CA called Western Photographic that sells albums that I use. They're high quality and have lots of options. My proofs are almost as good a quality as the prints, so I like to give it to the clients.

The prints look much better than the digital files, which is why I like to give them as many prints from a good lab as possible. Makes them happier w/their pics.

good point! See... I'm not selling prints so that's why I can't consider it a "proof album" but simply a "simple photo album" - I sell higher quality albums as well but this is good for the customer who doesn't want to spend a fortune but want's prints in an album. I"ve been getting nice white albums from albumsinc.com

Hi Joanna - yes, I'm one of the few (it seems) here who also uses proof albums. It's something I did for years when shooting film, the clients in this area so far expect it, so I continued with the "tradition" when I converted to digital. It's one of the things that sets me apart from the newcomers in my area .

I order the 4x6 proof books from Albums Inc. (http://www.albumsinc.c​om/http://www.albumsinc.c​om). Toll free: (800) 662-1000

The books are nowhere as cheap as stuff at Wallmart and the other places, but they are high quality items, come in a decent box, and are spiral bound so you can add or subtract pages. I use model # PBSD-2-46/50 BB made by Topflight. It is an elegant looking black on black vinyl book. - Stu

islandphoto wrote in post #2345530
Do you inlcude a proof album for every package and what brand do you use? Thanks,

I couldn't agree more with jessiper on this point.

So many clients and potential clients out there have REALLY MISERABLY calibrated and crappy old monitors that they use for picture viewing. This can really put your finely crafted work in the worst possible light for appreciation. I know this because I've just started putting lower rez proofs on-line and have viewed them using equipment other than my own.

Friends, when you start putting things ONLY on disk, you introduce a whole new set of variables for viewing your work. I am not saying that is a good or bad idea, just that you have to consider how the work will now be judged. You can no longer control the "data" environment in which your work will be seen.

At least with a good, consistent pro-lab, you are producing a concrete benchmark - the paper proofs - which can be more easily viewed with the "proper calibration." - Stu

jessiper wrote in post #2345586
The prints look much better than the digital files, which is why I like to give them as many prints from a good lab as possible. Makes them happier w/their pics.

I use on line proofing.

If the customer wants a proof book with 6x4's then they pay for them.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post - the cost of proofing as well as the proof books have already been built into the main cost of the album packages that I sell. They get the proofs and books anyway.

Also, the books are a sort of double library style, so they will each hold (200) 4x6 proofs to begin, up to around 230 if I want to squeeze things a bit. And that's what's nice about this style.... you can add or subtract pages, plus there are order form inserts in between each page. I don't use them myself (I've created my own order form) but the client often uses them to make cropping notes, quantity notations, etc.

I'm now delivering 400-475 proofs per wedding, so I use two proof books per event. I will usually shoot 500+ images that day, but whittle it down to that final number prior to lab proofing.

sapearl wrote in post #2347457
I couldn't agree more with jessiper on this point.

So many clients and potential clients out there have REALLY MISERABLY calibrated and crappy old monitors that they use for picture viewing. This can really put your finely crafted work in the worst possible light for appreciation. I know this because I've just started putting lower rez proofs on-line and have viewed them using equipment other than my own.

Friends, when you start putting things ONLY on disk, you introduce a whole new set of variables for viewing your work. I am not saying that is a good or bad idea, just that you have to consider how the work will now be judged. You can no longer control the "data" environment in which your work will be seen.

At least with a good, consistent pro-lab, you are producing a concrete benchmark - the paper proofs - which can be more easily viewed with the "proper calibration." - Stu

Hey, thanks!

sapearl wrote in post #2347424
Hi Joanna - yes, I'm one of the few (it seems) here who also uses proof albums. It's something I did for years when shooting film, the clients in this area so far expect it, so I continued with the "tradition" when I converted to digital. It's one of the things that sets me apart from the newcomers in my area .

I order the 4x6 proof books from Albums Inc. (http://www.albumsinc.c​om/). Toll free: (800) 662-1000

The books are nowhere as cheap as stuff at Wallmart and the other places, but they are high quality items, come in a decent box, and are spiral bound so you can add or subtract pages. I use model # PBSD-2-46/50 BB made by Topflight. It is an elegant looking black on black vinyl book. - Stu

I will check out Albums, Inc. Thanks!