Like many other wedding photographers in Springfield and Branson, MO we include CD's containing high-resolution images (and an accompanying copyright release) in each of our wedding photography packages. It gives you the freedom to take your CD to the photo counter or lab of your choice to order prints and enlargements; upload your wedding pictures to social networking sites like Facebook; and even make your own DIY (do it yourself) photobooks or albums.
While I always recommend ordering professional-quality prints of the photos you wish to frame or display through us, I'm constantly amazed at the quality of the books and albums our clients have made, using the pictures on their CD's and the simple, online software that's readily available on the internet.
If you're thinking of making your own photobook or album with your wedding photos, here are some sites to check out:
Shutterfly
Shutterfly offers the option to make photobooks or wedding albums in a variety of sizes, designs, and finishes at some very affordable prices. Using the site's online tools, you can make your own professionally bound, leather or fabric covered wedding album in a standard 12x12 size for about $50. Smaller albums and photobooks are even more affordable.
Shutterfly's "Storyboard" tool is particularly useful; you pick the order of your photos, and the tool provides layout and page sugestions.
Lulu
Popular with brides and grooms, as well as photographers and planners, Lulu offers both simple and more advanced options for book and album design. It's a bit more complicated and expensive than Shutterfly, but well worth the effort and expenditure if you're interested in a more "custom" and professional look for your book or album.
Snapfish
Owned by computer giant Hewlett-Packard, Snapfish is a great choice for those who prefer to design and publish more casual photobooks, as opposed to a traditional wedding album. The software is extremely simple to use, allowing you to design and order a very nice photobook in less than 30 minutes.
Picaboo
My favorite site on the list is Picaboo, a relatively new site that offers something for everyone. Picaboo's photobook and album options range from simple Classic designs for as little as $10, to beautiful handcrafted Flush Mount albums starting at $349. Like Lulu, the software is a little more advanced and takes some getting used to... but for the money, you simply can't create a better photobook or wedding album yourself.
It starts with the pictures
No matter what software and/or site you choose, your photobook or album will only be as good as the pictures inside, so make sure your photographer offers retouch services as an option for your finished photos.
While many Springfield and Branson, MO wedding photographers charge extra for retouch and color enhancement services, we include them in each of our prices and packages at Cool Change Photography.
Of course, we also offer the option to purchase professionally designed wedding albums from a variety of manufacturers... but given the quality of the various online design sites that are now available, I always encourage our clients to do a little exploring on their own. Not only can it save you some money, but it also gives you the opportunity to customize your book or album with some nice, personal touches!
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