One of the biggest decisions in wedding photography is whether or not to get an album, and then if you do want one, what type to get. There are so many names flouting around and so many different choices available now, I understand your frustration. We hope this article will shed some light and clear you confusion.
First name that comes to mind is Coffee table books. Coffee table books get their name from the intended purpose of being placed on a coffee table for the entertainment of guests. Coffee table books are photo books, and come in various sizes from very small to very big. They have soft, thin pages like normal books. The print quality of photo books varies from photographic paper prints to inkjet prints on normal paper.
Next term on the list is Digital photo books. Digital photo albums have digitally printed pages as opposed to albums that consist of traditional photos. Both flush mount albums as well as coffee table books are printed digitally. The photos of flush mount albums are printed on photographic paper, which is comparable to the quality of traditionally developed photos. Coffee table books, on the other hand, are printed with inkjet on ordinary paper and are therefore of a lower quality. Digital printing gives the album designer a vast number of design possibilities, for example magazine-style or montage albums are only possible with digital printing. Digital photo books are increasingly popular because they allow anyone with a digital camera to create coffee table books of their photos. Also, it is often considered easier to print photos on to pages directly, rather than position and secure individual prints on to the pages of a traditional album. Aesthetically, digital photo books seem neater and more professional than albums. This has led to their growing popularity amongst both professional and amateur photographers. Digital photo book printing companies have used the internet to make designing and producing photo books very easy for the general consumer.
Next on our list is the one we offer at our studio The Flush mount albums. Flush mount albums have hard covers with thick, unbending pages. They consist of photographic prints that were dry-mounted on cardboard. The covers are mostly made of leather, leatherette or Glass. The photos lay completely flat and extend across the whole page. Flush mount albums are usually designed in magazine-style. They are most often used for special occasions such as weddings and anniversaries due to the fact that they are produced of a higher quality and are more expensive to produce than coffee table books.
And last the term Magazine-style albums. The term magazine-style refers to the design style inspired by fashion magazines, but the style can differ greatly between albums dependent on the designer. The layout is usually referred to as digital montage, hence the alternative name montage albums. The layout is designed on the computer, utilizing custom- or template- generated images.