I am incredibly passionate about the art of storytelling, and if there is one item in my studio that helps to do that well… for me, it is albums. Probably one of our clients most favorite items. Albums allow you to relive the precious moments of your session by the turn of a page, and truly there is nothing more tangible than that.
Now everyone talks about why you should have your portraits featured in a professional and high quality album. And because I primarily shoot to tell the story of each family, child or couple- showcasing that story in an album is like the perfect ending to the session experience. In addition, it is also something we highly recommend our families to do for may reasons. #1 to be able to have all of the images laid out in a way that encompasses the emotional factor of the images and #2, to be able to get the most value of their priceless investment. But with that said, places like Blurb, and Shutterfly offer you many of the same features at a quarter of the cost, why should you invest in a professional album? I mean, the photographer may be providing you and your family with high resolution photos and they should look just as fabulous right? (hmm…. let’s get back to that one a little later). These are questions I get asked time and time again. But let’s dig a little deeper before I give you my honest and most professional opinion.
Why might a professional album not be a good fit for you?
1. Maybe you rather invest in something else? A new reading chair, a new wardrobe, maybe even a mini vacation? (notice I didn’t say college fund?) That’s because custom photography is a luxury service. Investing or saving for things like a new home should already be on a different priority list. Although to me photographs of my family are equally as important, but the reality is you don’t need them like you need a roof over your head or air to breathe. Photography is an extra pre-planned, but luxury expense. You don’t have to have it. And yeah, the truth is… professional albums can be a bit expensive.
2. Because you really want to go through all the trouble of planning a custom session and have your family look fabulous just so you can post the session on facebook. Let’s be real here friends ;)
3. Because when you have visitors at home the CD makes such a great conversation piece. Who knows? Maybe you love collecting vintage record covers and the photographers disk or flash drive designs deserve the same kind of attention….
4. Because there is something so special about making your own album from scratch. Handmade is from the heart, and maybe you really do love dabbling in scrapbooking programs.
5. Because at some point you will “eventually” get to it. No matter how much life gets in the way, you totally vouch to design and order that album, along with making one for your wedding that you had 10 years ago.
Okay, no argument there….it’s your peroggative and they are all solid and valid reasons why it’s not for you.
Now let’s take a look at why it is perfect for others.
1. Because you know you really aren’t going to print hundreds of digital images off the disk.
2.You aren’t the design guru you thought you were. Editing photos as simple as on your iphone begins to make you dry heave, you have photoshop and in-design but the second you open the program the icons and words turn into chinese and then you think to yourself….”what have I gotten myself into?”.
3. Because you understand it’s an investment that will only get more valuable. Plus you’re thinking like a Trump or maybe have watched too many episodes of Antique Road Show. No matter the motive, you know that these moments can not be duplicated and agree to do them proper justice in an archival quality book.
4. Because you understand the value and quality that comes from an archival album. The albums that are on the market and available to consumers and the general public are typically the lowest standards of a press book, which are actually not photographic paper, fine art paper, or professional standard press. They aren’t archival and as the years go by they begin to fade and fall apart. Professional albums are typically made with the most secure binding, coated for UV protection and printed with archival quality inks. They way your album looks when delivered is the same way it should look in 100 years.
5.You’re not that good at telling stories. Most photographers are trained to know how to turn those images into sequences so that the pages come to life. And if they aren’t trained in that area or maybe just don’t have the time, photographers have the ability to outsource album design to graphic designers that can. Either way you slice it, you did hire them for their expertise, why cut it short at the click of the shutter?
6. Technology these days changes as much as you change your underwear. Remember, the words eight-track, cassette and floppy disk? Heck even computers are being made without CD drives now. You wonder, what happens if your $9.99 album from shutterfly (and that was a damn good sale!) falls apart? Will you be able to make another?
7. Because you value collectibles like an original family album to pass on as a legacy.
Professional albums are obviously not for everyone…..
But at the end of the day, a pro album is a much better option if you have the budget and value the overall quality. When you go to print your beautiful golden hour images into a photo book from your favorite web based photo printing service, you may realize when they come back that the images are now an intense oompa loompa orange color, the grass turned into a neon green and the perfectly aligned image you uploaded is now off center cutting off your favorite part of the image.
Photographers that offer high quality albums have the ability to calibrate their monitors to the labs they choose so that the color output is the same as they see on their computer screen. This is a feature that lacks in consumer labs. Professional albums are durable (mine are waterproof… and I mean including the inner pages). In most cases, only a true tax paying professional would have access to the higher quality materials, labs, education and software needed to create a book of this caliber. In a sense, it’s just like a doctor who would need to write you a prescription. You could always go and get something over the counter for that cold, but if you suddenly get hit with conjunctivitis, you know you are going to need something more appropriate than clear eyes that really gonna last.
Coffee table books aren’t just for weddings anymore. Families, seniors, children and newborn clients take a up a huge chunk of the album “category”. And as our world continues to change with technology, the album or coffee table book will always a timeless classic that is available within easy reach.