Choosing a wedding album can be just as confusing and difficult as choosing a wedding photographer. They come in hundreds of styles, covers, colors, sizes, mounting options, etc. Although there are many books and articles written by professional photographers about wedding albums, there is almost nothing for brides. Caramba! So here is the 411:
Why do I need an album of my photographer? I have the digital files, I can make my own prints and put them in my own album.
True, but since professional-quality custom album companies only sell to professional photographers, you’ll have to buy a standard consumer album. That means you buy the type of album with plastic slide-on sleeves or a scrapbook-type album where you glue photos to a page. Some companies can print simple hardcover photo albums. There’s nothing wrong with that: these kinds of options can still be attractive. Just be sure to get albums made with acid-free archival materials so your photos don’t fade or disintegrate over time. However, if you want a truly professionally made beautiful album with flush mount or professionally mounted on custom mats, you really have no choice, you should buy one from your professional wedding photographer.
Why are wedding albums so expensive?
You can buy a photo album at your local drug store for $19.95 and slide in all of your 4×6 evidence and bam, you’re done! So why is your wedding photographer charging you $2,500 for that album? There are a couple of reasons for this:
(1) Professional-quality albums cost your photographer a lot of money. It’s not unusual for your photographer to pay five, six, or seven hundred dollars or more for a personalized leather album. Custom binding is expensive!
(2) Your photographer can easily take 2 full days to prepare the file and retouch (in Photoshop) all the images you have chosen for your album and then do the design work on the album. You are paying for the skill and time of the photographer here, both as a photographer and as a graphic designer.
What is a flush mount album? Is it better than a traditional album?
Flush mounting means that the print itself is mounted to the edge of the page. So the print itself is exactly the same size as the page it’s mounted on. Most of the time, flush mounting also includes digital graphic design. That means each page is designed using Photoshop or other graphic design software. That makes the design options almost limitless. Currently, the embedded albums seem to be the most popular among today’s brides. As to whether embedded albums are better than traditional ones, I can’t say. It’s just a matter of personal preference.
Traditional matted albums
This is the album style that has been around for decades. With a traditional album, the prints are placed in individual openings on cotton mats. There is a matte border around each page, so the photo itself does not reach the edge of the page. While I love embedded albums, there is something so elegant and timeless about a matte album. Each image stands out on its own and gains importance.
coffee table books
This generally refers to a book with photos printed on the actual pages. The pages are thin like a normal book. Some couples prefer photo albums to albums because they like the slimmer, sleeker look. They can also be just as attractive. However, keep in mind that coffee table book pages will tear much more easily than actual album pages, which are mounted on a stiff cover.
coverage options
The coverage options are literally limitless. Although leather covers are standard, you can get just about anything you want: Plexiglass, metal, or fabric covers can be ordered. You can even send your own fabric and cover the album with it! Covers can include cover images or not, as well as your choice of text.
How to work with your photographer on your album design
A key consideration is how many images you want and how many pages you want. There are only a limited number of images that will fit before the layout becomes cluttered and messy. For example, I prefer a very clean and modern design. This results in an average of 2 images per page in a digitally designed flush mount album and approximately 1.5 images per page in a traditional album. The bottom line here is that you should assess your photographer’s album design style just as you would your photography style. Don’t be afraid to share your views on album design with your photographer.
It is my sincere wish that each couple order an album. In my experience, most people are so busy in their daily lives that they never get to create that beautiful album by themselves. This is truly an investment in your most important memories. My goal is that you show your album to your grandchildren, of course with tears in their eyes. Think of it this way: If your house catches on fire and you have 30 seconds to grab an item while running out the door, you’ll grab that wedding album, NOT the china or toaster. ‘Nuff said!