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After three months of waiting, our wedding photo album finally arrived today from the photographer. I was SO excited to see it. We spend quite a bit more on our pakage so that we could get this album - I'm talking like $400 - $500 more, because I love the look of the professional albums. In the contract it is labelled 'professional leather-bound album'.
Well, it is leather bound, but professional? I don't think so! It's the style where you just slide the photos into the plastic then there's lines next to it to write captions. I'm SO disappointed - I was expecting nice thick pages with the photos printed onto them like I've seen so many times. This album could not of cost her more than $120 to buy, I could of bought the album and had prints made at Walgreens (we have the disc with the rights) for hundreds less.
But it is in a way my fault for not asking to see a sample of her albums or specifically what our album would look like, I just assumed since that is the style I've always seen when photogs refer to professional albums. I love the pictures and don't want to be mean, but I'm very disappointed that this is all I got after spending so much more for the album package. She asked me to e-mail her when I get the album to confirm its delivery - should I tell her I'm disappointed?
I would definitely say something. I do wedding photography and I would really want to know if a client wasn't happy with products or service I provided! The only way I can make it right is if I know!
I would be honest and tell her you were expecting something different and describe it. Maybe she'd be willing to create the album you were hoping for. I would be really disappointed if I owned the rights and still got that type of album from the photographer, too.
Oh...that IS a bummer! I'd definitely say something! I never thought to ask what "type" of album a professional album was...I certainly never would have guessed it would be one that you could put together yourself with a craft store photo album. I always assumed a nice, "printed on pages like a book" album!!! :(
Thanks guys...ughhh I'm dreading this, I am SO not a confrontational person and I feel so abd because I love her work, but I was so so bummed out when I opened the album and saw what it looked like...it just looks cheap the second you open it =(
Think of it as doing her a favor, this might be turning off her other clients as well.
"Your work is so exceptional and I am so pleased with how you photographed our wedding. But I have to say, the album does not live up to the caliber we have come to expect from your work. For $500 I expected a printed book, rather than photos in plastic pages.
I am very shy about this type of thing, and normally wouldn't say anything, but I am worried your other clients may feel similarly and I didn't feel right not saying something."
She should offer to make it right, but you might need to consider what you want. Do you trust her to redo it as a printed book? Do you want her to refund you? It sucks she spent so much effort getting the photos, then gave you something that does not reflect well on her work.
E-mailing her now...ugh. DH is going to be pissed, it was pretty hard convincing him we should pay for the more expensive package but I REALLY wanted this album. Damn it. Hopefully he's forgotten how much it cost.
Does this sound okay? (and shes changed her packages, now none include an album, so I couldn't say anything about her other clients, justelope). And of course I put the actual package names instead of just X and Y.
We did receive our proof album today, thank you for mailing it so promptly. We do really love our pictures and were so happy with your work both at the wedding and at the engagement shoot.
However, the album is not quite what I was expecting. I realize that we never met in person so I did not have the opportunity to physically see one of your albums beforehand, and perhaps I should of asked for more details, but I assumed I knew what it would be like based on what I'd seen from other photographers and the fact that our contract refers to it as a professional album. The cover of it is lovely, but considering the large price difference between the X and Y package I was expecting the style of album where there are stiff pages that the photos are printed directly onto, rather than the more inexpensive style where you just slide the photos into plastic.
I feel bad saying anything because we do love the photos so much, but I was just very disappointed when I opened the album and realized that it was the kind I considered purchasing, but decided I wanted something nicer and purchased the Y package instead.
@Wonderstruck: It's a proof album? From my understanding of proof albums they are printed 4X6 photos in an album like you describe, but most of the photographers I contacted don't charge that much or just include them in their package. For that amount of money you should have received what you thought it was (bound album with printed photos).
@Ms. Martian: Well, the contract says 'a professional leather-bound album containing all proofs'. But she in her e- mails has referred to it as a proof album. But the only difference betwen this and the less expensive package was the album and one more hour of coverage. However, she only charges $75 to add on another hour and this package was $500 more...so I paid $425 more than I would of otherwise. So I was expecting printed. But I haven't sent the e-mail yet...do you think I'm wrong to expect it printed?
@Wonderstruck: If you haven't sent the e-mail yet, I am offering one suggested edit. In your sixth line, you state "perhaps I should of asked" instead of "perhaps I should have asked." You may want to fix that before you send the e-mail.
It does seem like a lot of money for a proof album, but I'm afraid that you did get what the contract said you would get 
Ugh I don't even know what to do or if I should send it or not. I'm so angry with myself and upset that I didn't clarify my expectations for the album back when we chose her as our photographer! I can't believe I wasted so much money on this album.
@Wonderstruck: Quite honestly, that price is insane. I did a quick google search of proof albums and they're around $100. I think for that amount I would expect a printed album, one of the photographers I contacted charges $250 for a 60 page printed album.
I don't think she mislead you, but she should have been very, very clear in what you should expect. I'm not a photographer but in my business I make sure that I'm clear and I verify with my clients that they've understood every aspect of a package I offer.
I still think you should let her know that you're unhappy with what you received.
Definitely send that email. It's not mean in any way, and really it just opens the door to discussion of what you were expecting and why she had charged so much extra.
I might be wrong, but the style with the pictures printed directly onto the pages is more of a coffeetable book as opposed to an album, isn't it? That's just what I got from my photographer though, and I don't know much about the terms myself.
I understand why you're upset though, I hope you send the email and let us know what the photographer says back
Thanks girls...I just sent the e-mail. I did add on an apology if I just wasn't aware of the correct terminology, but again added that I had assumed based on the high cost. We'll see what she says! I'm hoping that at the very least she can make me the style album I wanted at a discounted price, since obviously I was way overcharged for the first one! I will let you know what she says.
Well, she responses - and totally blew me off. Said she was sorry it didn't meet my expectations but an album like I was expecting with all the prints would cost like 2k. Wtf, no it wouldn't - and obviously I wouldn't want like every photo printed three or four times in all the editing colors she did. And that a proof album and a professional album are two totally different things, she just includes professional in the title because hers is more professional than most proof albums (once again, no, it's not). And that the reason it costs so much more is because she has to print all the photos. Which I think is a load of bull because I did not get an insane amount of pictures, it would not cost that much to print them all. But looks like I'm going to have to let this one go =/
DH can tell how bummed and upset I am and said not to worry about the money and we'll get the kind I want made, but it just seems like such a waste, I'm just angry with myself.
@Wonderstruck: I'm sorry you're going thru this. I would send her a rebuttal email calling out the BS in her response and pointing out that other photographers usually include a real professional album for that price. I would also mention that if she refuses to either refund part of the extra $$$ or provide a professional album, you will have no choice but to write negative reviews of her business.
she shouldn't advertise it as a professional album if it is only a proof album. That is misleading. I would write a review about that so other brides don't find out the hard way that what you are paying for isn't what you are really getting.
@Wonderstruck: There is no way that type of album costs $2000. That's ridiculous. I would have expected exactly the same thing as you were expecting.
She doesn't even offer albums anyoore, checked her website and noticed she had changed her packages so none include it. So I'm guessing I'm not the only complaint she has gotten on it, but yes I will be writing a review for other brides to make ti crystal clear what is included in their package.
Well, I guess that brings me to the next question...anyone know where I can get the kind of album I was wanting made?
Oh wow, I thought she would have at least been a bit more apologetic about the whole issue. That was a lot of money, and really you can get photos printed for under $1 each, so unless there were 300 photos in there, somethings fishy...
@adnama: Yeah, I had hoped so too. Maybe she'll wish she had been when I write a review on theknot, the Detroit board is VERY popular and there are lots of girls on there who use her, but I think I'm the first to get their album done through her - guess I'll be the last, too!
@Wonderstruck: I would definitely write the negative review!
You can make nice, hard cover books thru Walgreens.com, and Walmart.com. They are really customizable. I did one on Walgreens once and it was really nice. I think Walmart actually has more options though. And, it won't cost you $2K. That's just nuts. We're paying $3k for our photographer for unlimited coverage with 2 photographers, an engagement session, full rights to all pics, an 11 x 14 pic AND a 80 page coffee table book. So she's way off.
@Wonderstruck: I think the confusion about her saying that an album like you were envisioning would cost $2K and the fact that, if you own the printing rights to your images, you could print out the pics much more economically than that is that you were talking about cost, and she was talking about price. There is a huge difference there.
I did not buy a package from my photographer. Instead, I just paid him to shoot the pics, and I then had to pay him a separate fee to purchase the rights to my images. If I had wanted an album like you're talking about, it would have cost me about another $2,500 or more, depending on the quality of the album I chose.
@Wonderstruck: I'm so sorry, I know exactly what how you feel - I begged DH into a higher photographer, and we completely didn't get what we expected. We got to see a total of 220 pics. From 2 photogs, 8 hours. I would probably reply and say that in the future she may want to make it explicity clear to brides what type of album they are getting. The way she worded it is very misleading, and it traps brides like you (and me) who aren't necessarily aware of all the terminology. But of course, she didn't break the contract, so you are SOL. That really, really sucks.
She's BS on the $2k. My photog was very expensive, and he charged $1200 for a 50(?) fully designed coffeetable-type album. It would have included 175-200 images.
Do you have proofs or the right to print your photos? If you do, I absolutely recommend Adoramapix to make a hardcover, fully designed album. It is a little lower quality than ones that real professionals use - but some fauxtographers or lower-end photogs will actually use it for their albums as part of their wedding package.
I would be more than happy to send you the link for the one I made my parents and help you out if decide to go that route. The ones I made were 10x10, 50 pages, and I got it on sale for $110. 12x12 75 page would be closer to $200. I have the books waiting to be wrapped now, and they are very nice quality.
@adnama: part of it is that you have to consider they time they take to edit the photos - which is why the price gets jacked up if you do a designed album as well - then they have to place them, design the backgrounds and such.
It does sounds like you were overcharged for what you got. Could you upload a photo or 2 of your album? Also, were you wanting your proofs printed on the pages or were you expecting a designed album?
I would try to get this resolved before posting negative reviews. That could be your "bargaining" piece, not as in a threat (don't do that!) but as in look I want to write you an amazing review, but this album is nothing like what we were expecting. We were expecting a professional album with printed pages of the photos, not just a proof book with plastic pages. Again, I plan on writing reviews on you wherever possible and I want to write you great reviews, but this album is hindering this and I would love to work with you to get this resolved. Had I known that the package was for a proof book, I would not have ordered it. At $500 and the way it was worded in the contract, I believed I was getting a professional album, had it said a leather bound proof book, I would not have been interested. Again, I love your photos, they are amazing (insert more compliments here).
You could ask if you could return the album & she could use it for someone else & if you could use the credit towards a designed album (with photos printed on the pages) or if you could get a refund. I mean, the photos aren't printed on the pages, so if your photos were removed, it would still be new or at least like new.
Also, I haven't heard of a professional photographer making an album that includes every single photo from the wedding. Most do the top photos/ highlights of the wedding. Of course if you put in every single photo, that is going to raise the cost! So maybe if you select your top 50-100 photos, that will definitely bring down the number of pages in your album & the cost. Top of the line professional albums can cost around $1k & that's just what the album company is charging your photographer, plus adding all the pages for all photos (not sure the cost per page but its not super cheap), plus shipping, plus the fee for your photographer to take the time to design it... so that could easily cost $2k+.
If you have the printing rights to the photos, it may be worth it to just go make your own if she overcharged you that much for a proof book. A great quality consumer level album is AdoramaPix (you can do a search on WB for reviews on them).
Ugh - that's awful. I would have definitely expected a professional album for that price.
If you want to make your own photoalbum with leather cover and real photo-paper pages, try AdoramaPix You can customize it however you like -- lots of choices. And they look great!
Just saw this pop up in the side of Wedding Bee. Looks like it might be what you're looking for:
@Brielle: I actually already have the rights to the photos, so we're strictly discussing the album when it comes to cost/price.
@serabell: Tried that angle and unfortunately it seems that I may as well be talking to a brick wall =/ thanks for the advice though
Thanks for the suggestions everyone...I made my parents an adorama album and it was nice, but for some reason I really have my heart set on one of those nice ones with the thick pages. Checking out now how much those would cost me, then we'll decide if we want to spend that much extra or if we'll just get another adorama album.
@Wonderstruck: I've heard good things about Somerset - we'll probably look at that as well when we get around to making our own. They would still be several hundred though :(
Those albums do NOT cost $2k. Maybe some really nice ones with a lot of pictures do, but my photographer is including an album like that for FREE. I'm paying $3400 for our photog, and she decided to add a professional album (which I have seen, it's what your'e describing you wanted) to all of her packages, even the smallest, for no extra charge. No way she could do that if every album was $2k. We get 30 pages (well, 15 double sided) and she designs the layout, using highlights, not everything. You should tell her that her package should have included a "professional proof album" rather than just "professional" because she is not giving you what was in your contract. I do think that the terminology could work in your favor, as "proof album" isn't in your contract.
Good luck!
@IVKWed: I see, and you must be such a great wedding photographer, taking the time to come on here and call brides clueless and laugh at them. Very nice, I'm sure that's great for business.
@IVKWed: Intimate Visions by Kristy, huh? Well, Kristy, maybe your should keep your snarky, intimate comments to yourself. Belittling brides from an account linked to your studio (and saying how their photographers should have screwed them out of more money) has got to be the worst business model I've ever seen.
@Wonderstruck: What you are looking for is called a flushmount album. Somerset is one of the few companies that offers flushmount albums directly to consumers. You have to do all editing and layout work yourself, and 20 pages starts at $300+. A 20 page album, with 4 images per page, which is pretty standard for proof albums, would only give you 80 images. I am sure you had way more than 80 images in your proof album, so for yor phoptographer to do a flushmount style album as your proof album would, in fact, cost $1500+. Your photographer was not yanking your chain.
There is a company called A La Carte Albums that specializes in album design and printing. They may be able to help you get what you want. http://www.alacartealbums.com/ Even so, their base albums start at $820 for 72 images. What you want does not come cheap.
I would be disappointed to, but how did the photography package describe the album? Where their upgrades available? As you said, it would of been a good idea to view a sample.
I am a pro, and quality albums start at around $500. That doesn't include any markup for the photographer or time spent for the design. So an album more in line with what you were expecting would of cost much more.
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