Album Ordering, Process, Payment & Turnaround
To start the album process, You can choose all your favorite images yourself or you can choose your favorite 15-20 images that you can not live without and allow us to tell a story around the images you’ve chosen. I will need you to start choosing your favorites (“must have”) and submit them to the studio. This is the easiest way for me to see exactly what your choices are as I can see your images. If you would like to choose all the images here is some helpful advice on choosing images. If you choose to upgrade your album size (more images = more pages), You may do so by choosing more images. The rule of thumb that we use to create a beautiful flowing album is 60-75 images for thirty pages, 76-100 for forty pages, 100-125 for fifty pages, 126-150 for sixty pages. A page equals a side just like a regular book. If you have questions on upgrade costs for your already contracted book please email us at orders@miguelpola.com. Once you have your favorites complete, Submit you favorites and I we will be able to see what is in your folder. If you don’t hit the submit button and fill out the info we will not be able to see your images. Here is a tutorial on submitting your favorites. Saving Favorites tutorial
Then we will begin the album layout design. This part of the process usually takes 6-8 weeks (simply because we’re not in the office everyday and have many albums and wedding proofs to work on.) This time frame might be slightly higher during our wedding season.) You will then receive an email stating your design is complete and ready for proofing. You can make up to 3 side changes as per your contract. All revisions must be made at one time.(usually this is). If additional changes need to be made, they can be made, but there is a $25 fee charged per page changed. Once you have approved the design, you can choose to add parent albums to your order. Parent albums are 50% off what ever size you choose to have made for each duplicate. Parent albums must be clones to receive the 50% off. If your parent wants to have their own album designed per their image choice, they will have to pay full price for the new design. Parent albums must be paid in advance of the order to receive the discounted price. When we upload the design to the album company, the printing, binding, and shipping usually takes 8-10 weeks. When your album arrives, We will deliver the High Resolution DVD of your files if this is included in your package. If you did not include it in your package and wish to do so now, we can add this to your parent book or upgrade invoice for one payment of $950.
Album Style and Cover Design
We offer signature design albums, sometimes referred to as a flush mount or digital album.
Signature style: Signature is simple, with the most focus on the images. This design needs fewer images overall per page, and the result is a simple, classic design.
You will also need to choose a cover image (if you would like an image on your cover) and let me know if you have a preference of how your names & date reads.
Advice on Choosing Album Images
I really want your album folder to be the “must haves” – I’m not looking for you to design the album with your choices but rather to make sure that I get the ones you would be upset if they are left out. You could always make me a folder of “Alternatives” that have your “maybe” shots if you would like. Here’s what I want you to take a look at with your choices and the best advice I can give :
What you are looking for is truly the “must haves”: these are images that I need your eye to determine what you like best, and these are usually the ones I cannot choose for you. These fall into two categories to me:
1)Images that I want you to choose because you know how you or your family looks best.
Meaning, I can of course tell if your eyes are open but only you will know if someone’s expression is just “off” or something. This applies to the group shots and the portraits of you. I can usually do ok with portraits but sometimes I’m wrong and someone tells me that they don’t like a particular expression on themselves or their spouse!
2) Images that “move” you. I want to know what images are the ones that you get emotional looking at and create that wonderful feeling all over again. This usually applies to images of your portraits, intimate moments, romantics, funny moments, ect… So, when you are looking at your choices for your “must haves” folder keep these two things above in mind.
Here’s stuff for category one:
Your choices for your pre-ceremony formals with bridesmaids and family – usually two with bridesmaids, fun & formal, and at least one with your family.
Same for Groom’s side. Then your favorite shots of each other alone – portraits, full length, close ups. At least 3-4 of each of you. Same for the Altar returns after the ceremony – again, looking for your favorite shots with family & wedding party (fun or formal) These fall into both categories because it’s about your expressions and your emotional reaction to the images:
Favorite shots of the two of you alone together (this is the part that I like to see the most choices if possible) Must haves of 1st dance and Parent dances (try to make parent dances “equal” – like 2-3 of each). Faves of cake, bouquet garter, general dancing, ect…. If there are detail shots that move you, yes include those, too. Usually, I end up adding detail shots because those are the ones left out by most of my clients. They think they want more people shots (which is fine) however, details also tell the story.
Also, watch out for redundant images like two of the same group of people, or one close up, one full length that are of the same view.
How Many To Choose From Each Category?
To start choosing your images, itʼs best to look at them as they break down by category. I prefer to design your album with your must haves being about 80-90% of your album total. I will sometimes add to that to that where I need an image or two to fill out a page or tell the story and bring your total images to the max amount included with your
album size. The image-to-page ratio is about 2.5 images per page -some spreads having more images, some having less. Here is a ratio guideline for choosing images for me to create a 40 page album of about 100 images.
Since every wedding is different, you may want to change the ratio of these images (ie. you had a cool first dance or special entertainment, etc.)
This list adds up to 85 shots:
5 shots of getting ready.
(4) best one photo of your families before the wedding (this can be changed for those with multiple parent families)
(4) 2 images of each side bridesmaids, groomsmen – one formal and one fun.
(6) 3 images of each of you (bride & groom) individually.
12 images of the ceremony.
(4) 1 image of each family at the altar.
1 wedding party photo.
8 images of you (bride & groom) together.
5 images of intro or toasts
5 images of first dance
5 images of parent dances
6 cake/cake cut images
6 all dancing images
4 bouquet/garter images
10 detail shots from the whole day
If you decided to upgrade, you will be able to pad each category as you like.
This can still give you a basic outline so you can see how the categories add up.
