Album vs. Photobook…which one is for me?

With the vast variety of photo products available in the market today, it’s easy to be confused as to which ones will work best for you or what they even are. 

Let’s start with the basics.  In the market today you will find a variety of album types, but two of the most popular are traditional matted and flush mount.  Traditional matted albums are what most of us remember looking at growing up – thick pages with prints surrounded by mats in a large format album.  (Different from do-it-yourself albums in which you place several prints on a “sticky page” and replace the clear film on top.)  Traditional matted albums are done by professionals with acid-free materials (often rag mat) to make sure your prints last a lifetime. 

Increasingly popular today, however, are flush mount albums.  Its pages are thick and hinged so that they lay completely flat when opened (not unlike traditional matted albums).  What’s different is that there are no mats; the photos are printed directly on the page and are coated for durability.  One of the reasons these albums have such a growing fan base is that printing in this way allows for a much greater design capability.  (Specifically “panorama” type layouts stretching over two pages without interruption.)  The possibilities are endless!  From the arrangement of photos in the album to creative effects , couples today find that they are better able to have an album that represents their style.  Due to the flush mount’s popularity, many photography studios don’t even offer traditional matted albums anymore.  (As a rule, we don’t offer them either, but we will provide our clients with quotes and/or resources if that is the route they choose to go.)

Yet another option is a photobook (sometimes referred to as a coffee table book).  They are similar in style to a flush mount album when it comes to flexibility in the layout.  There are no mats and the photos are printed directly on the page.  Some photobooks feature a lay flat design and others do not.  (In our line, all of our albums and photobooks are lay flat.)  The difference is that photobooks are more compact due to the weight of the pages.  The paper used for photobooks varies widely…some are a lighter weight (like printer paper) and some are heavier weight (like cardstock).  As in a flush mount album, the pages are usually coated for durability. 

The products we offer fall into three basic categories:  Photobooks, Photo Albums, and Flush Mount Albums.   My general rule of thumb when referring to these is good, better, best.  Two major factors usually determine which type of product is best for our client:  1) the type of photos being displayed; and 2) budget.  On a sliding scale, photobooks are the least expensive with flush mount albums being the most expensive. 

In general, I recommend photobooks for family photos, children’s photos or special events (reunions or birthdays for example).  They are lighter weight making them easier to carry around and share with others, plus they are less expensive.  This is often more affordable when purchasing books on multiple occasions or multiple copies of books (such as kids photos at age milestones like newborn, 3 months, 6 months, etc.).  

I generally recommend photo albums for senior portraits, bridal portraits or engagement portraits.  The only difference in a photo album and a flush mount album is the details.  To use a car analogy, the photo album would be the reliable standard sedan while the flush mount album would be the loaded luxury automobile.  Both are beautiful and get you where you need to go, one just has more bells and whistles.    Photo albums are a lay flat design and come with a variety of cover options. 

Obviously, I recommend a flush mount album for weddings.  The pages lay flat and have a beautiful finish of your choice.  The cover choices are endless:  you can get premium leather covers, embossed leather covers or photo covers.  They can be padded or hard backed.  Leather covers can include cameo openings for displaying a photo on the cover and/or be imprinted.  You can add a woodblock spine for durability or even spine hubs for a very traditional feel. 

 There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing which is best for you.  You may want a flush mount album for your child’s senior portraits, or you may be a bride with a very casual style and prefer a photo book over a heavier weighted album.  Regardless of your style and budget, we are confident we can find our clients a book they are proud to share.