how to become a wedding album designer?

[Mrs Reschsmooth]

Hi all

Any ideas on how to become a wedding album designer? Do you need to be a graphic designer? What qualifications are really needed and what programs are the most commonly used? Do alot of photographers outsource this and what is the rate they pay?

The reason I ask is that I'm toying with ideas on working from home as a Mum.

Your help and advice would be appreciated.

Alicia

[Yi-P]

Hi Alicia,

Album Designers?? Don't they work with photoshop and send the files out into Asuka Book or similar so they get printed out??

Skills? Click of a mouse, pressing few keyboard strokes?

Qualification? Hmmm, you don't need to be PhD I believe...

Outsourcing? They do because they don't have time?


All in a nutshell, you don't need to be PhD or hold up a certificate to show them. But a good shining portfolio is what all artists (or designers) must have. Skill involved is adaptation into different people's taste and understanding how to lay out photos/compositions. There are many ideas from photo books, and also samples from those sites like asuka, momento and the rest...

[jdear]

there are people who all they do is wedding album design for photographers..

eg: pink penny.

Im not sure how big the market is here for it - I would do it internationally. - web is not limited.

I would pick a few select album companies and then only submit to these and not try to be the all to everyone.

Not a lot of album designing is actually done in Photoshop these days... Third party software such as photojunction is used. This includes the ability to create digital composites (digital coffeebook album styles) also.

Pink Penny uses Photojunction, and I could show you it sometime. There is a list of album suppliers they support, including leathercraftsmen, queensberry, asukabook etc.

You also have to decide what type of albums - the 2 main types - matted albums and coffeebook style albums, you will design

---

for inspiration check out photog's blogs and have a look at the AIPP winners in the wedding photography album awards.

Jonathan

[Mrs Reschsmooth]

Thanks for the advice.
I'll have a look at Photojunction and Pink Penny.

It'll be a slow process for me to get into it as I have a bub in my arms most of the time at the moment. I plan to create a folio over the next 6 months ready to start it as an income stream. maybe i can post a couple of pages when i get started to get some tips.

The style I was thinking of was the magazine style/ coffee book style.

I'm excited now! Someone told me you HAD to have design qualifications...it doesn't look like rocket science. I would love to do it!

[jdear]

Nah its not rocket science at all.
I get my wife to do our album designing which frees me up to shoot and PP.

she doesnt have any computer / design qualifications.

Jonathan

[Mrs Reschsmooth]

I worked in a photolab for about 13 years so I could do the
PP as well I guess.

thanks Jonathon. I'm sure I will have plenty more questions to come.

[Kyle]

I've got a wedding book to design over the next two weeks if you wanna do it!

Photos arent awesome though

[Nikkofan]

Hi Alicia

This is just a suggestion, but why don't you download the Momento Pro Software (it's free) and practice with that?

Just get the software, load some of your favourite photos (would that be ... bub? ) or some wedding photos if you've got some and then practice with the layout, colour, etc until you're happy with it.

You don't have to upload it for printing, but it would be great practice for you and wouldn't cost you anything.

Just a thought ....

[Geoff]

Good suggestions Lynn!

[daniel81]

I'd get my head around a program like InDesign or Quark Xpress... they'll allow you more freedom than programs designed specifically for album designing.

I'd probably go for indesign these days, especially if you are working with other Adobe programs like photoshop to prep your images. Colour profiles etc will merge better.

You can download a 30 day trial of indesign cs3 from adobe's website. Beginners books for indesign are easy to come by.

Some basic design theory would not go astray me thinks. There are plenty of good books out there if you're not in the position to take a course.

[Mrs Reschsmooth]

thanks everyone. It's really great to get such positive and encouraging advice.
I have Momento loaded so far, the next step is to get our wedding pics and design an album from that.
I have yet to see if I can design it in photoshop and download into momento.
my plan is to get a sample with that first, then I will ask a friend for her wedding images to play with that, and of course our baby photos. Well, looks like I better get organised and alot better at working with one arm as the other still belongs to Alex!!
I will also look at indesign.
thanks again
Alicia

[Mrs Reschsmooth]

oh...i meant to say....
Kyle, it's amazing how much can be done with "average" photos in PS to make them not so average. I'm sure they are better than you think. presentation can make them stand out as well!

[Nikkofan]

Hi Alicia

Me again. I just got this in my email and thought of you - you might find it worthwhile. I can't vouch for the printing side, although I do use JAlbum on my website.

It's an offer from JAlbum and a printing company called Blurb and the albums are extremely cheap, compared with Momento Pro.

Here's the website: http://www.blurb.com/partner/jalbum

Good luck

Lynn