Wedding Albums- The Good, The Bad and the Traditional - IRENE JONES PHOTOGRAPHY blog at BridesClub.com

Wedding Albums: The Good the Bad and the Traditional

Most brides have specific criteria they follow when looking for a wedding photographer. Normally it includes these three ideas:

1. I want my photographer to take amazing images that make me look beautiful.
2. I don't want to max out another credit card just to afford the photographer.
3. When the wedding is over, I want to have a great album to display.

The first two criteria aren't too difficult, but since most people have never had a reason to compare different wedding albums until they decide to get married, it can be a confusing decision. Below I have a list of some of the most popular types of wedding albums available in today's market. I also have included three definitions of some of the most popular styles that I (and many other photographers) use for wedding albums. This list is in no way definitive, it's simply a good place to start looking. Hopefully it will help you understand what is available and make you a well informed consumer. If after reading this blog you would like to see samples of the wedding albums offered by Irene Jones Photography please don't hesitate to contact me and set an appointment.

Matt Albums:

This type of album has been the standard for& well forever. Each photo is inserted into a predetermined cut out or window matt. Each page varies in number of images and the size of print they can hold. Conventionally pages have between one and four window openings. The best comparison I can think of is that the pages are similar to the paper folders that prom or senior photos came with. Most pages are inserted into the book individually and pages can be added, removed, or lost if the book is damaged.

The production quality is high, and of course the books are made with the finest materials, bonded leathers and acid free papers, but they do lack the modern feel that appeals to so many brides. While the look is luxurious, so is the price due to production costs. Each matt page is purchased individually, plus the cost for each print and then the price of the cover.

Flush Mount Albums:

Over time the Matt Albums have given way to a variety of Flush Mount Albums. These albums are made by mounting a photographic print (glued on top of the page) and then lacquered for a protective finish. Commonly these pages have the thickness of cardboard. The pages also lay completely flat so the entire image is shown when a photograph (or collage of images) spread across two pages.

There is also the option of using a Self Mounting Album, which is a less expensive option, but the overall quality is less. These albums are used by many photographers and do-it-yourself brides alike. The biggest draw back is that images cannot spread across two pages without being cut down the middle and a gap showing between each page. There is also room for error when applying the photographs. If each image is not trimmed and placed perfectly, the sloppy edges will show. Worse yet, bubbles can form where the photo didn't correctly stick to the page. This can become very obvious and distracting. As a disclaimer, Irene Jones Photography does NOT use any Self Mounting products and the Coffee Table Book offered by my company are manufactured to the highest standards by a leader in the wedding industry. There are more details about this product below, so keep reading!

Book Albums:

Often these books are described as a high quality library volume, which means they are sewn together and given a hardbound cover. Unlike Matt and Flush Mount Albums, the photographs are printed directly onto the page. This provides for a large variety of versatility in cover style, materials, and the type of paper the images are printed on. Many Book Albums also use Lay Flat Bindings like the Flush Mount Albums, but can have some minor image overlap at the spine. The best way to resolve this problem is choosing a style for your album that keeps this fact in mind (see the Fine Art Album below). Additionally, creative graphic design can minimize this problem and make it nearly unnoticeable.

Album Styles:

For most brides, this is where it gets confusing. The style of the book indicates how the images are displayed, not necessarily the kind of book the photographs are displayed in. Here are a few attractive styles that I use for my wedding albums.

The Hardbound Magazine Style Album:

By far this is my post popular product. This book, like all of my albums, details your wedding from start to finish, incorporates text and other personal elements (invitations, poetry, baby photos), and is designed specifically for each client. No two albums are alike. This Book Album uses a wealth of different design elements such as image collages, fading, combinations of black and white, sepia tone and color, and borders to create the overall look of each album. All of the images (an average of 125 or more) are personally selected by you and you have the final approval of every page before it goes to press. The name Magazine Style represents the kind of layouts you'd find in a high end fashion magazine. Each image is printed directly onto the heavy weight semi-gloss paper. My client's prefer this album because of its unique characteristics and affordable price tag. Albums start at only $400.00 for a 40 page book. Additional pages and images can always be included. Parents Albums are also available.

The Fine Art Album:

This is where the traditional Matt Albums come into the next century. Instead of dropping photographic images into pre-cut window mattes, a variety of images are printed on each page with a sloppy border (see example photograph) and white space around each image that provides a clean tailored feel. No image crosses the spine of the book, illuminating any possibility of cropping. All the pages are premium quality matte finish paper* which enhances the look and feel of each photographic image. Some images are printed one per page and others have up to nine images sharing the page in a grid format. This gives the book all of the classic elements found in the Matt Albums with all of the benefits of the digital photography revolution. And because these books are all hand sewn and bound, they are flawless in their quality. As with the Hardbound Magazine Albums, you choose your images (up to 600) and the layout of each page. Text can also be added. Discerning brides are often drawn to the Fine Art Album for its timeless sense of style. Prices for this album start at $500.00 and vary according to the number of images and their layout.

The Coffee Table Album:

This is the only Flush Mount Album offered by Irene Jones Photography and I am proud to say that it is a high quality product that should please any fashionable bride. The Coffee Table Album uses some of the same design elements as the Hardbound Magazine Album, while letting the images speak for themselves. Most of the images fill one or two pages while other pages show a collection of images that tell your story. On average 100 images are included in each book. The designs are simple, yet elegant. All of the photographs are bonded to the page and then lacquered to prevent damage. This gives each page a glossy shine while it protects. With the lay flat binding, your images will never be distorted as they cross the spine of your album. Again, you have the freedom to choose and help with the design of your album; insuring your satisfaction. Coffee Table Albums come in a variety of sizes and cover materials. Prices start at $300.00 to $1500.00 depending on the book size and the number of images.

For more information about any of the albums and their various styles displayed here please contact me directly at 425.367.4781. If you wish to set up a personal consultation, you can see samples for yourself and we will discuss what options will work best for you. More information about these albums can also be found at http://ijphoto.net/services/albums_media .

*Matte Paper (not to be confused with Matt Albums) simply describes the finish of the page. Matte paper is the opposite of glossy and it is used by most professional photographic labs as the standard finish for photographic prints.