Leather Craftsmen Albums Galore!
We made it! It is four days before Christmas, and everything that was guaranteed and expected by our clients in time for Christmas has been shipped (MOST of it has been delivered, as of today). I feel like a college student that just finished finals, except that I know I still have work waiting for me after Christmas break. ;-) But, such a relief! I feel like I hold my breath from the time I tell my brides a deadline that I need their album selections by in order for them to receive it by Christmas until Christmas. So, I have been holding my breath for almost three months now. As soon as the albums were designed and the prints were shipped to our MOST trusted binder Leather Craftsmen, I hit the ground running with the 40-some print, canvas, gift book and frame orders we had waiting in the wings, also due by Christmas. Each little step of relief provided a next step to be conquered, and now, I am done for the year! The email inbox is empty, and I am ready to enjoy twelve days of Christmas! But, before we hit the road to visit my family in North Carolina, I thought I would share four albums that came through our doors this month alone. Happy viewing, friends!
First off is Carla & Darik’s 10″ flush mount album. I seriously had trouble parting with this one… I wanted to keep it for myself (time for new samples, I think!). I love designing a cover for the album after we’ve finished the interior, just to make the entire thing flow…
Their intro page might be one of my favorites, but then, again, almost every page was a new favorite. View the full design of their album here.
Leather Craftsmen is second to none. They truly are craftsmen that stand the test of trendy times. :-) The flush mount pages are always PERFECTLY mounted and ever so sturdy. Love having actual photographs in all of my bridal albums!
And on to Stacy & Rob’s 10″ matted album with rustique black leather and black on black mattes. I love how Leather Craftsmen’s matted albums look like old library books. There isn’t a chance that your grandkids or kids will make fun of the style of this album, as it is as timeless as can be. (No guarantees they won’t make fun of your dress or hair, though. Kids are cruel). ;-)
Expertly bound. (side note: ALWAYS store your album laying flat)
Since Stacy & Rob didn’t have imprinting on the cover, I gave them a little bonus of imprinting on the parchment intro page… (note the cork that I always have lining the front and back of the album)
It is always unreal to me that Leather Craftsmen does everything by hand. How the heck do you have a steady enough hand to mount a print so perfectly?! I am glad I am a photographer and not an album binder. Definitely chose the right path here.
I don’t have an online preview for you of their design since these albums are not designed in Photoshop, but here is a glimpse of a spread…
Next up… Crystal & Erik’s 10″ flush mount album with the distressed brown leather (Chris’ personal favorite).
A little peak inside… Love the bright colors of their wedding. View the full design here.
The pages don’t lay PERFECTLY flat, but they also won’t bend and fall apart in five years like other album companies. I am proud to say that my own personal wedding album was done by Leather Craftsmen five years ago, and it has outlasted BY FAR those cheap album samples I bought when I first started my business. Word of advice to newbie photographers: start with the best and don’t look back. I have used Leather Craftsmen since 2006 and won’t ever leave!
And, lastly… Sarah & Dan’s 12″ matted album with saddle brown leather and ivory on ivory mattes. LOVE the classic imprinting on the spine. Keep it simple. Keep it classy! :-)
an interior layout.
Love Leather Craftsmen‘s binding.
really love that these mattes are real mattes, like what you would put in your frames. I love that concept of a fine art presentation of your wedding images.
a little detail page… good to include these in your album! Brides work so hard on all of these little details!
to close… my favorite spread in Sarah & Dan’s album. LOVE!
I can’t thank Leather Craftsmen enough for all of the hard work that they put into our albums. We will have another six albums going through in the next four months or so, and I can’t wait. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!
