YOUR

QUESTIONS

ALBUM DETAILS & DESIGN

What is a Page / Spread / Side?

We use the term ‘Page’, by which we mean a double-page spread or two ‘sides’.  All of our albums come with the first 10 spreads/pages included, so that’s 10 double-page spreads as you look at the book. When increasing the size of your album you can purchase additional pages. For every extra page/spread you order, you can design one extra double-page spread in your software.

Is the first page single or a spread?
All of our albums begin and end with a full double-page spread. When you open the cover you will see blank ivory card on the left and right hand side, and then when you turn the next page it reveals a full double-page spread of images.
How are images handled over the middle of a spread?
We print panoramically, which means the image will be creased in the middle of the spread where the pages bend. This is the best approach for ensuring any images which span the middle of the spread are seamless and unbroken.
How should I design my album?

You have two options here… we can design the album for you for a small fee, or you can use a design tool like Smart Albums or Fundy Album Designer.  You can find Henley Albums as an option in each when setting up your design project, which will ensure your files are exported perfectly. If you would rather we design your album for you, then read more about that service here. We charge a flat fee for the design work no matter how many pages, or changes you or your client want to make.  The design service is charged up front, and then once the design is signed off you order and pay for the album separately.

How much of the image will be lost in trimming?

When we stack the final album pages together before covering, they are run through a heavy duty trimmer to give a perfectly straight edge.  Typically about 2-3mm is all that will be lost in this process, so avoid placing anything critical in that part of the page when designing. If you are using Smart Albums or Fundy Designer to make your layouts, they will show a safety zone of twice this amount (6mm) to be on the safe side. Again, the norm is that only 2-3mm will be lost, but we will always recommend keeping important parts of the picture outside of this 6mm safety zone to be doubly sure nothing essential is trimmed off.

COLOUR & PRINTING

Should I calibrate my monitor?
We colour calibrate our printers, so you should too to achieve printing that looks as close to what you’re seeing on your screen as possible. The biggest issue photographers run into when printing however, is receiving darker than expected prints. This is usually as a result of editing your images on a screen set to a high brightness level. A printed image is not illuminated like a monitor, so you need to account for that.  Some photographers create a Lightroom Preset or Photoshop action to give a little brightness boost to images used in the album, to ensure they print beautifully. We offer a complimentary test printing service when you start with us, so you can check how your images will look and adjust if necessary.
Can you do test printing?
When you start out with us you’re welcome to do a round of test printing free of charge.  Send us up to 5 images and we’ll send back 9″x6″ prints. We recommend you choose images with a variety of colours and from different lighting conditions. If you feel your prints are too dark or not the right colour then you can tweak your files and we’ll perform a second round of test printing to see if that improves things. Some photographers create a Lightroom preset or Photoshop action for images they’re sending off for print, to brighten them a little. Once you’re happy with your test printing we will keep the final files used on your account, and whenever you submit a new album order we will take a quick look at them next to your submitted album images.  If we notice an obvious difference in brightness levels we will drop you a line to let you know.
What resolution / colour space?
If you’re sending your images to us for us to design your album, then please send the at 300dpi resolution the minimum size in inches should be whatever the longest edge of the album you have selected is.  e.g. If you have chosen a 14″x10″ album then please send files at least 14″ in size. We only accept JPEGs, and your images should be saved with the SRGB colour space.
What papers do you use?
For our Lustre albums we use Fuji DP2 Professional paper. For our Fine Art albums we use Epson Fine Art Cotton paper.
Do you colour correct my images?
We will not do any colour correction to your images.

We recommend you calibrate your monitors and perform some test  printing with us. and then you will have a confidence in the colours and brightness levels of your album printing.

ORDERING & SUPPORT

How shall I name my files?
If you’re uploading finished design files, then they should be named with a sequential number in them, so we know how to assemble your album. For example: clientname_001 clientname_002 clientname_003 In this example,
Will you check my files before printing?
If you are sending us fully designed spreads, (as opposed to us designing your album for you), we will assume your design is correct.

We will sanity check for obvious things such as spread dimensions, blank spaces in spreads, obvious alignment issues and duplicated spreads, but outside of this we will assume what you have sent us is how you want your album to be printed.

How do I make payment?
You will add your album to your shopping basket on our website, and payment is made at the checkout stage.

As soon as we have received your order we will error-check and usually begin production within 24 hours. If you spot any issues with your order, it is imperative to let us know as soon as possible. If printing hasn’t started we will be able to make changes without a charge, but once the book has started being printed and assembled there will be a charge to make changes.

What's the process to get sample albums?

You can order sample albums at any time via our website. Configure your album in the usual way, but tick the Sample Album box on the product page. This will apply a 25% discount to the album.  There is no limit on how many sample albums you can order each year. All sample albums will be marked on the inside cover at the back of the album with “STUDIO SAMPLE”.

Who should I speak to for help with my orders?

Initially, all live order queries should be sent to info@henleyalbums.com or you can call us on 01494 854066.

If necessary, we will pass you onto your account manager to better answer your questions.

Is VAT charged on albums?
Fortunately, there is no VAT applied to our flushmount albums, as they are deemed ‘finished books’ which are zero-rated for VAT.  So the price you see on our site is the total you’ll pay.

PACKAGING & SHIPPING

Can you ship direct to my client?
Yes, absolutely. Once you’re happy with the process and feel like you don’t need or want to see an album before your client gets it, we can just ship it directly to them, saving you time and money. This service is totally free, unless your client lives outside of your usual shipping country.  In this situation we will just charge the difference between the two. To organise this, just add the details as you checkout, or by emailing us within 7 days of placing your order.
Is shipping free?
Yes!  We will ship your album completely free of charge to your account address. We will only charge a supplement on shipping if you want to take up our ‘free shipping to client’ service, and if your client’s address is overseas.
When will my order be ready?
We aim for 2 weeks turnaround from placing your order to it leaving our office.
How will my album be packaged?
Every full-size album will be shipped with three layers of protection… 1.)  Firstly, a lovely clam-shell presentation box finished in black faux leather 2.)  Secondly, a white inner card box 3.)  Thirdly an outer brown card box
Can you ship on a Saturday?
Our couriers delivery Monday to Friday, but if you have an urgent need for an album by a certain time of morning, or on a Saturday, drop us a line and we can hopefully arrange this for you. There will be a supplementary cost depending on your requirements.