I am having a hard time with a couple of clients. I need their picture selection for their album but can not seem to get it from them, it has been eight months since the wedding and I am tired of this hanging over my head! Any input, suggestions etc. would be great.

i have had this problem, too. this was another reason to move to pre-designing.

i showed the bride (that i was waiting on) some pre-designs, and she loved them. i told her that if she wanted me to, i could do hers, too. she said to do it.

people do not realize that after the wedding all this 'control' that they thought they wanted will become a pain in the butt. every single person that we have shown a design has been so thankful that it was done.

if i were you, i'd choose 50 pics, build an album, and tell her to make changes, if she wants. let her know that you really want her to have her book. if she doesn't like it at all, she can change it, but i'll bet she'll be glad that you did it for her, and it will be done.

Also the reason we moved to predesign. What about doing a predesign for her and present it as a rough draft to help get them started? Often this helps them visualize how the photos can look in an album and kind of forces them to decide.

Also, did your contract have a deadline for ordering the album? If it doesn't I would add it in and specify penalties or additional charges if they don't order by a certain date.

Any album thread should have post #2 auto reserved for Robin

lynn,

i, too, suggest a deadline. give a deadline to have them approve the design, make changes and get it orderd. our pricing also expires. after 1 year everything is subject to change.
just to keep people moving along.

That is perfect!!

So it sounds as though pre design is the way to go? hmm.. I will add the cut off date in my contract. What do you think a decent amount of time is ? I don't want to be too picky, but, I have two albums that are just sitting out there in la la land.

Thanks guys.

We make thempay for the albums before we even shoot the weddings. I have like 50 weddings from the past 5 years that have not contacted me for the albums. I think its great. They've paid for them, but. for whatever reason they don't take the time to do albums. Some of them move, some have kids and priorities change Their lazyness is my profit. Hey maybe they hate the images! That would suck, but , I don't think that's the reason...

Yeah, lets hope not!

once i get the album online, the proofs follow. once the proofs are released, they have 60 days to decide if they want to proceed, or wait until later.

the album estimate, based on the pre-design,is good for 1 year.

How about calling her to set up an appointment and tell her to bring her proofs (if she has a hard copy of them) along. Then, sit down with her and help her pick out the images for the album. I think some brides are overwhelmed by the task, so they just keep putting it off. Where as if they are forced to do it, they will.

I always meet with my brides about 2 weeks after the wedding to show them thier slide show, give them their proof books (I know.... ) and tell them how many images to pick and how to order. I am seriously considering just setting up an "album design" meeting about 6 weeks after the initial meeting. This way they will have to think about it, because they have the meeting scheduled. And, if they haven't picked them out yet, I will help them.

the long waiting process where your customers dont come up with the answers you want! we all know that, although i havent started wedding photography ive done commercial photography for magazines/companies and charities and they usually want the photos and let their own guys do the design, but the best idea i think from having work experience for bmw cars and working for a custom designed jewellery company whereby i sold it, repaired it designed it and ofcourse photographed it, ive learnt that its similar to photography they pay for the jewellery item whatever it may be, and even when its reayd they may take ages to do it, so the best way i found id to go face in face and show them it. most people need to be told what to do rather than letting them do it, like selling anything in the end you almost have to decide what they should have unless you get someone so strong that they will do otherwise! just from the little experience ive had on the sales market, in various areas.

like everyone else make a few predesigns on photoshop, save them and let them choose and then edit them to what their photographs are like, have colour schemes and i found that if you cna make a logo or a nice design with brushes/plugins or whatever theyll totally dig your photography along with the design factor and will surely get more publicity!

Great advice from all of you, I'll let you know how I handle this and how it works out, again thanks!

If clients don't get you their choices in a timely manner go to pre-design. Your customer will LOVE you for it. Couples laziness is not anybody's profit. You always want to get the albums in your clients hands as fast as possible. They will be showing that book off all the time which will create referrals. Plus if you do a good job on the pre-design you will actually make more money by selling extra sides.. So by the clients not getting their album in a timely manner you are leaving money and referrals on the table.

Jim Kennedy

predesign, predesign, prededsign, predesign.

we've done one wedding that was NOT predesign and it was a nightmare compared to already having the album done before the bride sees her images. predesign changes your life!