!!!Introducing Our New Signature Albums!!!

This afternoon, my email exchanges with Kyle went as follows:

Me: "OMG!!! My new albums came today. Very sweet!!!!!"
Kyle: "Cool, can’t wait to check it out! So psyched that you like it!"
Me (5 minutes later): "No offense. But I've decided to leave you. We (as in the album and myself) are going to live in France and be very happy together. It was wonderful while it lasted."
Kyle: "F-in right!!!"

It's days like this that I feel so blessed! Not only do I love the direction my business is heading, but I have a husband who gets as giddy as I do about I Do Click's latest developments! And after they see these new shots of my new line of albums, I have no doubt that my couples will have a similar sentiment!

I have been eager to offer albums since I began my business, and after two years of online research, I decided that I needed to actually touch and tap and turn the pages of these albums before making a choice. This was one of the driving forces behind my decision to travel to Tampa in January for the Digital Wedding Forum 2008 Convention. (Seriously, the prospect of warm weather had nothing to do with it. I swear it was below 50 degrees there for most of the trip!)

While there, I attended the Imaging USA tradeshow and looked at dozens of different album companies before deciding on the one you'll see the masterpieces of in a few seconds. My final choice was based on my perception of the quality and durability of the products, the variety of cover colors and fabrics, the attentiveness of the company to perfection, advice of other photographers including some of the world's best who also use these albums, and my own glee in pouring over the many samples I saw. These aren't just albums. These are art that will no doubt become a treasured heirloom!

Feast your eyes!!! (I don't think I have ever been so excited about a blog post! Click on the images to enlarge.)

The packing is stunning and you'll be pleased to know it's 100 green from the recycled paper to the ribbon which is made of recycled mulberry leaves!
The wedding I used for my sample album was Lauren and Jeff's, which was held the past June. I chose their wedding because Jeff is a good friend from grad school and I figured when I am done with the sample, I can send it to them to enjoy. Their name and date is stamped on the lower right corner of the album.
Here is the side view of the pages. Notice how thick they are! Very durable.
Another side view- this one of the bottom of the book.
And a corner view. I cannot believe how well these books are made. The color is called passion (you can see why) and I had the book with a band of a dark color, which really looks good. It's smooth almost like leather, but animal friendly!

Look how thick the pages are (click to enlarge). You have to feel this book in your hands/lap to believe it. Remember, it's 12 by 12 so when the album lays open, it's two-feet wide.
From the inside.
And the spine, which is squared. Screw the coffeetable! (Can I say that on my blog?) This book is a piece you'll build a room around!
And here are a few shots of some of my favorite spreads within the book. I design my albums freehand (instead of using album design software) and the layout is very simple and chic instead of cheesy (you can have either a black or a white background). Here is a full two-page spread of the ceremony.
And a spread of Lauren and Jeff's first dance.
Notice how you can barely see the seam where the book folds. Instead of having a gutter down the middle like many albums, these pages lay flat. And I am showing you on a black page where it sticks out more than it might on a color spread. Wow!
And, this is the last spread of the book. It's one of my favorites.
These signature albums are 12 by 12 (this makes a huge impression!!!) and come with 30 pages (or 15 spreads) designed by yours truly. They are included in two of my four new packages (which were released a few months back): Package 1 and Package 2. For my clients who have already booked their 2008 wedding coverage but want to upgrade their package so they can get their hands on these new albums, please email me stat and I will let you know the flat fee to do this. Yes, these signature albums are an investment for sure, but it's one that I wouldn't offer unless I had complete confidence it was a worthwhile one. (And, if I've already shot your wedding during the 2006 or 2007 season and you'd are interested in one of these stunning books, contact me as well and I can let you know prices.)

And not to totally confuse people... But, also for clients who have already booked their 2008 wedding coverage. If you signed up for a package that came with an imagebook featuring one image per page, I am now offering custom designed imagebooks, that are laid out like albums, but have hardcovers and magazine style pages (instead of the thick pages that come with the signature album. This will be a complimentary upgrade, and I will be sending out information as well as images of these new books in the coming weeks so look for that.

I know all these new offerings can be overwhelming, but I cannot tell you how much thought and attention to detail has gone into these new products and their pricing. Not a day goes by that I am not looking for new ways to improve my photographs, service and product selection for my couples!

Are you as in love as I am? Or maybe it's lust! (You know I am making one of these featuring Alder and Nikon the minute I get a second!)