My clients would not dream of paying me $4000 for an empty photo album. Nor would they pay that for a book with somebody else’s photographs in it. They wouldn’t pay me that much even if I supplied them the files to print the images themselves. My clients would pay me $5000 for a book that told a story about themselves that was beautiful, personal, and emotional. The tooth fairy only pays up on the real thing. What is a sample album? Sample albums have several jobs. The main one is to set up an expectation. An expectation of quality, style, and professionalism. Our sample album(s) are what allows our clients to ‘imagine’ their own album, and commit to it. A sample album is what allows them to imagine us as their photographer and story teller. Beyond that it creates an aspiration to possess their own (through us). So what should a sample album be? It should represent your ability to perform. It should keep their expectations achievable. Let your award images and their accolades prove your amazingness. It should be the size that you want to sell. Our samples are real weddings. They are not a collection of best images. If you have a new direction in your photography your albums should reflect that. People tend to expect what they have seen. Update your albums just as you would change your wardrobe to stay up with the fashion. As for the tooth fairy ... remember inflation changes the value of each visit. Warm Summer wishes Johannes