Weddingbee boards

If you can do it, then definitely go for it. The consumer albums on the market still are no where near what your pro can offer you.

Keep in mind that you are investing not only in a higher quality archival album, but also the professional layout and design. I agree with Pizzuti, it is definitely worth the investment if you can afford it. Even places like Black River, while offering higher quality options than most, are still not the same level of quality that you will get from your photographer. As they have access to the highest quality albums that are only available to photographers and designers (with legally registered businesses). 

@mzlouis2b: You need to be a photographer to use BRI's services. 

Our clients pick out their images, I design the layout after they've been samples and give me an idea of the type of design they would like. I then spend HOURS/DAYS laying out the album that matches the feel for the design the client wants and cohesively tells the story of the day. We go back and forth making changes until the client is happen then I spend additional hours/days retouching each image so it is perfect. Once the client loves it we order it from a high end pro lab. Just making sure each of the layout is formatted to be print ready takes hours. Most pro labs wont work with the public because of the technical details that go into the printing process so the images come out looking their absolute best. All of my clients have full control over what their album will look like, they just don't have the time or desire to sit in front of the screen for hours putting it together. Because I'm trained and experienced in putting albums together they invest in my time and skills to produce it for them, just like they did for capturing those images. If DIY is your thing then go for it, but if you don't have design skills, printing knowledge then why not trust a pro. It's like saying oh I can be a good photographer because I have a nice camera. If you are going to invest in good photography then why not invest in how you are going to display and archive that investment.

My husband and I ordered the photographs for framing from our photographer and DIY'ed the rest for our album. The standard 3x5 print in a store-bought album looked fantastic as the digital files were high-resolution, professional quality. It saved us a chunk of change!

@kala_way: I understand the struggle here. Wedding albums are EXPENSIVE. Prints and albums are an area where I feel there's a disconnect between photographers and clients. I am all for beautiful, well-crafted albums and prints - I think they're timeless and wonderful, tangible things to have in a digital world. However, the mark-up I've seen some charging on albums is OBSCENE, especially in this economy. I have access to the pro album websites and know what they cost, and I've seen photographers charging $1,200 for an album I know cost them $400 to print. I've similarly seen some charging $40 for a print I know cost them $4. Sorry, fellow photogs, but in a post-darkroom, digital world of photoshop actions, batch editing, and easy online ordering, this is just crazy. Folks aren't going to order tangible products anymore unless you make it an appealing and affordable option. Obviously make it worth your while and get paid for the work you put into it, but realize that to compete with DIY options (admittedly lower quality across the board) you may need to cut your mark-up substantially.

@BeeM I agree, there are some lower album companies out there who charge $400 for an album. The company I choose to use because I know their albums are definitely worth the price for the quality start way above that. Not to mention the 20+ hours I work between designing it, editing the images and preparing it to be printed need to be compensated or I wouldn't be able to be a sustainable business. How much is your working time worth to you?

@PizzutiStudios: I'm not talking about lower end albums though. (kissweddingbooks, renaissancealbums, finao etc don't start way higher than that. not to let the cat out of the bag too much, but base pricing for a flush mount album from some of those companies is actually UNDER $400. there are of course tons of add ons, but still . . . $1,500 for one of them?). I of course value my time, but I also value my clients' wallets. Like I mentioned, batch editing, retouching software, and album layout templates all make our job a little easier than it used to be. I think we have to constantly adjust and be aware of what clients really want, and if we want our work to be showcased in a beautifully made album instead of a Walmart DIY project we may have to price more attractively to do that. If you're having success in your area pricing albums that way, do it for as long as you can! I'm not sure it will last in this economy. =)