Okay, so I'm going to be honest. I've been a wedding photographer for years, and album sales are something I've never really figured out. I've offered albums to clients, but I've never had a real strategy for selling them or making them a consistent part of my business.
Recently, I started hosting the SmartAlbums podcast, which has introduced me to a whole new side of the photography industry. I've been talking to photographers, album companies, and people who have built seriously profitable businesses around selling albums. And let me tell you, I've learned A LOT.
So naturally, I wanted to bring some of that knowledge over to Summer School.
Why Aren't More Photographers Selling Albums?
I think a lot of us, myself included, make album sales more complicated than they need to be. We either include an album in our packages, offer one as an add-on, or just hope clients will reach out if they want one.
But after chatting with Kyle Wilson from QT Albums, I realized there's a much more intentional way to approach it.
One strategy we talked about is including a base album with a set number of spreads and then giving clients the opportunity to upgrade once they see their design. Rather than asking someone to purchase an album from scratch, you're showing them something they've already started falling in love with.
And honestly? That makes so much sense.
Your Past Clients Are Sitting on Potential Revenue
This was probably one of my biggest takeaways.
Just because someone didn't purchase an album when they got married doesn't mean they won't want one now. Maybe it's been five years, they've had kids, moved into a new home, or simply have more disposable income.
We spend so much time trying to book new clients when we could also be reaching out to the people we've already worked with.
And the best part? These are people who already know and trust us.
Making Album Sales Easier
One thing I've realized is that selling albums doesn't have to mean adding a ton of work to your plate.
Between programs like SmartAlbums and Pic-Time, there are ways to streamline designing, proofing, and selling albums without spending hours going back and forth with clients.
You can also offer additional spreads, parent albums, and other upgrades that give clients more options while increasing your revenue.
Kyle even talked about photographers generating an additional $60,000–$80,000 through album sales, which is pretty wild to think about.
My Takeaway
I'm definitely not claiming to be an album sales expert. I'm quite literally learning about this as I go, but I think that's part of what makes this conversation interesting.
As photographers, we're always looking for ways to make our businesses more profitable without constantly booking more weddings, traveling more, or working more weekends.
And maybe album sales are one of those opportunities we've been overlooking.
Plus, at the end of the day, I love the idea of our photographs existing somewhere other than a digital gallery. There's something special about having a physical album that can be passed down for generations.
Try Smart Albums and use code "summergrace" for 15% off: www.smartalbums.com
Connect with Me:
Become a Member of Summer School
Subscribe here to our emails for updates on all things Summer School!
Instagram: @summergrace.photo @the_summerschool
Try Richards FilmLab at a discount: richardphotolab.com
Shop My Products:
Summer Grace x G-Presets (discount code: SUMMERSCHOOL)
Pricing Guide
*Summer School is powered by Narrative — the AI culling and editing tool I use that supports my workflow without replacing my creativity. Try Narrative for free today using the link above!
Try Pic-Time for free using this link: summergracephoto.pic-time.com/referral
