Graphistudio

Hi,

<p>

Can anyone who has used graphistudio for their albums comment on the quality

and customer support? I've heard mixed reviews and would like more feedback

before trying them out. I already have prices and have seen one sample. I've

heard they are also changing their prices (soon?). I'd appreciate any of your

comments.<p>

If you don't like graphi, then do you have a recommendation for an alternate

album company that has similar or better product & price?

I certainly have not used every album out there but...some input on the ones I have.

For primary albums, you can't beat Leather Craftsmen if you're looking for leather or fabric covers with a fairly flexible page (not stiff). For photo covers, you need to look at VisionArt Books, Asuka (for slim coffee-table books), or White Glove Books...for metal covers...look elsewhere. Graphi has all these types of covers and that's one thing I think makes them unique. They also have some very good alternatives in parent and guest duplicate books.

 

As far as service...VisionArt is outstanding! Beyond the call.

i have Graphi's sample album (delivered late last year as a incentive), and I just recently sent files to them to do a 9.5 x 13 album...I also had them create the album, which i'm not too impressed with...Either I'm getting good with my designs or they subscribed the effort to a new album designer, anyways, I just was hoing for a bit more pizazz...If you do use them, do your own design. The books are lovely and most upper end Wedding photographers in this area (ST Louis) use them. I just rec'd my Zook book 10x15,,,Almond leather cover,,,and it was my own design...I absolutely love it and I think its on par with Graphi just less cost! Send me an email if you need more info or more candid discussion.

I used them for the first time last summer and plan to use them for two upcoming weddings.

 

I designed the album myself using DG Foto Art Gold. I felt that British taste is more conservative than the design service they offer. Plus I wanted to be able to mess around with the design and give my client the chance to comment before printing.

 

I sent the files via ftp over broadband. This took ages as ADSL broadband upload is by definition much slower than download. In future I would just send a disc.

 

Production progress is visible via their website.

 

Delivery took about 4 weeks as the sept/oct time is their busiest as all the summer work starts arriving.

 

Quality is fantastic and the client and their friends are knocked out by it. It is a 30x40 album so double page spreads are 60x40, which is impressive.

 

I'm waiting to see their new pricing structure as I would not have used them without the 2006 discounts I was offerd.

 

Next time I will increase the colour saturation slightly as the printed pages are slightly less vibrant than the proofs I made on my R2400. This is not a criticism, just me learning the workflow.

 

I have looked at a couple of UK graphi-clone products and although they are invariable less expensive, the quality of the binding and finisheing lets them down every time.

 

In short - so far, so good.

Chris, I assume you're talking centimeters not inches. I can't image a five foot wide wedding album. But who knows? As fat as we Americans are becoming, we may need that. :-)

I will be receiving my first album tomorrow. I desinged my own and sent the files on a CD. As far as customer service goes, I have had numerous questions about the book and each time I emailed my representative, within a few minutes to an hour, he called me with the information I needed. I have also read complaints about the customer service so I was sure to send everything they needed in a way that was very clear and straightforward so there wouldn't be any question as to what I wanted. They also send a confirmation that you approve or fix before they even get started. I hope to write again tomorrow to tell you how beautiful the book turned out:)

centimetres. Us Brits are gradually having metric beaten into us. Its not all plain sailing though. I've just had a delivery of 50cm x 40 cm frames with 12 inch x 8 inch aperture mounts.

GraphiStudio mailed me their prices a few weeks ago...ppfew...they are expensive...

For some years now I have my 'magazine-style' albums made by my photolab. Same principle, pages made out of Kodak Endura papers, 60+ covermaterials to choose from, 8 different sizes. On request they deliver me the books without the cover. I then can send them to my local bookbinder for 'special'covers....like a cover made out of the material of the brides dress....for example...or whatever the B&G desires. I don't know what Graphistudio charges their cliënts in the States, cause I reside in The Netherlands. I am really curious! Are there not vendors in states who deliver albums like Graphistudio's?

I had my first book done with them back in December and ending having to send it back

they didn't carefully read and respond to the changes I requested. While I appreciate the

introductory deals I got from them, I had problems with the process. They were trying to

charge me for the requested changes when clearly the changes were about mistakes they

made. The overall design they did of the book was good, but I think it would be better to

do my own designing and have greater control.

 

And I agree, the books are very expensive. Mainly for high end clients. I heard that Oprah

gets her books done through GraphiStudio.

Hi all, I just received my first GraphiStudio book and it's beyond my expectations. I'm so happy with it I am going to order a copy for my studio sample collection. I went through it page by page and there is nothing I could find fault with. I designed it myself and it's 86 pages.

I do have one complaint but it has to do with my choice of cover. If I had it to do over, I would not get the silk cover. I ordered it because I thought the silk would give it more vibrancy than another choice. The result is just the opposite. The silk is probably a natural color rather than white.

I use Graphi Studio and I have used them for over a year. I sent in about 25 albums last year. So far I have been very happy with them. The quality is great, colors are vibrant, and they do stand behind their product. I introduced two of my photographer friends to them as well so I do believe in their product. So far every bride has loved them. I have had two with printing errors and one parent albumw with a printing error but they fixed everything and mailed it back to me in a reasonable amount of time. I do my own design work because I like to whack mine out a bit more than they do. I guess if you want it to have a custom look then you need to design your own. Most of the time the album is delivered within 4 weeks, but never more than 6 weeks. Good luck and they will have of course a huge booth at WPPI if you will be there in Vegas.

Oh forgot to say sometimes customer service can be difficult because they are based in Italy. My friend was told (not me) that the team that is in Minnesota is stricly sales and Marketing and not there to help you liason between Graphi which was a bit of a surprise to me. It is not reasonable to think you can contact Graphi in Italy if you have problems in my view. Although they do answer email from Italy you will have a short wait it usually takes about 2 days to get a answer to a question (maybe because of the time difference). All and all though I am very happy with the product and mostly happy with the service.

I live a stone's throw away from their US office in Oakdale, MN. I've visited their office about three times. My first album was perfect in every way - except they decided to change the front cover images from what I elected. I emailed them and the fixed it no questions asked. In fact, they didn't even email me back, they just sent a notification of a new PDF.

 

The second book final result was again, perfect. Not a single page with a flaw in build/binding/printing. I use their design service. They have 5 very specific types of layout. Perhaps the people above did not choose the appropriate design layout??

 

Their big selling point is the guest albums that are DIRT CHEAP and their design service. I'm no designer, and my clients absolutely love the two albums from last year.

 

Aaron Lee

I have had nothing but great service and products. Very quick delivery from Italy also.. 2 days

Can anyone comment on the thickness of the pages? I see they have a slim binding system (unsure of paper material) as well as a heavy board option (like poster board or like the board material from children's books?) Are they flexible or rigid?

one more thing....has anyone seen the 13x13 or 16x16 options in print? most i've seen have been the rectangular format.

We have had our GS sample book for about three weeks now. We just noticed that the

photographic paper is starting to show a pink streak straight down the middle of the gutter.

I called GS about this and they told me every album provider has this problem. The Metallic

paper and canvas/matt paper seem to be fine. I would love to hear from anyone else on this

issue. I have talk with one other photographer who said they are experiencing the same

problem we are.<div></div>

<p>As a reseller of Graphi Studio albums...and I wished I had sold more of them but I don't have a $1500.00 wedding album demographic...I am sad to say I will no longer be using them. Not only has their pricing structure developed ( no pun intended :) a list of extra cost and "pads to the bill" that would rival the best Used Car Sales Lot in the USA. But their customer service has gone so far down the tubes that when I call them I NEVER get a live voice anymore and a return call may come back in a week or so. Emails are non existint.<br>

My most recent order contained my usual request for a host of mini albums along with a parent album except this time I was sent these mini mini matchbook albums that are basically worthless. I was also charged a $100.00 pfd change for three stinking images that I was told would be a no charge item since it was only three stinking images.<br>

The front cover that was standard as was the first pdf change is now an $80.00 extra charge. And my usual charge for all my past orders in the last few years...about a half dozen albums...like I said...I don't sell much of these...was in the $385 to $450 range has now risen to a whopping $787.00.<br>

I am going to miss them as I use their albums as the main promo of my work in my studio even if I don't sell them...but they have disintegrated to such a "worrisome and task oriented" chore when ordering a graphi album that I can no longer abide.</p>

<p>HORRIBLE customer service. Overharged my card 8 times. Absolute nightmare. I wish I had never heard the name graphistudio. STAY AWAY. Quality keeps going down. </p>

<p>Hello, This is my first post here on this forum, : ) , and I'm happy to be here. I am starting my own tour company and I am making photobooks one aspect of this company. I have been searching, trying to find the best photobook company and I am just not impressed with what I've seen so far. How is someone like Shutterfly different than Graphi Studio? Are their printing processes different? Obviously, Shutterfly is much cheaper but the results don't look like photos to me. I was thinking about using Graphi Studio but I would not be able to pass the cost of a 30 page photobook onto the customer. Graphi Studio is just too expensive. Are there any photobook companies in the U.S. that provide true photo quality printing for a reasonable price? I want my clients to open up their photobooks and just be wowed over the quality of the printing. I just can't find the right company. Please help. Thank you.</p>