Milwaukee wedding album design service
(c) Can Stock Photo / grafvision
Does your wedding album still look like this?
I was the defiant, penny-pinching groom who thought he could control costs and get a good experience. When my wife Heather and I got married, I vowed that I, the wisest of manly men, would make us a beautiful album.
It was so easy. All we had to do was make a bunch of 4x6 prints and stick them in a sticky book Heather had purchased. Kind of like what our grandparents did decades ago.
I even had an advantage over all the other peons trying to do it themselves. I was a photographer for a newspaper. I understood digital files, page layout and printing. I even had a high-end printer at home. This was going to be a slam dunk.
If it were so easy, most couples would have an album. They don't!
The fact is, decades of experience and market research show most married couples don't make more than a handful of prints from their wedding pictures. Why? It's not complicated. It simply becomes one more chore to be put off indefinitely.
It's not too late to get an album. And you don't have to spend a lot.
Maybe your photographer didn't offer albums. Or they were too expensive. Would you love a high quality album without doing the work? Would you like it to be affordable?
Maybe you thought you were independent, economical, bucking the system. But who's handing out awards for that? If you still don't have an album, it sounds like the system won anyway. The point is to enjoy your pictures, not forget about them!
Don't go another year without an album!
What you're getting
A glimpse of just some of the available materials
How it works
I'll guide you through every step but here are the basics:
- Contact me to share some basic information about your pictures.
- Select material and cover preferences online.
- Transfer files for free, no accounts necessary. You can send me all of the pictures to design from scratch. Or you may send just your selected pictures to design.
- Set up a live online proof session and approve your design.
- Pay your quote and I'll retouch, print, bind and ship your album directly using the same lab I use for my wedding clients.
Why choose me?
Live design
You can watch and provide instant feedback via Skype or Google Hangouts as I bring your story to life in front of your eyes. Others make you use clunky online commenting systems, where you have to type your ideas into boxes and wait possibly days for a revision.
Basic retouching included
You want smooth skin, neat hair, lightened teeth and eyes, right? Where would you even start? Forget it. Basic retouching is included with every image in the approved design. Others make you pay extra. You also want your pictures to print accurately in terms of color and exposure. Do you understand color correction and print profiles? I do. Color correction is available for an extra fee.
Simplicity
I have one album in one size with tons of ways to customize the look. It's perfect for couples who want something luxurious, durable and affordable. These are the exact same albums I offered my wedding couples, so you know they're the best. Others have too many types of albums and confusing design choices.Quality
Those Internet souvenir presses, like Shutterfly, Blurb, Bride Box, are not making heirlooms. They may use fancy words like "flush mount," "lay flat" or "silver halide," but differences in materials and manufacturing processes mean I wouldn't use them as heirlooms. My albums come from a lab exclusive to professional photographers, which means they use the good stuff. You've come all this way. Don't settle for cheap.
Real person
You could deal with a company, or you could choose me and work with the real person who's actually designing and printing your album. You watch as I design live, and I'm here to help and answer questions quickly.
See the results for yourself
You've waited long enough to enjoy your pictures
Pricing starts at $390 + tax
Free Design Trial
Submit 30 images and I'll send you a free 10x10 album design sample.
Full Design and Print Package
Watch live online via Skype or Google Hangout as I share my screen and bring your album to life in front of your eyes. This is the fastest and most exciting way to see the design and provide feedback. Session is 3 hours max. Includes basic retouch, print, bind and ship.
$100 design fee (up front) + $15 per page approved + $3 per picture appvd.
Turnaround: 1-5 hours for design + 4 weeks for production and delivery
Redesign
As many changes as you want to submit per session. Done live via Skype or Google Hangouts. Reserve hours in advance, or design until you approve your album and get an invoice. Available only live via Skype or Google Hangouts.
$50 per hour - Skype or Google Hangouts
Color Correction
My lab will print images exactly as they are. Color correction is recommended (and totally worth it) ONLY if your pictures look undeveloped (bad exposure, tinted whites, funky skin tones, etc.). However, if your photographer already developed the images, especially with a particular style, color correction won't work. Technicians use their best judgement to develop the images true to life, like dropping a roll of film off at a lab. They won't attempt to copy or match particular styles. Color correction is applied to every image you submit. If you're not sure, I can advise you after seeing your images.
32 cents per approved image + tax
Minimum $25 order + tax
Turnaround: Add 14 business days to project
Special Retouching
Anything from head swaps, background replacements to distraction removal and body shaping. If you've ever heard "They can do pretty much anything in Photoshop," this is that.
$15 per image + tax
Turnaround: 5 business days
Top Questions
What sizes are available?
10x10 inch because it's the most popular. Other sizes are available upon special request.
Is there a minimum order?
The lowest cost album is about $390 (20 pages, 1 design session, 20 pictures without color correction). However, expect to order more than the minimum.
What does an average album cost?
A 40-page album with 100 pictures, 3 hours of live design, no color correction and no redesign, would be $930 + tax for full design and print package. Due to the varying nature of album designs, I cannot do a flat fee or one size fits all.
How many images are in a typical album?
Albums typically include 2.5 images per page, so a 40-page album may include around 100-120 images.
What if I can't afford it?
Pay with free financing and installments up to 12 months. I'll ship your album as soon as you pay the full balance. You approve only what you want to pay for.
May I use my own lab?
No. You must purchase the complete design and print package with me. I'm unable to offer support for taking print files to other labs. To deliver the best customer experience possible I need full control over the design and print process.
Will you design in person if we don't use Skype or Google?
No. To keep the process fast and convenient, you'll need to work with me over Skype or Google Hangouts.a
Is this legal?
Yes, if you supply a release or license that came with your images. Most photographers provide a license for you to copy and print your pictures for personal use. This is no different than sending your images to a consumer lab for printing. If the license specifically prohibits alteration of the images, you may not be able to order retouching or design services. I won't do any work without a copy and print release.
Will you edit our pictures?
It depends on what you mean by editing. Basic retouching is included. I won't apply color correction unless you choose that option. If your files came color corrected from your photographer, you won't need that option. Not sure if you need color correction? I can provide advice as I have a calibrated monitor. Color correction will be done only on images in approved design. Without color correction, your images will print exactly as I receive them. If you're not happy with how your images look before you send them, you won't be happy with how they print. If your license doesn't allow alteration of images, I may not be able to adjust or retouch them.
Can we see sample designs?
Of course, here are a few albums I've designed for my wedding clients. You can expect similar results.
Can we see physical albums?
Please check out my Testimonials page for some real client album reveals. You may also select from digital swatches I have available online. Unfortunately, there's no way to preview every material on a physical album.