Have you ever considered Leporello bindings? For someone like me who does a lot of 2-page spreads where I want the whole width as the photo canvas, they’ve been a godsend. The photo quality is just as good since it’s usually printed on the same archival paper you’d put in your clunky matt-board books. All the color and tonal detail is there for the same reasons. Some really obsessed people may worry about the binding over time, but the one’s I’ve made look as good as new after years.

Personally, I can’t stand heavy pages that don’t have laser-accurate margins. Unless your photos are recessed, their less-than-flush mounting makes it look even cheaper. Just my 2 cents.

As a main book, no. We thought about it. The largest expense in the book is the design process. So if a Graphi cost us $450 and a Press Book $100, so what.

We use press books for marketing to venues, parent books, trade show displays.

Clients can make pretty decent press books on Shutterfly. Does it cheapen our photography? Yes. Id there anything we can do about it? No. People are becoming more photo smart. They can grab your images of the internet and make their own album.

Gone are the days of blind disposable income.

Our huge wedding album is buried in its box somewhere upstairs. I have often felt that if we had the option at the time, we may have chosen a “coffee table” style because it would spend more time out on display. The more the book is out, the more people have the chance to see it, leading to free advertising for the photog.

Now that I own the photos, I’m thinking of having one made so we can have it out.

I agree, I ditched press print books last year. Too much time spent in design to put it in a cheap book.

“To truly produce remarkable photography, I feel it needs to be shown with amazing printing and binding – not like something you can find at a bookstore.”

You do a disservice to the craft of bookbinding with this statement. Historically, a lot of remarkable photography has been indeed showcased in very well made (and very expensive) press-printed volumes, some of which you can buy at a bookstore. Part of what some clients like about press books is exactly that: “It’s like a real book!” I see no reason why a well made press book cannot have a place along with more traditional products. In fact I would rather see a couple preserve their photos in a GOOD press book (I like the Asuka EX with laminated pages) than some of the poorly printed and bound “flush” albums that are now available.

If I was going to dump a product from my line, it would be the flush album. To me the Zookbook/LC3500/Finao album is going to scream “2000′s” like the white leather, gilded edged Art Leather book now makes us think of the ’70′s. If I could choose for my clients, I would love to be creating LC matted albums with one or two photos per page, or well-made press books with elegant, minimalistic layouts. At this point, I have them all on the list, and most choose the Asuka press book.

Here in NY couples very often don’t come back and get any album. In our case everything is paid up front. So, they have paid and are not getting anything. I’m sure this not only happens in NY, but all over the country. So, my point is that if they are on a budget or just don’t care a press book is better than nothing. Right? We are working with one couple now who’s problem is not money, they have plenty. They like the press book and that’s what they want. So, to stay in business these day’s I think you have to offer what they want. Besides if you don’t offer somethig like a press book, you don’t have anything to upgrade to. I will alway’s remember many years ago our rep from Art Leather (Ted Amsterdam)looking at our price list and saying “You don’t have anything here for me”. We were using Leather Craftsmen and didn’t use Art Leather. What Ted ment was sell Art Leather at a lower price and upgrade to Leather Craftsmen. No press book available at that time. I feel that photograhy is one thing and business is business. So, offer them what they want and try to upgrade at a higher price. By the way I have been in the photography business since 1962.

I think there’s a reason Asukabook albums keep winning awards every year. Our clients confirm it. They love the look and the feel of the pages, and don’t care so much for the big, bulky books. Only two of our brides chose something other than an Asukabook last year.

We are trying the Bay Photo books. We will receive our first sample tomorrow. They are the only one that we could find that offers 6 color printing as an option. Everyone else does 4 color. Another very nice book is by Adorama. It’s the only one I’ve seen that is printed on Fuji color paper. Real photo paper. It is a very thin paper that they stick together back to back. Pages become thicker. Very, very nice. The only problem is that at this time they only make 26 or 50 page books, all different sizes. Not a problem as long as you know it. Price is right also. Check them out at http://www.adorama.com I do not work for them, or receive any compensation from them.

We very definitely offer everything imaginable to the client.
In the end – the client is always right – and chooses accordingly to their tastes given the information we have imparted.
There are multiple reasons for choosing either book and some disadvantages too.
We don’t hold back on any of that info.
We price the coffee table books the same as the albums.
In the end – the coffee-table books outsell the albums by at least 4-1 AND we get multiple reprint orders too, which we don’t get with the albums.

You are correct! Like you need me to tell you that…but it makes sense. If you are charging for your art, then you should present your work as art, and a hinged page album is not art. Thanks for the confirmation!

We received our sample press book back from Bay Photo yesterday. All I will say about it is Outstanding!