How can I access the higher end wedding albums?
Q. I would like to offer options like Queensbury or Jorgenson albums, but they will only accept commissions from professionals. I am a retired GP, and shoot a few weddings for friends, but do not wish to turn my photography into a business – Martin Moss, Maidstone UK
A. Hi Martin, Yes – this is a problem for many wedding photographers. On the one hand I feel these companies are missing out on all those people out there, who like you, are doing a great job of weddings but not wanting to take it to a full time level. On the other hand, I understand how they are trying to protect professional photographers by giving them something that the rest of the public can’t have – they are trying to ensure that if a couple want a top of the range album, they have to book a professional photographer.
I spoke to Queensberry and they confirmed that they do not sell albums to photographers who are not running a full time, professional photography business.
I think the situation may possibly change over the next few years though, due to the fact that wedding photography is changing, and the definition of “professional” is changing. I am not sure how people can differentiate between “professionals” and “part-timers” any more – because provided you are giving the couple what they want, and charging for the wedding photography, then surely you are classed as a professional? How “professional” one actually is however, is not dependent on how many days a week you shoot.
There are some amazing professional wedding photographers out there; but I have also met some full time “professional” photographers who are anything but (in my opinion!), and some part-time photographers who provide an excellent service and take stunning photos. The competition is increasing all the time, and really good wedding photography is becoming much more affordable; but obviously if a photographer is not charging much for a wedding shoot, then it’s not cost effective to include the top of the range albums.
So what’s the answer?
Have you considered the new Photobox Premium Album?
My stepdaughter got married last year and we decided to try out the Photobox Premium album. It was superb – she was thrilled with it and so was I. It has around 100 pages, so we were able to fit 250 images into it easily. The pages are much thicker than their standard albums. The cover is really thick and has a lovely soft feel to it, and it comes in a hard protective sleeve too.
And it cost us £106! Yes… £106. Unbelievable value. And please don’t think I am trying to sell albums for Photobox! I would never endorse anything that I didn’t truly believe in – that’s not my style. Trust me, this album is really worth a look.
There is a huge choice of templates, and you can completely rearrange the layouts and image sizes manually too. I started by “auto-filling” the album at the press of a button – and then I just rejigged and swopped some of the pictures around, and added extra pages to create the storybook feel I wanted.
I suggest you make a sample album up and try it – for £106 you’ve got nothing to lose! I’ve been waiting for an album like this for ages – and now it’s here. It’s the perfect album for photographers who are shooting weddings for a reasonable price; it’s really good quality and very good value for money.
Feedback
Thanks for your extremely helpful reply. I have now used the Photobox Premium Album you suggested and found it extremely easy. I’m pleased to say the bride and groom were very happy with the result.
I have engaged the services of a pro for my daughter’s wedding next March, partly because I really like his work but also because nothing is going to detract from me thoroughly enjoying the day rather than worrying about where I need to be for the next shot. – Best wishes, Martin
NOTE FROM ANNABEL – All wedding pictures on this blog are taken at my stepdaughter’s wedding, by Sandi Friend, because she’s a family friend and a fantastic photographer, and I too wanted the day off for the family wedding! I have to say it was extremely difficult not taking the pictures – I found it very hard to behave and be a guest! I just kept seeing things I wanted to shoot, and had to force myself to look the other way! At least I got to wear a dress and a great pair of shoes, and was able to have a few glasses of champagne though – something I’ve never been able to do as a wedding photographer!