As it's confusing and difficult to choose the wedding photographer choosing a wedding album can be. There is too many styles, colors, covers, mounting, sizes, options, etc. in spite of the fact that the professional photographers writs allots of books and articles about wedding albums, there’s almost nothing out there for brides.
If I have the photo digital file why do I need an album from my photographer? I can make my own prints and put them in my own album.
This is true but the wedding album companies with professional-quality, custom-made only sell to professional photographers, this well make you buy an off-the-shelf consumer wedding album. There are companies that print simple hardcover photo books. That's not wrong. Just make sure you get albums made with acid-free archival materials so your photos don’t discolor or disintegrate over time. Anyway, if you are looking for a professional wedding album, wonderful wedding album with either flush-mounting or professionally mounted in custom mats, there is no other choice; you’ve got to get the wedding album from your professional wedding photographer.
Why are wedding albums so expensive?
There is a photo album that you can buy in just $19.95 and slide in all your 4×6 proofs and bam, then why if I get it from my wedding photographer its going to cost me almost $2,500? There are a couple of reasons for this:
(1) The Professional-quality albums already cost your photographer too much. It is not unusual for your photographer to pay five, six or seven hundred dollars or more for a custom leather album. Custom bookbinding is expensive!
(2) your photographer is going to spend at least 2 days preparing the files and enhance (on Photoshop)all the images you’ve chosen for your album and then to do the design work on the album. You are paying for the photographer’s skill and time here, both as a photographer and graphic designer.
How to work with your photographer on your album design
You have to decide how many images you want and how many pages you want. There are only so many images that will fit before the design becomes busy and cluttered. For example, I prefer a very clean, modern design. This requires 2 pictures per page in a digitally-designed flush-mount album and about 1.5 images per page in a traditional album. The bottom line here is that you should evaluate your photographer’s album design style just as you would their photographic style. If you have a view about the album share it with the.
It is my honest hope that every couple orders an album. In my experience, most people are so busy in their daily lives that they never get around to creating that gorgeous album themselves. This is really an investment in your most important memories. My goal is for you to be showing your album to your grandchildren - of course with tears in your eyes. Think of it this way: if your home catches fire and you have 30 seconds to grab one item as you rush out the door - you’re going to grab that
wedding album, NOT the china or the toaster.
