I went cleaner this time.
Followed Bruces advice most of the way
how did we do

TO SEE THIS ALBUM, CLICK HERE.

I don't think it's boring at all. In fact, it's a little too busy for my taste but I like SUPER stark design. This is really clean looking though, which I'm a huge fan of. I just don't like more than 3 images on a spread. That's just me though.

I like the unified look of this version, sometimes simple is best! This is less jarring then the black, white, green and orange background schemes from before...

Nicely done!

Frank

yeah
I actually like it alot better than those that we've done before.
thanks so much for your input

Definitely much more consistent this time, John.

However, I do think you broke up the theme again in this one on pages 22-23. That's where I saw it shift from all the other pages.

I don't like the font, and especially the red, glow-like effect, but that's more subjective and personal style.

If you plan on continuing your own designs, it would be beneficial to pick up some works on design principals and color theory. There are hundreds out there. In fact, for color, some of the best I've read are published by Pantone (who happen to know color pretty darn well).

Best wishes!

i like it!

I knew that page 22 would break it up
I thought it was kinda cool though
and man I just can get away from those sloppy borders and radical fonts

First off, I love the album. It's very vivid and the flow is great. I agree with Bruce about those two spreads though -- they're totally different than anything else in the book. One of my favorite quotes applies here: "More isn't always better. Sometimes it's just...more." I tried to focus in on the pictures but quickly gave up. If your clients want ALL those pictures in their album, they're just going to have to buy more pages. In my contract I give an estimate of pictures they'll get in an album, and 3 pictures per page (including the album pages with only one full bleed image, etc.) is the average that I seem stuck on even without trying.

I always design three covers and ask them to pick one (and sometimes they request something totally different). One cover is very traditional, one is very modern, and the other varies on what kind of mood I'm in (often it's a blank cover page with just an image and their names on the back, for a more minimalist style).

The only other thing I'd say is that I'm not a fan of the layout in Pages 10-11. It seems incomplete somehow because of the negative space on the bottom lefthand side. But that's just my personal taste.

Great job on putting this together. I think album design is the hardest part of this business!

me too

personally for me it way too inconsistent throughout. i like the #2-3 spread and the #22-23 spread but i would so prefer them in different albums. i personally like to see more of the same background colors/similar feeling layouts throughout but i guess thats subjective

oh by the way i do love your images

That's an interesting idea, Hope. I like it. Which makes me think it could be an equally good idea to offer a selection of opening pages, too, since that one is so important.

You've got me thinking!

thanks everyone for all of your input. So to address a few things that are written above... Hope, Oh man I'm WAY too lazy to do 3 covers. We show a sloppy border in our sample so I think clients expect it now. I always do those the same just different borders or fonts depending on how I felt the emotion of the day was. Thank you so much about liking the album and the flow though I do appreciate it. My wife agreed and actually brought up page 10-11 before i even posted it, so that will be changed. I always try to fit about 80-100 images into 30 pages, I know that seems like alot right. I just like alot of images and the ergonomics of a 30 page leather craftsmen album seems to work. Maybe I'll cut the images doen a little.
Hi Ashley, so do you think I should do just one background color per album. I'm trying to stay away from making these look like a digital matted album. Thats partially why I go crazy loading up pages and try new trix with design and color. I felt like People can just get a matted album if its all one color and real simple design and spend less. What do you think. And by the way thank you so much for the compliment on our images, I guess thats the only thing in this case that I can't fix. I guess its a good thing they dont suck...
Can you imagine, hey man the albums great but your photography sucks!!! LOL keep them coming OSP.