Wedding Album thread.

enginyr wrote in post #10183287
I don't see why we shouldn't post prices since non photographers cannot even purchase these albums.

Because this is a public forum; anyone can join and view these threads. Album companies keep their pricing confidential for a reason and they shouldn't be shared here.

How about http://www.tap-usa.com

Peacefield wrote in post #10184505
Because this is a public forum; anyone can join and view these threads. Album companies keep their pricing confidential for a reason and they shouldn't be shared here.

I agree!

Peacefield wrote in post #10184505
Because this is a public forum; anyone can join and view these threads. Album companies keep their pricing confidential for a reason and they shouldn't be shared here.

What is that reason? So we have to join and be spammed weekly?

enginyr wrote in post #10185333
What is that reason? So we have to join and be spammed weekly?

I don't know what you're talking about. I work with a couple of providers and, yes they do come at me with the occassional e-mail, about half of which I find interesting or valuable and it's pretty easy to delete the other half. And while it helps them build a mailing list, that's not why they do it, they do it for US! If it were public information, you'd have to explain every single dollar of profit you build into each and every album sale.

So why doesn't canon or nikon hide their prices? In fact showing customers the retail price is helping us. Some people think wedding albums cost $45. They think we charge $850 and keep most of that. Then they go get a print press album for $60.

I just signed up for almost all the album makers. I am now getting spam from all of them. I must go and remove myself from all these lists? Come on!

Customers know what printing costs. In-fact they have a Costco membership and print cheaper than I. It's just a matter of time till Costco or apple or whoever starts printing high-end albums.

enginyr wrote in post #10185475
So why doesn't canon or nikon hide their prices?

You're clearly not thinking very hard about this.

First of all, Canon and Nikon DO hide their prices. You know how much their gear sells for at Adorama and B&H, you do NOT, however, know what those retailers paid; that is and should be confidential.

enginyr wrote in post #10185475
I just signed up for almost all the album makers.

Signed up for them all? What were you thinking? Why didn't you narrow it down to the 4-6 providers you were most considering and set up accounts with them? And then, once you've selected the 2-3 you most want to work with just unsubscribe from the others? It sounds like you've created a problem for yourself because you weren't thought-out and deliberate in your actions and now you're unhappy about the mess you've made.

enginyr wrote in post #10185475
Customers know what printing costs.

Yes, customers know what it costs to make prints at Costco. But are you having Costco do your prints? You're not working with a professional lab? And besides, weren't we talking about albums along with all the labor and other material costs that go into them?

I print at home so I have no need to send out anything except for albums. Clients know what prints should cost except for albums. They figure 8x10's cost $1.99 at Costco so 2x30=60+photoshop time. They don't realize we are being charged sometimes $800 for the albums depending on pages and such. If they provided retail prices to the public and provide us with wholesale pricing, that would solve most of the problems imo.

Why would I narrow anything down? I want the best for my money the same way my clients do.

enginyr wrote in post #10185475
So why doesn't canon or nikon hide their prices? In fact showing customers the retail price is helping us. Some people think wedding albums cost $45. They think we charge $850 and keep most of that. Then they go get a print press album for $60.

I just signed up for almost all the album makers. I am now getting spam from all of them. I must go and remove myself from all these lists? Come on!

Customers know what printing costs. In-fact they have a Costco membership and print cheaper than I. It's just a matter of time till Costco or apple or whoever starts printing high-end albums.

Canon and Nikon don't sell products designed for resale. You should compare apples with apples.

enginyr wrote in post #10186350
I print at home so I have no need to send out anything except for albums. Clients know what prints should cost except for albums. They figure 8x10's cost $1.99 at Costco so 2x30=60+photoshop time. They don't realize we are being charged sometimes $800 for the albums depending on pages and such. If they provided retail prices to the public and provide us with wholesale pricing, that would solve most of the problems imo.

Why would I narrow anything down? I want the best for my money the same way my clients do.

Album design is WAY more than sticking prints in albums. It takes time, skill, and experience to lay out album pages, retouch the images, color correct so each page matches the opposite page, absorbing the price of and rework or reprinting, having samples so customers can choose what they want, design software, etc, etc. Time is the biggest one, designing an album can take a significant amount of time.

Pro's don't use costco for album prints for good reason: we need great prints with great longevity. Also they're not just paying for the paper, they're paying for the time to prepare the image, retouch, order, check, reorder if necessary, package, and deliver. Albums are meant to last decades, which is why I use a traditional photographic process of my prints rather than inkjet: they've stood the test of time.

What kind of printer and ink to you print at home with?

I'm not sure you really have a good grasp on the economics of running a photography business. Do you have an accountant who takes into account all your real expenses and tells you the profit for the business at the end of the year? From what i've heard you may be losing money once you take all the hidden expenses into account (rent, equipment, insurance, computers, software, repairs, etc).

enginyr wrote in post #10186350
I print at home so I have no need to send out anything except for albums. Clients know what prints should cost except for albums. They figure 8x10's cost $1.99 at Costco so 2x30=60+photoshop time. They don't realize we are being charged sometimes $800 for the albums depending on pages and such. If they provided retail prices to the public and provide us with wholesale pricing, that would solve most of the problems imo.

Why would I narrow anything down? I want the best for my money the same way my clients do.

I love costco but do you really print at costo?

enginyr wrote in post #10186350
I print at home so I have no need to send out anything except for albums. Clients know what prints should cost except for albums. They figure 8x10's cost $1.99 at Costco so 2x30=60+photoshop time. They don't realize we are being charged sometimes $800 for the albums depending on pages and such. If they provided retail prices to the public and provide us with wholesale pricing, that would solve most of the problems imo.

Why would I narrow anything down? I want the best for my money the same way my clients do.

I have to agree and disagree that clients know about the price, yes they now about costco and wal-mart and and and the consumer prints, but that quality can not be compared to professional prints, I think clients are aware of that. My prints are 4 or more times the price of costo, if clients look for costo prints they can look for point and shoot photographer

If you guys don't see that the album makers don't print prices so that they have our emails, then I don't know what to tell you. Back on topic please, album reviews needed.

http://www.mpix.com/Pr​intPricing.aspx

Pricing is almost the same as Costco's

They want your email address and website URL to prove you're a professional photographer, not a bride and groom looking for cost prices. They know if they start sharing cost prices pro photographers will go elsewhere. Of course some will email you occasionally, they'd be stupid not to, but you can opt out of emails. Like photographers, all business want good customers who see value in them add appreciate what they do, rather than to spam and sell to people who are a pain in the ass.

I paid $500 or so for the starter kit for the manufacturer I use, without that you can't order from them. It's a membership fee of sorts, and it helps keep the low end riff raff out. AFAIK they don't approve all photographers, only higher end ones, at least outside of NZ. I don't get emails from them, other than the blog notifications I signed up for. Instead my account manager calls me, last time she called to tell me they were giving me credit to make a free sample album. Of course I spend a fair amount of money with them.

mpix is the consumer side of millers, though quality is meant to be much the same. Pro labs tend to distinguish themselves in terms of consistency and service. I pay significantly more than consumer labs for my prints, but they're worth it.

tim wrote in post #10188313
I pay significantly more than consumer labs for my prints, but they're worth it.

Aman!

When you figure in the cost of quality paper and ink, it really is not cost effective to volume print at home unless you are charging at least 6 - 10 times the cost of that costco discounted print.

Proper retouching, WB adjustment and thorough post processing for the best image possible involves substantial time and skill. If you don't think you are worth it then neither will the client and they will always regard your work as a KMart blue light special. They need to be educated that it's more than a $1.99 costco print.

Going to Costco you are getting exactly what you are paying for - a $1.99 print. Compared to most pro commercial labs, you are not getting the best for your money.

enginyr wrote in post #10186350
I print at home so I have no need to send out anything except for albums. Clients know what prints should cost except for albums. They figure 8x10's cost $1.99 at Costco so 2x30=60+photoshop time. They don't realize we are being charged sometimes $800 for the albums depending on pages and such. If they provided retail prices to the public and provide us with wholesale pricing, that would solve most of the problems imo.

Why would I narrow anything down? I want the best for my money the same way my clients do.