... $5 a page :bigeyes:... is it any wonder graphic design students and freelance designers price themselves too cheaply here...
A graphic trained designer or photographer would have little issue in setting it up and get it done in a few hours or a couple of days depending on the complexities. Thats why some photographers are not keen to do or sell coffee table books, its just too time-consuming. But its a nicer way to present the images, and up-sell to the same customer, a great value-add to a package. Some photographers are getting more deals because of the quality in the deliverables in coffee table books. Outsource the design and layout at a low cost, or most photogs would just do it themselves.
The next question is, at what costs? Production cost is fixed, your time cost is based on productivity. If getting a book done in a couple of hours is very productive and profitable, getting the same book done in a couple of days is extra time cost without extra money. Its good money for layout only, a full page or double spread image is just drag and drop. You would need lots of templates, motifs, etc,. The question is: Can you do it in 2 hrs or 4 hrs? Do you need 2 days or 4 days?
you can take a peek at the album here :
Link
Its still the first draft though..waiting for client's critiques...if she likes, then I give the pdf versions, get those lovely singapore dollars and I am one more step closer to buying the D90
You are a sub-contractor; do you have the permission to post online? Your client and his/her clients do not need this publicity from you, it had to be discreet as a designer.
Your design are double spread, seemed more for flushed mount album. 56 pages would be too thick. If its coffee table book, you may want to take note of your bleed and trim, images on center spread would be split into 2 sheets of papers. 12 X 12?
Is your pictures/screen calibrated to their output printer?
This maybe a problem if it doesn't match and you may not like the output.
The cost is there... printer calibration ;p
No image editing, colours are not designer's responsibility. But designer would have an obligation to advise the photog if the colours are off.
Printer calibration is print vendors' responsibility. You do not need to worry too much about output printer if your colours are consistent. You're working in RGB, just have to take note that you would be eventually printing with CMYK.