Rebecca Sehn on Selling Portrait Albums
As you might guess from poking around on our website, the majority of the albums that Align designs are for weddings. But that's not ALL we offer! We absolutely love designing albums for portrait sessions too! We love the flexibility and beauty that comes along with family portraits, senior photos, boudoir shoots, newborn sessions, etc. And it's a special bonus when we get to design a portrait album for Rebecca Sehn Photography! Rebecca is a Vancouver-based photographer who specializes in childhood and family portrait photography. Her work is always stunning!
We asked Rebecca about her album process and she came back with a wonderful testimonial that I think with be helpful to both portrait and wedding photographers alike! Let's meet her....
We asked Rebecca about her album process and she came back with a wonderful testimonial that I think with be helpful to both portrait and wedding photographers alike! Let's meet her....
(Photo by White Linen Photographers)
Hi, I'm Rebecca. I'm a childhood and family portrait photographer based near Vancouver, Canada. I love where I live, but also love to travel! I've photographed some pretty wonderful families all over the world, including France, Ireland, and Hong Kong.
While expecting my first baby in 2014, I had visions of work slowing down a little as I adjusted to life as a new mom. I was so wrong. After my daughter Penny was born, business kept growing... fast forward to August of 2015: I found myself fully booked in Vancouver, as well as a packed week of portrait sessions abroad in Hong Kong (a dream come true!). But I was also eight months pregnant with my second baby, and life was a bit chaotic, to say the least.
I've felt so torn between giving everything I have to my family, while also growing and tending to my work -- everything I had been working toward in my business was happening, and it was so hard to say no. But my once forty hour work weeks were now chopped down to stolen hours in the early mornings and evenings, and I was scheduling client calls during overlapping nap times. I began to take a good look at what I really needed to be doing in my business, and what I could outsource.
One of these things on my outsource checklist was album design. I sell albums to almost every portrait client, but they've so far been very simple, with just one portrait per page. When I added a new premium album that needed beautiful design, I knew that this was something I could (and should) outsource. Align makes more beautiful album designs than I could ever dream of! My clients appreciate that they are both modern and timeless, and I love how responsive the designers are to creating albums to my specifications, and remembering these notes each time. It's easy, fast, and perfect.
Hi, I'm Rebecca. I'm a childhood and family portrait photographer based near Vancouver, Canada. I love where I live, but also love to travel! I've photographed some pretty wonderful families all over the world, including France, Ireland, and Hong Kong.
While expecting my first baby in 2014, I had visions of work slowing down a little as I adjusted to life as a new mom. I was so wrong. After my daughter Penny was born, business kept growing... fast forward to August of 2015: I found myself fully booked in Vancouver, as well as a packed week of portrait sessions abroad in Hong Kong (a dream come true!). But I was also eight months pregnant with my second baby, and life was a bit chaotic, to say the least.
I've felt so torn between giving everything I have to my family, while also growing and tending to my work -- everything I had been working toward in my business was happening, and it was so hard to say no. But my once forty hour work weeks were now chopped down to stolen hours in the early mornings and evenings, and I was scheduling client calls during overlapping nap times. I began to take a good look at what I really needed to be doing in my business, and what I could outsource.
One of these things on my outsource checklist was album design. I sell albums to almost every portrait client, but they've so far been very simple, with just one portrait per page. When I added a new premium album that needed beautiful design, I knew that this was something I could (and should) outsource. Align makes more beautiful album designs than I could ever dream of! My clients appreciate that they are both modern and timeless, and I love how responsive the designers are to creating albums to my specifications, and remembering these notes each time. It's easy, fast, and perfect.
The cost of design is worked into my album pricing. But beyond that, in the time it would take me to complete one album design, I can market to new clients, or provide above and beyond customer service to my current clients.
A lot of photographers ask me how I 'get' my portrait clients to purchase albums. Long story short -- I make it the most logical choice. My clients receive a digital copy of every portrait that they choose for their album, and digital files on their own are priced in such a way that unless a client chooses less than five portraits (and who can choose just five??) it's more cost effective to purchase an album.
These days I feel like I have things a lot more under control, thanks in a large part to outsourcing. Does that mean it's time for baby number three?
-----------------------
A lot of photographers ask me how I 'get' my portrait clients to purchase albums. Long story short -- I make it the most logical choice. My clients receive a digital copy of every portrait that they choose for their album, and digital files on their own are priced in such a way that unless a client chooses less than five portraits (and who can choose just five??) it's more cost effective to purchase an album.
These days I feel like I have things a lot more under control, thanks in a large part to outsourcing. Does that mean it's time for baby number three?
-----------------------
Oh my goodness, Rebecca, you're brilliant! We sometimes have photographers ask us how they can get portrait clients to value albums as much as their wedding clients do... now we have an answer! I'm going to point them right to this blog post and your sales strategy. And YAY for baby #3 -- we vote yes!! AND we're throwing "Al" into the hat for a boy name! The fact that it's short for "Align" can be our little secret! ;)
Now it's time to check out some prettiness! Here is one of Rebecca's recent albums designed by Align and printed by GTA Imaging. Thanks for sending us these photos of the finished album, Rebecca!!
Now it's time to check out some prettiness! Here is one of Rebecca's recent albums designed by Align and printed by GTA Imaging. Thanks for sending us these photos of the finished album, Rebecca!!
If you'd like to flip through this portrait album design in its entirety, click through the slideshow below!
-----------
Design by: Andrea (View More) // Design style: Simple (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
Design by: Andrea (View More) // Design style: Simple (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
New York City Engagement Album Design by Jean Smith Photography
Is it weird that I personally feel more chic after flipping through this album design? I want to jaunt down the New York City streets with the confidence that these two have while Jean Smith works her photography magic.
Jean Smith is a fantastic lifestyle and wedding photographer based out of Michigan, but she loves traveling to other locations! About the photo shoot featured in this engagement album, Jean says "Working with these two in the Big Apple was an absolute dream. We explored Highline, cobblestone streets, Battery Park, and the Financial District that holds the new Freedom Tower and 9/11 Memorial."
Jean is also amazing because she took photos of this White House Custom Colour album to show us the final product! We'll sprinkle photos of this 12x12 WHCC press-printed book in with some of our favorite layouts below. Enjoy the gorgeousness!
Jean Smith is a fantastic lifestyle and wedding photographer based out of Michigan, but she loves traveling to other locations! About the photo shoot featured in this engagement album, Jean says "Working with these two in the Big Apple was an absolute dream. We explored Highline, cobblestone streets, Battery Park, and the Financial District that holds the new Freedom Tower and 9/11 Memorial."
Jean is also amazing because she took photos of this White House Custom Colour album to show us the final product! We'll sprinkle photos of this 12x12 WHCC press-printed book in with some of our favorite layouts below. Enjoy the gorgeousness!
Here's the album design in full for you to flip through!
-----------
Design by: Sarah (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
Design by: Sarah (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
Deborah Zoe on Educating Clients on the Importance of Albums
We're so excited to share some wise words from Align client and Massachusetts photographer Deborah Zoe today! We just LOVE these paragraphs she wrote up to share the why's and how's of her album process! Without further ado, I'll let Deb introduce herself!!
---------------------------------------
I'm Deborah Zoe, a Boston area wedding and portrait photographer - Inspired by a rugged coastline, classic architecture and the beauty of New England, I'm passionate about creating images that will serve as a family's history, honoring what was and celebrating what is to come! I'm married to my college sweetheart (just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary!) and together we're raising the most adorable three year old around!! When not behind the camera you can find me digging my toes into a sandy beach, getting lost in a good book or watching entirely too much Fixer Upper!
---------------------------------------
I'm Deborah Zoe, a Boston area wedding and portrait photographer - Inspired by a rugged coastline, classic architecture and the beauty of New England, I'm passionate about creating images that will serve as a family's history, honoring what was and celebrating what is to come! I'm married to my college sweetheart (just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary!) and together we're raising the most adorable three year old around!! When not behind the camera you can find me digging my toes into a sandy beach, getting lost in a good book or watching entirely too much Fixer Upper!
I believe in a wholistic client experience, meaning I don't just show up to a wedding to just photograph the day. From initial inquiry to delivery of their wedding album, I want to give my clients an experience that celebrates their relationship and that tangibly shares the love they are building together. A big part of that experience is in the creation of a wedding album.
In the beginning I didn't know how to offer albums to my clients, let alone how to price them properly. I realized quickly that if I wanted my clients to add albums to their collections I needed to educate them on the value of the album. Through a series of posts on my blog, I began to share why I believed in wedding albums along with testimonies from past clients who created their own albums. I shared examples of real albums and gave my audience a sneak peek into what my albums looked like. Slowly, through intentionally sharing on my blog and in conversations with potential clients, I was able to educate my audience on the importance and value of creating tangible heirlooms. Beyond simply increasing my album orders I was able to increase the price point of my albums. Key point? Educating your audience through a constant conversation, whether through social media, website or blog, helps to create value and make the difference in helping you to increase your albums sales.
In the beginning I didn't know how to offer albums to my clients, let alone how to price them properly. I realized quickly that if I wanted my clients to add albums to their collections I needed to educate them on the value of the album. Through a series of posts on my blog, I began to share why I believed in wedding albums along with testimonies from past clients who created their own albums. I shared examples of real albums and gave my audience a sneak peek into what my albums looked like. Slowly, through intentionally sharing on my blog and in conversations with potential clients, I was able to educate my audience on the importance and value of creating tangible heirlooms. Beyond simply increasing my album orders I was able to increase the price point of my albums. Key point? Educating your audience through a constant conversation, whether through social media, website or blog, helps to create value and make the difference in helping you to increase your albums sales.
As I shared above, an exceptional client experience is a cornerstone of my business. I knew that if I was going to offer albums, I wanted to offer my clients the best. I found a match in Madera Books, whose quality, attention to detail and customer service cannot be beat. I've been working with Madera since 2011 and have been pleased to partner with them to create beautiful albums for my clients. Recently I've expanded my heirloom offerings to include a matted folio and album from Cypress. Their commitment to quality and the client experience is the perfect fit for my business.
Part of the exceptional client experience I've already talked about is in the actual album design. I'm a photographer, not a designer and I knew from the beginning that album design was something I needed to outsource. Align Album Design takes care of all the design aspects of the album. I love being able to confidently (and easily!) share an album design with a client knowing that they will love what has been created. Each layout is thoughtfully created with the client's desires and specific wedding day in mind. Knowing that this part of the album experience is cared for by professional and talented designers not only gives me peace of mind but frees me up to take care of other aspects of the client experience like delivering fun surprises or thoughtfully addressing their planning questions.
---------------------------------------
Part of the exceptional client experience I've already talked about is in the actual album design. I'm a photographer, not a designer and I knew from the beginning that album design was something I needed to outsource. Align Album Design takes care of all the design aspects of the album. I love being able to confidently (and easily!) share an album design with a client knowing that they will love what has been created. Each layout is thoughtfully created with the client's desires and specific wedding day in mind. Knowing that this part of the album experience is cared for by professional and talented designers not only gives me peace of mind but frees me up to take care of other aspects of the client experience like delivering fun surprises or thoughtfully addressing their planning questions.
---------------------------------------
Deb, thank you so much for sharing your story and experience with your fellow photographers! You rock! And a bonus thank you for sending us some photos of one of your recent printed albums! The following photos are of a Madera Books 10x10 album with a khaki leather cover that Align designed.
To view the full album design, click through below!
-----------
Design by: Andrea (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
Design by: Andrea (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
New York Country Club Wedding By Kerri Lynne Photography
Oooh la la! We've got a beauty of an album design to share with you today! Kerri Lynne Photography's style preferences fall somewhere between our Classic and our Simple styles. Our Simple design style only allows for a maximum of 4 images per spread (perfect for portrait albums!), and our Classic style ranges up to 14. As you'll see, Kerri loves to keep her pages very minimal with fewer images per spread throughout but occasionally throw in a spread or two with more than 4 images... and we're happy to tailor our designs to that preference! Kerri's albums are pretty long in length and pretty high in elegance -- we love designing them!
Kerri ordered this album through Graphi Studio and was sweet enough to take photographs of the printed product! Thanks, Kerri!!!
To see more of Kerri's images, visit her website, Facebook, or Instagram!
Kerri ordered this album through Graphi Studio and was sweet enough to take photographs of the printed product! Thanks, Kerri!!!
To see more of Kerri's images, visit her website, Facebook, or Instagram!
Here's the full album design for you to flip through!
-----------
Design by: Andrea (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
Design by: Andrea (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Denise
Stunning California Wedding by Amy Theilig Photographic
We've worked with Amy Theilig so much over the past couple years that all she has to do is ask for the "Amy T Special" and we know exactly how to nail her style! That's because we keep each of our clients' personal preferences on file for all of their future orders. Amongst other things, one of Amy's preferences is that she loves bold, big photos that take up most of the spread. We love customizing designs to fit each photographer's personal brand, so please don't hesitate to tell us what you love!
Amy is a Southern California photographer whose style is bright, modern, and natural... as shown in the images from this gorgeous Wayfarer's Chapel wedding! Amy even took some photos of the finished Miller's Lab album so that we could see this beauty in print! Thanks, Amy!
Check it out below!
Amy is a Southern California photographer whose style is bright, modern, and natural... as shown in the images from this gorgeous Wayfarer's Chapel wedding! Amy even took some photos of the finished Miller's Lab album so that we could see this beauty in print! Thanks, Amy!
Check it out below!
For the full album design, flip through the slideshow below:
