Along with offering Photo Books that are fulfilled by Partner Vendor, photographers are also able to offer Photo Album Services to their clients.

Photo Album Services gives photographers the easiest way to offer professional, high-end photo albums to their clients.

Unlike the Photo Books that are fulfilled by partner labs, the Photo Album service handles the entire album design process, from selecting photos, cropping the photos and selecting page layouts- all the way to the product fulfillment. Also note that unlike other products, Order Approval is not an option. Therefore, print-ready files should be uploaded. 

This service is designed for busy photographers and clients that do not have the time to go through the page by page process of designing a photo book.

This service is completely white labeled, with no vendor information displayed to your clients throughout the ordering and order fulfillment process.

 

How it works

1. Clients will access their gallery and proceed to click on the "Create a Photo Album" button. They will then select from the available album design options, submit the order, and make a non-refundable payment for the album design.
   
   
2. A team of professional designers will curate the best photos from the gallery and present the selection to the client for their review. Subsequently, the designers will proceed to create the album, sending it directly to the client for their review and approval.
   
   
3. The client will then choose the album sizes and quantities before placing their order. The albums will be meticulously handcrafted in the United States and shipped directly to the client.
   
   Please note that any coupons created through your account cannot be applied to the initial album design order or the final physical album order.

 

What's needed from the Photographer

To offer the Photo Album service to your clients, here is what is needed from the photographer:

1. Create the Gallery for the client as usual, making sure that the gallery contains at least 40 photos.
2. Assign a Price List to the gallery- it is not necessary to add any specific products to the Price List for the Photo Album Design Service.

From there all that is needed is to contact the client and let them know that their photos are ready and that they can click on the Create a Photo Album button to start the album order.
 

 

Benefits for the Photographer

• Ordering made easy - we select the photos and professionally design the album for you and client
• Stunning Quality - your clients will adore their album and treasure it as a family keepsake
• Get more referrals - clients with albums help promote your brand and your photography business
• Effortless - Just share your gallery with the client and make money off every purchase
• Photographer Commission - you will receive 20% commission on every shipped order!

 

How to enable or disable the Photo Album service Ordering

Unlike Photo Books, the Photo Album Service does not require adding to a Price List. When enabled in the account, the service is automatically enabled in any gallery that contains over 40 photos and has a price list assigned to them.

You can easily enable or disable this service by going to the Photo Album Design Service page in your account. Depending on when your account was created, the setting may be enabled by default. If your account was created after January 2017, you will need to opt-in to offer the service.

Here is how to set your preference site-wide.

1. In your account, go to Selling.
2. Go to Photo Albums. You can also click HERE to go directly to that page in your account.
3. Choose the first option to Enable Photo Album Service For Your Clients
   Or choose to Disable Photo Album Service For Your Clients.
4. Click Save to confirm your settings.

Along with their clients, the photographer is also able to use the Photo Album service to purchase the custom photo albums. These can then be sold directly to the client outside of Zenfolio or sold through the photographer's Zenfolio website as a Self Fulfilled product.

 

How to start an order for the Photo Album Service

From the Original Photos Page area:

1. In your account, go to the Photos page. 
2. Select a Gallery that contains at least 40 images.
3. Click on Buy.
4. Choose Album design service from the menu that appears. The option is only available for galleries that contain at least 40 photos.

From the New Photos Page area:

1. In your account, go to the Photos page. 
2. Select a Gallery that contains at least 40 images.
3. Click on Actions.
4. Choose Use Photo Album service from the menu that appears. The option is only available for galleries that contain at least 40 photos.

From there you can choose the desired Album designs and cover options as well as enter the text you would like printed on the cover.


After making the desired choices, the album design fee will be added to the Shopping Cart.  Check out as normal to pay for the album design fee.

Within 3-5 business days, you will receive an email with a link to review the photo selection if desired.


The photographer's client is able to start the order for a custom photo album through the photographer's website.

This service is only available to clients if the option has not been disabled by the Photographer.
 

From the website:

1. Navigate to the gallery in the photographer's website.
2. Click on the Make an Album button.
3. Choose the Album Design.
4. Enter the desired text to be printed on the book (if applicable).
5. Pay for the album design fee through the cart.

Within 3-5 business days, the purchaser will receive an email with a link to review the photo selections for the album.

You can find more details on the steps for ordering an album in this article.


 

Reviewing and Approving the Photo Album Order

Once the Album Design Fee is paid through the cart, an email will be sent (within 3-5 business days) to the purchaser with a link to a page to review the image selections for the book. 

In the image selection page, the photos can be selected by checking or unchecking the boxes displayed over the photos. Once the selections have been made, the choices can be approved.




Within five business days after confirming the selection, an email will be sent with a link to review and approve the album design.



Changes can be requested for up to four spreads (additional revisions are available for only $5).

Please note that a revision is defined as anytime a spread ­needs to be edited so if three spreads need revisions, it counts as three revisions.

Once the purchaser is satisfied with the design, they can approve the album design and order the desired albums. Please allow for up to 15 business days for the production of the custom hand made album


 

Photo Album Service FAQ

The Basics

• Is this for me?
  This service was built for photographers who are being asked to deliver albums and either don’t have the time or interest to design albums.
   
• Can I sell albums and be totally “hands off”?
  YES! This service works perfectly for the photographer who wants to make albums for their clients but doesn’t want to deal with the process. Our team of experts will not only design, print & bind a beautiful heirloom quality album, but will help your clients choose the best photos while giving them the same Zenfolio quality support that you are used to.
   
• What are the benefits of selling albums?
  Most clients want albums, they just don’t want to work too hard to have one made. When your clients have albums, they’re promoting your photography for you! Clients that have albums are more likely to refer their friends and family to you since your work is visible rather than being forgotten about. And, you will receive 20% from every order!
   
• I already sell albums to my clients. How can this help me sell more?
  The Photo Album service enables any of your visitors to get an album. This will give other family members, like mom and dad, and even friends the option to purchase an album. Also, you can use the service for yourself so you can save time making albums and be able to sell more. 
   
• What’s the catch?
  There is no catch! Once you sign up you can sit back and make money without the stress of selling and making albums.
   
• How long does the process take?
  The photo selection process takes 2-3 business days. Once the selection is confirmed by the customer, the album design takes 5 business days. Once the album is order is placed, please allow for up to 15 business days for the production.

 

Help with the Product

• If my client needs help, who do they call?
  We will have a direct phone number and email address that your client can reach us for help.
   
• Can they rush an album if they need it in a hurry?
  When we launch we will be offering upgraded shipping options but not a rush on the album production. This may be added in the future.
   
• Who is talking to my clients?
  We have a dedicated staff of experienced professionals supporting your clients via email and phone. The whole experience will be white labeled, using your branding and your site URL. When interacting with your clients, we will do it on your behalf and never mention Zenfolio. The links that will be sent to your client to view their selection and design will feature your Zenfolio photographer’s url.

 

Products Offered

• What type of albums do you offer?
  The Photo Album is a professional quality flush mount album printed on Kodak photographic paper. It’s available in 8x8, 10x10, and 12x12, and smaller sizes for additional copies. The standard pages thickness is similar to a dime but we offer a Thick page upgrade that doubles the thickness. You can choose from 5 different cover styles and 20 different leather colors to compliment the cover. There is also a lower cost Value Album that starts at just $120. Each album is hand­crafted in the US and will make for a wonderful heirloom for your clients.
   
• What kind of covers can I choose?
  We offer 6 different cover types. The base album will come with a photo wrap cover but your client can upgrade to have a Leather Spine, Cameo, Full Leather or an Acrylic cover. The sixth option is the Value Cover option.
   
• What paper is used?
  We only use high quality professional Kodak Endura paper with a Lustre Photographic finish.
   
• Is the leather real leather or imitation?
  All 20 colors offered in our leather collection are genuine top grain cowhide leather with a smooth glove like finish. There is an option for a “vegan” cover material in black only.
   
• Do the albums have a warranty?
  Yes. We stand behind the quality of our products! Should your client have an issue with a manufacturing defect we will repair or replace their album at no charge.
   
• How is this different from the other Photo Books already offered on Zenfolio?
  While we offer many products through our Zenfolio partners, only the Photo Albums offers a one-stop-shop solution for you to easily sell albums to your client. The Photo Album is unique by offering a service to help your client select their photos, designing the album and communicating with your bride directly.
  
  This is unlike the Photo Books currently offered through the Price List where the client is required to manually choose the photos, cropping, layout and design for each page in their book themselves. 
  
  Also unlike Photo Books, you do not have to manually choose the book designs and sizes that you want to offer and add them to your price lists.
  
  Lastly the quality of the Photo Albums truly are stunning as each album is hand crafted and is made only of the finest materials such as real leather.
  
  This allows you to sit back and make money selling albums without the stress of selling and making them.
   
• What options come with the parent albums?
  The parent albums are smaller versions of the main album. They feature the same design with a digital replica cover that looks like the main album's cover but is a photo wrap cover instead of leather. 

 

Choosing the Photos

• If I let you select the photos, can I change the selection before it’s designed?
  Absolutely! They will be able to change the photos we selected and add photos we didn’t. We won’t start the album design until they finalize the photos they want.
   
• What if my client already picked favorites?
  Your client will have the option to start an album order using the photos they already selected in their favorites folder.

 

Designing the Album

• Are there different options for design layouts?
  We offer 3 different styles for design. The Modern design features faded background photos, gradients and borders around the photos. The White Classic and Black Classic designs feature spreads without any borders or backgrounds, full bleed photos and clean layouts.
   
• What if my client does not like the design?
  We will work with your client to make sure they love their design. Revisions are only $5 after the first 4 spread revisions but in an extreme case we can included some additional revisions at no charge. Please note that a revision is defined as anytime we have to work on a spread ­so if 3 spreads need revisions, it counts as 3 revisions.
   
• Will my files be color corrected or retouched?
  We are not offering color correction or retouching of the photos at the moment. We may add it in the future.
  
  You can soft proof your image using our printer's ICC profile.
  Click HERE to download the ICC profile.
  Click HERE for instructions for how to install and use the ICC profile.
   
• Can I design my own album?
  This service is designed to help you sell albums and not have to do anything. To order a Photo Album you or your client will need to order through our design service and the album cannot be designed by you.
   
• What is the cost of revisions?​
  A revision is defined as anytime we have to work on a spread. The first four are free, and they are $5 after that. 

 

Pricing & Payments

• How much do the albums cost?
  The albums are given competitive price so that you and your clients are more enticed to order the albums. This includes a Value Cover album option that starts at just $120. The prices of the albums are displayed at the beginning of the design portion of the order when the Make an Album or Album Design Service is clicked. Just go to any gallery that contain more than 40 photos and click one of the above buttons (whichever is displayed).
  
  The order can be safely abandoned at that point if the only goal is to view the prices of the albums.
  
  See this portion of the guide for the steps on how to start an order and view the album prices.
   
• How much money do I make from selling albums through Zen?
  You will receive a 20% commission on every Photo Album order, including the orders you place yourself. You will not get the commission on discounted sample orders.
   
• Can I set my own prices?
  At this time, it is not possible to set your own prices for the Photo Albums. But if you place the order yourself, you can sell the album at your own price as a Self-Fulfilled product.
  
  
• Are customers able to utilize the coupons or gift certificates I create in the Selling section of my account during the checkout process?
  

  No, coupons and gift certificates cannot be utilized for the Album Design Service. They are not applicable to either the initial design order or the final physical album order.

   
• Can I order a sample Photo Album?
  As the photographer, you can order a sample Photo Album. A discount is provided when ordering your first sample. Please see the Photo Albums page for the discount code.
  
  To guard against fraud when ordering Samples, we reserve the right to alter names and/or date cover stamping in addition to printing or stamping the words “Studio Sample” on the inside front cover
   
• Can I order a sample album using my Zen profit?
  You will be able to order an album from your account for yourself but initially you will not be able to use your account credit to purchase it.
   
• When do I get paid? How much?
  You will be credited to your Zenfolio account when the order for the actual album is placed (no commission is paid on the design fee). You will receive 20% commission on every Photo Album order. You can request a payout for those credits at anytime.