File preparation

What sizes do you offer?: Try to forget the system used by conventional album companies. Our product is based on miniaturizing full-size album designs. We reduce their size to what can be printed on standard 4x6 or 4x7 inch prints. We print two-page spreads, plus process and trimming margins. So, a square album becomes about 2.75-inch square when we use 4x6 prints (3.25-inch if we use 4x7's). Albums with other proportions will have dimensions resulting from how they fit onto 4x6 prints (or 4x7's). See the Sizes page for more information. We do have a few templates available for those designing expressly for Mini Albums.
I want to design an album just for a Mini. How should I do it?: Just download our templates. There are two for the smaller "46" size: one square, one at the maximum dimensions possible (trim we must). There is one template for the larger "47" size - square - which is about as large as a 47 can be. But you can actually choose any proportions you like that fit within the pixel dimensions provided on the file preparation page.
What's a "page"?: If we ran the PPA, the first thing we'd do is bludgeon album companies into adopting the contemporary and ordinary definition of the word "page", rather than the anachronistic and confusing definition they use. Gosh, ever find yourself referring to page 28 of a 16-page album? We use the definition everyone else uses - one side of a leaf, half a spread, same as for books and magazines.
What cover materials and colors do you offer?: There are no covers! Your Page 1 becomes the front cover, and your last page becomes the back cover. They have the same thickness as the other pages. These must be placed on the right and left sides of your files, respectively. If you are clever, you can simulate a cover by adding two pages front and back. The new Page 1 could be a photograph of a leather cover with simulated embossed lettering. The new Page 2 could be a photograph of moire or fancy end paper. The new last page - well, you get the idea. Perhaps we'll offer this as a service in the future.
What are the albums made of?: The albums are made up of standard prints, a bit of binding tape for the spine, and adhesive. That's it. Some careful folding, back-to-back bonding and trimming turns the prints into an album with two-sided pages. We have some ideas for making them a little more formal and substantial, but at the moment we think simple is better.
What are the page limits?: If it can be produced as a full-size album, we can propably produce it as a Mini Album. We've made them as large as 66 pages (sides), but they begin to look a little odd at around 50 pages. Breaking a large album into two volumes is sometimes best. The charges will include any extra pages required to form the second set of covers, but the album "cover" charge is reduced by half.
What is your turn-around time?: The short answer is 7 to 12 business days in our shop, plus shippng time. Normally, we order the prints within two days after receiving your files. We receive these prints by mail within 3 to 6 days. We make the albums within two days after getting the prints, and send them to you within a day by First Class or US Priority Mail. We are a small outfit, however, so when we take our vacation, nothing happens.
Do you have a studio sample program?: Since one of our prime product applications is studio samples, we can't offer a studio sample discount. Give one a try - if you don't like it, we'll give you a refund.
What is your warranty policy?: 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back, with two exceptions: we cannot guarantee trim position (keep your graphic elements well away from the edges) and we cannot guarantee resistance to wear and tear (these albums will lead a tough life, rattling around in pockets and pocketbooks, in all kinds of weather).
Can I FTP my files to your server?: No, but there are several good alternatives. 1) A customer gave us the idea that most photographers have a server themselves: just upload your files and give us the URL. They will not show in anyone's browser. If you put "marybrad.zip" in your web-public folder, the URL will be joesphotography.com/maryBrad.zip. 2) Use YouSendIt.com or a similar online service. You can sign up for a free account and it's very easy - you just need our email address: info@minialbums.com. Either way, please combine our folders of files into one file (a zip file). On most computers, you right click on the folder and look for "zip" or "archive". The total size should end up being about 5MB per album.
The pages seem to stick together - what's with that?: A very small amount of stray glue is responsible. Normal handling will take care of this in short order. Lightly rubbing the pages will accelerate the process.
The pages seem to spring open - normal?: The hinges start off rather stiff, but loosen up as an album is handled. Keeping it in the fleece bag helps.
Where will the album be trimmed? I mean, where is the safe zone within my 700x1400 pixel image, exactly?: We aim to trim them at the same relative position as do the full-size album companies. But where is that? Supposedly 3/16 inch, but we've seen a lot of variation ourselves. And their 3/16s corresponds to less than 1/16 in a Mini Album - trimming is our most troublesome manufacturing operation. Provide lots of room. Your graphic elements will look bad when too close to the edge, even if they don't get trimmed off. Don't "frame the page" with a slightly inset line from the safe zone, or anything else that will magnify trimming variations.
Do you spray the prints?: We do not, and have not heard of a problem of pages sticking together. All the same, don't store Mini Albums in hot humid locations with the pages pressed together.
Who are you?: We're wedding photographers who discovered how powerful small albums can be, stumbled onto a unique process for making them, set up operations according to a photographer's point of view, and are determined to make it a successful venture. A prior career in engineering and management at General Electric is proving helpful.

Frequently Asked Questions