The Art of the Album design
Designing albums is an art in itself. I really enjoy the process of designing albums for my clients and giving them an end product that blows them away and is a treasured keepsake for the rest of their lives.
I encourage my clients to give me some freedom in selecting the images that go into their albums. That way, as I design, I can select the perfect images that will go together to make each spread really sing. Usually when I design albums with a certain amount of freedom like this, clients are very pleased with the result and just want to make a few changes. I am always happy to make the changes because I want the album to be perfect for them.
The alternative is to design the album with just the images that the couple picks out. I appreciate the time and thought that goes into the selection of images for their album. But often times, the selection of the couple is such that it is difficult to design the album as a piece of art (i.e. too many portraits and not enough detail shots, or not enough shots that help tell the story) and the design process deteriorates into one of trying to make everything fit. This type of design work can be difficult and frustrating for me simply because I really want the best for my clients and I know they're missing out.
Hazel & Elias got married just over two weeks ago and I'm excited to report that we already have their album design complete!! I'm excited about this because we have been trying to get caught up and one of my goals is to change our workflow so that designs are getting completed within two weeks after each wedding. So we're getting close!
I love Hazel & Elias--they are great and I really enjoyed working with them. They opted to go the route of chosing their own photos for their album so I designed their album with only the 115 photos they picked out. I believe they were concerned about additional cost, which I totally understand. But this album is a classic example of the outcome of the design process that doesn't allow for freedom on my part. I really did the best with what I was given, and I hope Hazel & Elias are happy with the outcome. But I'm a little sad because I think I could have given them something even better.
Click here to view Hazel & Elias's album design.
To view some other album designs, as a contrast, that were created with some freedom on my part, click here and scroll down past this post.
Feel free to comment and let me know what you think about what I've said and the pros and cons to the two alternative design processes. I would love your input and thoughts as I am trying to make the experience of album design the best for my clients!
Labels: album designs
5 Comments:
What I got out of your post was essentially unless you get to pick what pictures you want to put into a couples album then the album is substandard and not as great as it could have been had you got to do it yourself. A little arrogent don't you think? As much as I appreciate where your coming from as an album designer, I think what your stating is ridiculous. Actually I think stating it at all is ridiculous. I'm sure the couple that reads this will be thrilled with the fact that your sad because their album could have been better had you done it your way.
6:11 PM
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9:42 AM
Tammie, the point Melissa is making is that she is a professional and an artist. She can do album designs better because that is her field of expertise. She is not arrogant at all, even though she is probably entitled to be with the award-winning work she produces.
She allows her couples the option of choosing their own images so that they can be involved in the creation of archiving their memories. Hazel and Elias chose great shots and do not by any stretch of the imagination have a mediocre album.
As a professional who also works in a creative field, I can totally relate to Melissa's sentiments about creative control. I will give my couples whatever they want, but I absolutely love working with people who are able to trust my professionalism, creativity and expertise because I know I can deliver a product that blows them away and that they will love even more.
9:45 AM
Tammie,
I appreciate your comment and Liene's reply is written better than I could say it myself. I should have maybe had her write the post in the first place :).
I'm just trying to educate clients a little on the album design process and encourage them to view their album as a piece of art.
I'm still happy to design albums with just the photos that clients want and I'm happy with the outcome if they are. I just got an email from Hazel with her response to the album design. She said, "We looked at the album and it is absolutely beautiful! We LOVE it! It's
perfect exactly the way it is."
So I'm thrilled!
Thanks to everyone who is posting. I want my blog to be a two-way conversation so I welcome any response or thoughts you have!
11:03 AM
First of all, major kudos to Melissa for being so honest about this subject and so open to different opinions! You are truly a professional with integrity.
Second, I'd have to agree completely Liene's comment. Especially in the wedding industry, the more you can trust the artists to do what they do best, the more unique and special the end product is.
Finally, I think the most important thing has been left out of this conversation: that Melissa will work with each client according to their wishes. I think it's so great that you can do such phenomenal work regardless of the situation! This is not a common trait among great photographers.
1:54 PM
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