Images or pages?
(this is a loooooooooong post - you don't need to read it all. )

As we start to gear up for the start of something new, it made me start thinking about how my album approach will interface with the approach of others. There is one thing I have to clarify so that everyone is happy, most importantly, the CLIENT.

I always tell my clients that until we have photographs, I can’t know how big their album will be. I realize that a lot of (dare i say most) photographers quote a set number of pages and a certain book. Then I see designs that are ‘stuffed’ into an album because that’s ‘all they get’. Or people try to design this HUUUUUUUUUGE album that contains every decent shot and the b&g get upset because they can’t afford it.

HERE IS SOMETHING YOU MUST UNDERSTAND…
You need to decide if it’s the number of pages or the particular images.

If you have a set number of pages, and the client chooses the images, you MUST tell them that they *may not* all fit.
If they simply MUST have all the images they chose, then you cannot guarantee the exact number of pages.

My first goal is to create a very happy client. In order to do that, I need to make sure my client gets at LEAST what they expect. If you ask me to design a book for you, it will work as I’ve outlined above. Images or pages, i cannot guarantee both.
My second goal is an exquisite album. The reason that the images or pages are important is because of this second goal. I will not stuff images into a design, and I will not just build and build to make a big sale. Design comes from the images presented, and without images, there is no way to know what that book will look like.
(unless you use templates – which I do not.) or you make every book the same -which i do not. evey design is custom. truly unique.

SO, keep this in mind when you speak to your clients –
Give them a credit instead of a set number of pages in a book and ask them what they want. Ask them if you can choose the images for them. Ask them if they want to see the most beautiful book you can make, and then choose the pages they want. if you need to use more pages, let them know they can choose the ones they like best. If you need a certain number of pages and NOT one more - your client needs to be aware that there may not all 5 pictures of the flower girl that they originally listed. They will appreciate your attention to detail.

If your clients choose their pictures, limit the client to about 20% fewer images than what you think you’ll need. You can always add more pictures for them, or they will tell you which additional ones to include if they make changes. (I do not work this way – I choose the images for the client.) then they can make changes.



I ran into this with a very special album that I’m building for a beautiful couple. It's an ‘old’ wedding and shot it before I was pre-designing. The album is very different from anything else I’ve ever done (and I don’t think I’ll do another). It has 50 pages, but each page will only have a photograph on one side. I got done designing and I only had 34 pages. I had used all her pictures, so I got to dig into the images and grabbed what I wanted – the extra stuff – and, bingo, 50 pages. (which is like 100 spreads). i will have it all on line soon, but i have 7 albums in the works (9, if you include engagement books) so i'm a little swamped right now.

Excellent advise Robin, thanks!
I really like the credit thing instead of promising pages or a album.

Me, too. Great advice. But it still would bother me if someone chose to cram their album with mostly boring group shots (the norm here in the midwest). Just keep chanting: "the customer is always right, the customer is always right, the customer is always right..."

Great thought provoking advice, Robin!! Even with a credit which typically increases with package size, until the wedding is shot, you really dont know whats a candidate for that album and whether the credit you presold is going to be too little or too much.

I ALWAYS read every last word you post... so keep it coming!

Thank you for your infinite wisdom in the mysterious album world (I am using the album credit method with a minimum number of pages). I just got done designing my first album (a guestbook in Lumapix) using the images the client really wanted. Boy, was that hard to make them flow depending on coloring and horizontal vs. vertical in my 8 spreads. I think I did alright but it certainly doesn't flow from beginning to end. Each spread can stand on its own, at least I have that to be proud of (I guess LOL). I'd like to design each album from scratch but need more tutorials on the detailed stuff (which Fotofusion doesn't have for v4 yet).

Thank you so much for the advice.

I am very new to the wedding world and just starting my first real season.

I am begining to really appreciate my first clients to buy an album. Their wedding is later this year and they want three albums for themselves and family for Christmas presents. They told me tht they want me to design them and that they don't want to see them until Christmas. So that it is a present for them as well. I giggled like a fool. They loved my portfolio album and said I would do great.

Really great advice! Thanks for sharing!

I do credits also, and I have a limit on the number of images per spread. My experience has been that when I present a predesigned album right along with the proofs or soon after, they rarely make changes. I don't ask for them to pick out images - I pick out my faves and the ones that I think tell the best story. Even with a portrait session, I am still telling a story - about the family and their relationships with eachother. I also try to "set up" the story with the slideshow which is always the first thing that gets released to them and as soon as possible after the shoot/event. The proofs are the last piece I want them looking at - I want them to see the story and not just a bunch of pictures. Also I don't show clients any albums or album designs that have more than a few images per spread so I don't think it is in their mindset to ask for me to squeeze in some more. I also make adding extra images as expensive as adding another spread - why ask me to squeeze 3 more images on a page when instead they can add another spread for the same price?

Looking forward to hearing more about your new project!
-Jessica

Thats some fantastic frikkin advice! I am just starting out, so reading this helps me some. I already offer the a credit towards the album, now I just need to concentrate on making the designs better. If I can please ask you, can you take at look at my first three..(in order)...any advice? This is one area where I am NOT afraid to ask for help in. Thanks!

http://www.haskinsphotography.com/Verrechio/index.html
http://www.haskinsphotography.com/Dahmer/index.html
http://www.haskinsphotography.com/murphy/index.html

Nick