Product Spotlight: The Album
When it comes to photography products, the album is a fairly new addition to my roster (and by that I mean that it’s only been just over a year). One of the reasons why it took me so long to add it to my product lineup is because good albums are hard to find. It takes time to order samples from different vendors and assess the quality. But when I found that perfect match in Queensberry flushmount albums, I went all in.
In this post, I outline all the benefits of the Family Heirloom Album, who it’s for, and what makes it so special!
The Family Heirloom Album
Who it’s for
The album is prefect for families who want a great deal of images in a small compact package. If you simply don’t want to display a lot of family portraits in your home, but still want to have a way to preserve those images for many generations, the album is the perfect solution for you. The album is sized at 10”x10”, which is big enough to do the images justice but not so big that it’s unwieldy to handle. It looks perfect on a bookshelf or a coffee table, and you can either store it safely out of reach of children or display it for everyday enjoyment - the choice is yours!
Key features
I already mentioned the 10”x10” square size, which works well for horizontal and vertical photo layouts and just feels right in your hands. The other big feature is the “flushmount” construction. This simply means that the album pages open flat with almost no seam in the middle (see the image below for what that looks like). This allows us to use the entire 10”x20” spread to feature a portrait or make layouts that go outside of the individual pages for best fit.
The paper used for printing is very similar to what I use for individual prints that I print myself. The ink is all pigment-based (this is important because dye inks fade quickly) and the paper is FineArt stock that is matte with a slight texture. Now, the downside is that we have to be careful with any dark colored portraits because they can end up looking washed out and gray instead of black (which is a common issue with matte photo paper in general). The way we solve this is by color-correcting and properly preparing each image for printing. This is another area where Queensberry excels as they work closely with each photographer to make sure things appear in print as they’re meant to.
The cover material itself is completely custom to each client. You can select out of a variety of linen, silk, or vegan leather fabrics and match the album perfectly to your interior design style. And if you’re not sure which to pick, don’t worry - I am there to help you every step of the way.
The other part worth mentioning is the velum title page that’s included with the family or child name and session date, so you have all that information right inside the album. There’s also a complimentary cover image (you can see two images down) which highlights the contents of the album without the need for words or title text.
What makes it different
There are tons of album vendors our there. The reason why I chose to work with Queensberry is because they make everything by hand (you can learn more about their process here: https://www.queensberry.com/made-by-hand), using the highest quality materials available.
Most albums look pretty good when you first get them. But a few years down the line is when you start to see issues. The cover stars coming apart, pages fray or get creaky in parts, and pictures start to fade. The glue simply fails. The inks used aren’t conservation grade. All the little cost-saving decisions start to manifest in some real problems. And the worst part is that you have no idea this is coming when your photographer delivers the album at the end of your session!
This is truly where Queensberry excels. They’ve been in business long enough and take pride in their craftsmanship to build a product that will last.. and not only that, but last AND look as good as new for many many years. Once again, this isn’t a benefit that you’ll recognize when you first get your album, but it’s something that makes a world of a difference down the line.
The Design Process
Each Family Heirloom Album is custom-designed and crafted by hand. Once we know that the album is the best product option to display your portraits, I will create a digital album proof layout with all the images you love from your session. You’ll receive a link to a web page to view your album and can flip through it as if it was a real book right in front of you. You can make comments on each page on your own time or we can sit down together and make changes in person. The point being, nothing goes to print until it’s been seen and approved by you (with unlimited changes included). You will also be able to select the exact cover material you prefer from physical samples, or we can work together to pick one.
Printing and hand-assembly takes about 3-4 weeks and I will personally review your album to make sure everything is printed impeccably when it arrives. It will then be delivered to your home at a time that’s convenient for you so you can start enjoying it with your family!
How to take care of your album
Like anything valuable that you’d want to pass down to your children and your children’s children, you should take good care of your album. That means not touching it with dirty hands (white gloves are provided for you in your album box), not leaving it outside, and storing it in a safe place.
Some of the things that will damage your album are the same as what will damage prints: humidity, sunlight, and high temperatures. That means you shouldn’t store your album in a hot attic or damp basement. You shouldn’t leave it out by a window where direct sunlight will hit it every day. Store the album in the archival acid-free box it came in for best protection, or if you want to display it, keep it away from direct sunlight (so the middle of the room or a bookshelf are your best bet) and make sure it’s in a climate controlled area.
Albums are really fun to design and receive, and they’re even better to enjoy as part of your family legacy. As with anything that will provide a visual representation of your portraits, you’ll want an album that will last, look stunning, and can be passed down to later generations. It is such a privilege to be able to provide this incredible product to my clients and every single one we produced so far has been absolutely gorgeous to look through!
If you’re interested in creating your very own Family Heirloom Album, you can learn more about my Family Portrait Session options right here: https://nlalorphotography.com/family/
