Album Options

MATTHEW PAUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY - WEDDING ALBUM OPTIONS

     After the wedding is finished, sometimes newlyweds are faced with a challenge they never considered before: How to preserve or display their wedding photos.  Digital images are convenient because they are so easy to share and enjoy, but sometimes they seem a bit superficial.  They are easily lost or accidentally deleted.  They are easily shared online, but can be difficult to share in person.   That becomes a challenge for me as a photographer:  I want to tell your entire story in a meaningful way, but it is sometimes difficult to find a way to share the complete story in a way that does it justice.  It has to be both meaningful and concise…easily shared in it’s entirety but also permanent.  The best way I have ever found to do this is with a custom designed wedding album.  

     When you print a photo, it becomes permanent….it gains that substance and meaning that may have been missing before.  With an album, I can showcase the best of your story from start to finish in a detailed, coherent, finished product….without having to worry about shuffling through hundreds of loose image files. 

      I created this webpage to help showcase the different album options I have, as well as customizations, prices, and important information in situations where we can’t meet in person.  

GENERAL ALBUM INFORMATION AND OPTIONS

WEDDING ALBUM SIZE OPTIONS

I offer 3 different sizes of wedding album: 8″x8″, 10″x10″, and 12″x12″.  These are the dimensions of a single page, which means the sizes are twice as wide when opened up as a spread.  This is important for printing large photos since they can cross both pages.  

ALL ALBUMS come with a default of 15 spreads / 30 pages.  Additional spreads (2 pages each) can be ordered for $25 each.

 

8x8, 10x10, and 12x12 album size comparison while sitting on a standard bookshelf

THE QUALITY

The Binding

All albums feature layflat bindings and seamless page gutters.  These features allow the album to be opened flat without the pages bunching up like a traditional book. 

This also allows panorama printing across both pages for a more dramatic effect.

All albums feature durable, layflat album bindings

The Pages

The album photos are professionally printed directly onto the pages using archival-quality photo paper.  They will not fade, curl, yellow, or degrade over time, and are designed to look the same now as they will in 30 years.

The pages themselves are made by bonding the photos to a 1/32″ reinforced substrate, allowing for a minor amount of flex to prevent damage.

Images can be printed across the crease without sacrificing quality

The Cover

Choose from 20+ different cover colors and styles, including bonded leather, faux leather, distressed leather, or linen covers.  

Covers can be further customized with a cameo cutout (Pictured to the right), or text debossing (Pictured below).

Pictured: albums with blind cover embossing. Other embossing types are available
Pictured: 10x10 album with cameo cutout

Please note that cover debossing is available in a variety of colors, and is limited to 3 lines with a maximum of 15 – 20 characters per line depending on size.


For the minimalists, simple blank leather covers are also available.

For more information on the customization options, check out these links:

Cover types and colors
Cover debossing colors and fonts

ALBUM FAQ

The entire process from start to finish consists of 4 steps.
  1. You select the images you want to appear in the album.  I like having my couples select them so it is more personal, but I can also select the images if you prefer.  Just let me know at the beginning.  I recommend choosing 70-90 images for a standard length album.
  2. I create an initial design layout and send it to you for review.  Everything is taken care of online.
  3. You send me your requested changes (if any) using my proofing system, and I will make the changes as needed for you to get the design you love.
  4. Albums include up to 2 rounds of revisions.  Once you settle on a design you love, you will approve the design and I will send it to the lab for printing.
The entire process can take as little as 1 week or as long as several months depending on how quickly you approve the design. Would you like to see what a completed album design looks like?  Here is a link to one I made recently: https://matthewpautz.sproutstudio.com/design/erikaderek17-10x10album

I am a fan of minimalist, uncluttered layouts.  The general rule of thumb is that you can fit 4 – 6 images on each spread without worrying about things getting crowded.  For a standard 15 spread album, this ends up being 60-90 of your favorite images.  As a reference, my blog posts tend to have roughly 60 images in them. 

8″x8″ albums tend to be a little smaller, so I would recommend staying on the lower side of that range when selecting images so you can keep them fairly large.  12″x12″ albums have more room per page, and I have seen couples choose 130 images and still keep them in a standard length album without getting too crowded.

The easiest way to select your images is to create a favorites list in your online photo gallery.  Simply click on the heart icon when looking at your online gallery, enter your email, and make your selections.  When you are finished, choose the option to “Send to photographer”.

If your online gallery is no longer active or is inaccessible, let me know and I should be able to re-publish it.  If you have any questions about the process at all, don’t hesitate to contact me.

The entire process just depends on how quickly we can agree on a design layout.  I have had the entire process take as little as 1 week, and as long as 6 months or more for very busy couples.  Once you approve the layout, the printing process takes about a week.

Of course!  Sometimes you just need more images to tell the story.  Pages must be added in groups of 2, and the cost is $25 per extra 2 pages.

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