For most people, a hobby is what you do in your spare time. Shira Berkowitz took it a step further, turning a favorite pastime into a business venture with her recent debut of Custom Album Design by Shira.

Berkowitz designs one-of-a-kind albums for weddings, bar or bat mitzvahs, engagement parties and more. The luxury albums are created with premium flush mount pages and a custom cover available with a choice of materials including metal, crystal, acrylic and genuine leather. Each made-to-order album contains 25 spreads that capture the highlights of your special event.

The inspiration for her business came after her own daughter got married and it was time to design a wedding album. “I decided to design the album myself,” she said, and from there her business was born. Berkowitz said she has always been a creative person and especially enjoys producing something people will cherish forever.

Berkowitz spends significant time getting to know her clients before designing their masterpiece. “Each album is highly customized,” she said, and therefore requires more than just a set of photographs to make it special. The result is an album that is not only beautiful but also captures the uniqueness of your occasion.

To ensure the highest resolution, Berkowitz works exclusively with professional photographs. For some, the thought of sorting through hundreds or even thousands of pictures can be daunting. As part of the package, she will do the sorting and compile the photos she thinks will look best. The customer has the final say, of course, and swapping pictures before the album goes to print is always an option.

Berkowitz says her albums are a showpiece that have earned coffee table status. “I’m not a Shutterfly alternative,” she said candidly, and added that while Shutterfly is a great service, her albums are specialty items made from the finest materials, with an artistic attention to detail.

Most of the albums fall into one of two categories: the classic design or the artistic design. To get started, Berkowitz recommends clients look at her website, where they can get a feel for which style they prefer. The classic design offers a clean, crisp look, which is timeless and understated. Those who prefer a simple, yet opulent finish would choose this option. The artistic design includes blended, layered and overlapping images, which speaks to those who prefer a bit more ingenuity. In either case, you walk away with a lifelong keepsake that is both sentimental and beautiful.

For Berkowitz, the highest compliment she could receive is the referral of friends and family. Word of mouth has helped her grow her business locally and even in Israel, and the feedback has been outstanding. One satisfied client wrote, “I just wanted to let you know that every time I walk by the album on the coffee table it makes me smile. I seriously cannot thank you enough.”

Clients can expect to see a proof of their album within a month of processing the order. Once printed, the album is sent with free delivery within the United States with a complimentary matching presentation box for sizes 10×10 and smaller.

For more information, please call Shira Berkowitz at 845-367-1091 or visit www.customalbumdesignbyshira.com  or Instagram @customalbumdesign.

By Andrea Nissel