I'm designing my first album right now -- this isn't for a client, it's for my own personal marketing. This will be the album I bring with me to client meetings and I'm getting a bunch of "mini" albums printed out to give to vendors and friends.
I have a few concepts I'm working with. I'm thinking of telling a story with the album and including parts of the wedding from the beginning to the end. Or I could just choose the most stunning photos from the wedding and create spreads from those -- mostly just bride and groom. My husband told me to pick the most stunning photos that tell the story. Good concept.
I'm going for clean & simple -- a 12" KISS album.
I'd love to hear how other people approach design. I realize that if I was working with the client on this, I would probably present an idea, but then ask for any "must have" photos from the album. This would change the design process quite a bit.
So ...
Do you do the design yourself or do you sub it out?
Do you let the client pick the pictures for it?
How do you think about design? Tell a story? Pick out great shots of B&G?
Do you design differently for marketing vs for clients personal use?
How does album type influence design?
Deb, sorry for not getting back on those PMs, it's been a busy season . . . but thought i'd chime in on this one.
My album approach: I do the design and image selection. I tell the b&g to pick out their very top favorites which will help me in the selection and design process. They have up to 2 months after the wedding to select their favorites and submit then, if not I just go ahead and start.
I usually "tell the story" but saying it like that sounds kinda cheesy. I'm sure you've seen some of my album design samples . . . The design is mostly influenced by their personality, their wedding themes and things like that. I try and match what image comes to mind when doing the albums. So far so good I guess.
What you really have to ask yourself is what do YOU want to represent YOUR work? What IS your art? What do you want it to be?
Do what you want and the customers that like your style will hire you.
If you shoot PJ but show a book full of posed portraits then that's what a bride will expect from you - and when you give her 450 PJ shots you two will have a very tense conversation. If you prefer B&W then show mostly B&W. Etc.
I let the bride pick the images. That way she can leave out the bridesmaid she's now pissed at or his side of the family can be kept to a minumum, etc. I may swap an image in or out to make things flow and fit.
The design is all me, no templates. I like to tell a story, pretty much chronologically. I mix color and B&W and use very little if any graphic elements.
I let the B&G pick their favorites, then I fill the album with story telling images. like prof_fate, I tell the story of the day, no templates, my design. Good luck! I love your work btw, I am sure your album will be beautiful!
i've just recently jumped into albums.
i basically put it together "telling the story" of the day with certain pages that highlight the b&g and some family. i then printed a proof for them to allow them to make any changes or substitutions on images. they approved it one last time before i printed it.
when i worked for another guy, he took several approaches. sometimes they would pick out all their images and the order they went in and then other times they would just pick them and say, put them in whatever order you see fit. and then there was the occasional, do whatever you think is best.
i think, if you want it to be, it can be a personal call for each client.
for your sample album, i would recommend "telling the story".
that showcases your diversity throughout the big day.
good luck and let us know how it turns out!
you'll do great!
Not certain if the question is in regards to your 'marketing' album, or your clients' albums. So, please pardon the response if it does not address your question.
My view is that your presentation album is a marketing tool and your client album is a story of the day. They are not the same. IMO, they shouldn't be designed the same. As already stated, your marketing tool should show off your work. I prefer to show several examples of similar subjects to establish the versatility of our service. If a couple doesn't particularly like a style [such as selective color], I make certain there are variations in the presentation album.
As for my clients' albums...I let them decide on both the images and page designs. If we design the album, we bill for it as it can be a tremendous amount of work [both initial design and editing].
coffee-black wrote:
My view is that your presentation album is a marketing tool and your client album is a story of the day. They are not the same. IMO, they shouldn't be designed the same. As already stated, your marketing tool should show off your work. I prefer to show several examples of similar subjects to establish the versatility of our service. If a couple doesn't particularly like a style [such as selective color], I make certain there are variations in the presentation album.
I have a slip in album like that, so I can show various venues, type of shots, why choose 2 photogs over 1, etc.
But if you've not shot many weddings this approach won't work. And if it's your only/main album it may look like 'heres the best 30images i've ever shot' and not truly representative of what you deliver/they can expect.
If you prefer B&W then show mostly B&W. Etc.