The Agile Images Asuka Photo Book

Last summer I shot a wedding and the bride wanted a non-traditional photo album. I had always wanted the opportunity to produce a coffee table album for someone, and she gave me the chance. I built the book with Asuka Book, a custom coffee table book manufacturer. The book turned out amazing and the bride and groomed were thrilled. You can actually see some of the pages in my wedding portfolio.


Each set of pages is made up of wide double truck images that look like panoramic photos on a computer monitor, but when printed, they make up the left and right pages of a book. With Asuka Books, there are no templates, no drag and drop web interfaces, nor any styles to copy. The designs are all my own and 100% original. It is a very rewarding process that takes many hours to complete.

In order to promote my business, I am creating a printed version of my portfolio. I am using Asuka Book again and designing from scratch. I wanted to post my progress here so you could see some of the book as its being produced. It isn't finished, and won't be for a while, but its coming along. When you're looking at the pages, they are laid out as if you had the book open on the table. The cover is opposite, as if you were laying the book spread out face down.

If you want an a custom coffee table book, I can build one for you. Whether its for a wedding or a baby's first year, or any other occasion, these make fantastic keepsakes. When I delivered the wedding book to the bride's mother last summer, she had to be careful not to get tears on the pages. That was the best compliment I've ever been paid about my work!

Books come in sizes from 5x5", 20 page, Soft Cover, up to 11x12.5", 100 page, Leather Bound editions. The pages are very thick, high quality print, with either a glossy or satin finish. Prices start at $250 and go up to $1500.

Ok on to my portfolio book . . its a work in progress, and I'm adding pages daily. I hope to get it to about 60 pages before printing. Use a little imagination and picture the gutter of a book right through the center of this long image. You can click on each image to see the full sized version and all of the detail in each page.

Front and back covers (front is on the right)

A couple of the content pages
If you are interested in following my progress with the book, you can view updates and all of the pages by clicking here.

Consider Canvas for Your Next Print

If you haven't thought about how to print your favorite piece from your session, let me give you a suggestion: Canvas Gallery Wraps. Canvas wraps are prints of your favorite image printed on thick museum quality art canvas, stretched over a 2 inch wood frame. It is a borderless, frameless presentation that has typically been reserved for only the most expensive galleries. Now that digital technology is so much improved, the high end labs have gallery wraps down to a science. They are the most elegant way to present your favorite photos, and my clients just love them. Prices start at about $100, and they come in any size or shape you can think of up to 30x40". You can see a full price list here.

Textures: Concrete, Paint, Glass Dress Up Portraits

One of the most popular things going in Fine Art Prints right now is the use of textures. A texture is an effect applied to a photograph to make it look aged, weathered, or distressed. Its like acid wash for your jeans, but its for photography. There is not a set program that does this, nor is there a certain method, its really up to the photographer to decide what looks good for each given shot. I've been experimenting with textures on some of my favorite shots from my Fall Family Lifestyle Sessions. Here are a couple of the results. The effect is subtle, but I like the aged look it gives the photo, especially when compared to the original, unprocessed versions. Click on the photo to see a larger version and the detail.