john at storybook pages

We design wedding albums for brides and ask our clients to post reviews on Wedding Wire/The Knot magazine.  It's a good place, we thought, in that lots of prospective clients go there to shop for wedding album services, and it's a good place to host the reviews. We put a referral medallion on the website to link to the Reviews on WeddingWire.com.

From what we see, there are fewer and fewer album companies who offer quality matted albums...
Specifically, Zookbinders dropped matted albums several years ago (still one of the leading flush mount sources), and Leather Craftsmen, one of the oldest and most respected matted and flush mount album makers (since the 1940s) went out of business at the end of 2022.  

We've found Finao Albums a great source for matted albums - both "overlay" and "page mount". The way Finao makes the album pages allows us to design the page layouts any way we want - no longer bound by precut mats. They're expensive but they're gorgeous.

<p>I agree that an album of 100 pages is...probably way too much! <br />In our typical album designs, we average between 2 and 2.5 images per page...so 100 pages would use about 200-250 images. We suggest getting the images down to 50 - 150. And an album that big would, in my opinion, be far too big to be enjoyed in one sitting.<br>

<br />If you could be happy with an album of 30 - 70 pages, for example, you've got choices:<br>

1. Flush mount albums: stiffer, hard pages, normally designed with multiple images per page. Page surfaces are photographic prints bonded to stiff substrate and lay flat when opened. Hard covers of leather, photo-wrap, fabric, metallic, or other materials. Examples are Zookbinders ZookBook, West Coast Albums, PictoBooks, Graphistudio, Finao Albums, etc.<br>

<br />2. Press-printed albums: high-quality paper pages and hard covers. Pages designed in magazine style similar to flush mount albums. Printing typically using 4 or 6-color print press technology. Less expensive that flush mount albums. Cover options similar to flush mount + soft cover options. Examples are Blurb, AsukaBook, etc.<br>

Most of the albums we create for bridal or photographer clients are flush mount albums. We design the page layouts and offer printing and binding from 11 album companies. It's another way for client to get pro album otherwise not available.<br>

There are other services, of course, and we always suggest doing a free sample design with whomever you're considering to design your album before you sign up for a high-end album.<br>

Best,<br>

john givens</p>

<p> </p>

<p>An approach that might be helpful - and a sanity check on prices - is to see what other professionals charge.<br>

We create custom albums for "orphaned" brides who are no longer working with their photographer and have hi-res images and a photo release. Clients upload their images and we do the page design for their approval. Then we have the page layouts printed and bound in their choice of books from 11 top wedding album makers (Leather Craftsmen, West Coast, Finao, Zookbinders, PictoBooks, Album Crafters, etc.). <br>

We have an online album catalog with pictures and prices of all the albums we offer and we refer the client to the online catalog to choose their album. Take a look at our catalog and you can get some good ideas of what we charge our bridal clients.<br>

We're more expensive than many custom designers, less expensive than some, I'm sure. Check out several to get a better idea. <br>

Best of luck,<br>

john givens</p>

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<p><i> Mod. Note: Links to business websites and telephone number removed.<br> Please do not use business details as your sign off <br></i></p></i>

<p>We use LumaPix FotoFusion and like it. A lot.<br>

We design album layouts for brides and photographer clients and have 5 years experience with FotoFusion.<br>

We've used template software (Yervant's package) and Photoshop alone before we tried FotoFusion.<br>

It's full-function, reliable, and well-supported.<br>

We have not tried Fundy's.<br>

Good luck.</p>

<p><i> Mod. Note: Any details of your business website, telephone numbers etc were removed.<br> Please do not use any business details as your sign off <br></i></p>

<p>We've had very good luck with Leather Craftsmen, Tuscany (Black River Imaging), Vision Art Books. I mention them not only because of a quality product but also their strength in responsive customer service.<br>

In numerous situations, they've either caught an error we made or very quickly fixed a small good they made.<br>

john</p>

<p>For album design...you've got choices.<br>

-do it yourself<br /> -some album companies will do it :(www.leathercraftsmen.com, www.graphistudio.com, and lots of others)<br /> -outsource the album design: Modern Album Design, Happy Fish, Storybook Pages (that's us)...and there are others.<br>

If you're considering oursourcing, try a sample design with each designer, pick the one with a style, workflow, and service you like.<br>

Cheers,<br /> john</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Somerset is a good solution is you like the album selection they offer. <br>

We normally design the layouts for our clients albums but we do work with a few brides who've done their own designs - and done a nice job. For these clients, we check and confirm dimensions, etc. and them get them printed and bound by whichever album company they like. We work with most of the big ones. <br>

This way, the orphaned bride who has designed their own album can get a Graphi, Leather Craftsmen, Asuka or Vision Art book or other pro level album. </p>

<p>Not sure what constitutes "colorful cover options"...but I'd suggest you look at:<br>

Leather Craftsmen 3500( www.leathercraftsemen.com), Finao One (www.finaoonline.com), VisionArt with photo cover (www.visionartbook.com)...<br>

Lots of other album people make flush mount albums with full photo covers, metallic covers (with or without photo printed/etched on...acrylic covers with photo underneath...<br>

Like to help but..what exactly do you mean by "colorful cover options"?<br>

john</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The client should get whatever the contract says he should get.<br>

No contract? The fight will go on, I would guess.</p>

<p>

We do flush-mount albums by Leather Craftsmen, Graphistudio, VisionArt, Zookbinders, Finao, Black River, etc. If your layouts fit the specs (resolution, margins, etc.), and you have a release from your photographer, we'd be glad to work with you. Contact info on the website.<br>

Cheers,<br>

john</p>

<p>...Another vote for LumaPix FotoFusion. Very rich in function and very stable.<br>

Well supported when and if you do have a problem.</p>

<p>john</p>

<p>We've had very good results from them.<br>

john</p>

<p>are you looking for album printers?<br /><br />If so..<br>

-Leather Craftsmen<br />-Black River Imaging<br />-Vision Art<br />-Graphistudio<br />-Zookbinders<br />-Asukabook<br />-Finao<br />-PictoBook<br />-Album Crafters<br />-Couture Book...<br>

there's more, but...<br /><br />These are some of the top album people and, in our experience, they do a good job.<br>

Contact us to share our experience.<br />Best of luck,<br>

john</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Robert...Don't give up on FF Extreme.<br />Take a closer look at the defaults in FF Extreme. You've got an infinite number of options. The defaults are easily changed (drop shadows, no drop shadows, etc.). No need for drop shadows or borders if you don't like them.<br>

The Help in FF Extreme explains how. <br>

Cheers,<br>

john</p>

<p>You were both SO close!<br>

Try FotoFusion Extreme. It's a dream for multipage albums and perhaps the most popular software among professional photographers and album designers.<br>

We're an album design company and it's (almost) all we use. We started years ago with template software (Yervant's Page Gallery) and gave it up. Templates, ugh!<br>

Then we went to Photoshop by itself. Limitation? very time consuming...it's just not layout software. Then we found FotoFusion Extreme. WOW! Does everything we needed to do and much faster, more precisely, less hastle...<br>

I'd never go another way. Upgrade to Extreme and do it NOW! You can try it free or look at the videos to see what it will do. <br>

Call or e-mail us if you want some more ranting.<br>

Cheers,<br>

john</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Hi Heather,<br>

We use these flip albums on our website to show our sample album designs. Go to the design gallery page and browse one of the sample albums on the menu when you get to the site.<br>

We also use another version of the same software for our online catalogs. For example, our brides catalog<br>

The software is from http://page-flip.com. <strong>The first example (design gallery samples) above is constructed with the<strong> FlippingBook Flash Component. </strong> </strong> <strong>The brides catalog is done in the<strong> </strong> FlippingBook HTML Edition. It gives more controls which I need for the catalog.</strong><br>

Check it out. They actually have a very good support person via e-mail, who was able to help with some installation questions.<br>

I recommend it.<br>

john givens</p>

<h1><strong><br /> </strong></h1>

<p>In our experience with photographer clients, there are several ways to provide album services - but not get bogged down in the nitty gritty:<br>

- outsource the design only...sounds like you're doing that.<br />- outsource the complete album...have your designer handle the print and bind and send your the completed album. You present to bride. The markup and pricing decisions are yours.<br />- refer the bride to your designer...let them handle the whole album thing with the bride... Usually receive a referral fee from designer.<br>

Just depends on what you want to do, your time involved, and what else you could be doing. And, of course, on being able to find a good design partner.<br>

It can work. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Depends on the look and feel you want. Shop around. Check the websites. Go to trade shows. Talk on the forums......<br>

Some we use and like:<br>

Leather (and other fabrics) covers, stiff pages....Leather Craftsmen 3500 or 300 series, Black River Imaging (Tuscany). Zookbinders, Graphistudio, Finao<br>

Slimmer coffee-table book...Vision Art, Asuka Book<br>

Other favorites...PictoBook...Album Crafters</p>

<p> </p>

<p>-Graphistudio...lots of options<br /> -Kingston from Albums Unlimited</p>

<p>john<br>

<p> </p>

<p>Try us: <a href="http://www.storybookpages.com">Storybook Pages</a> <br />-elegant layouts, fast<br />-free design 'audition'<br />-responsive, personal service<br />-print/bind submit service<br>

john</p>

<p> </p>

<p>You might have 2 galleries...<br>

ONE for your most stunning photographs...ANOTHER for sample albums you've done.<br /> Some potential clients would not be interested in albums...so make the Photo Gallery more prominent. <br>

Cheers,<br>

john</p>

<p>pechman imaging has done a good job for us.<br>

www.pechmanimaging.com<br>

...But why are you sending your clients to a lab?</p>

<p>We design flush mount and other magazine-style albums for professional photographers. From what I see and hear, most brides are choosing these albums as opposed to the more traditional matted albums. <br>

If you want to sell albums, you'll need sample albums to show prospects. People buy what they can see and feel. I suggest you get at least 2 studionalbums to show: a slim coffee-table style (AsukaBook or VisionArt) and a thicker, leather bound flush-mount album with stiffer, lay-flat pages. Lots of people in this end: Graphistudio, Leather Craftsmen, Tuscany, Zookbinders. Most album binders will give significant discounts for studio albums. <br>

For designing your albums, you've got choices:<br />- you design the layouts, then send to album company for print and bind<br />- the album company designs the layouts (some do, some don't), then does P&B<br />- outsource the design (we do it, other do too), then print and bind <br>

Album design is a very personal thing and, if you're considering outsourcing it, you'd best sample the designer you're looking at to see what he/she can do. Best advice: send them some images from a recent wedding and have them do some sample spreads just to see if you like their style. Ane they should do it free. We do that, by the way, for prospective clients.<br>

Best of luck. Contact us for more light on the subject.<br />Cheers,<br>

john</p>

<p> </p>

<p>FotoFusion by Lumapix.<br>

Complete creative freedom. Easy to use. Creates JPEGS or PSD files so you can go back to Photohsop and tweak finished spread layer by layer if you want. But you won't want.</p>

<p>Plenty of examples of designs done using FotoFusion on our website.<br>

Good luck.<br>

john</p>

<p> </p>