While our favorite snaps often live on our screens or make it straight to social media, putting memories in print on the pages of a personalized photo book feels so much more special. But when it comes to creating a space to relive our most treasured days, curation is key. Press pause on scrolling through your endless camera roll and take in our top tips on forming a photo book where every page tells a story.
1. Choose a photo book theme
Every good photo book starts with a theme. The best pages take you on a journey from cover to cover – with a beginning, middle and end. Celebrate life’s milestones with a wedding or new baby book, or create a tribute to a little one’s first birthday or an unforgettable vacation with friends. Bachelorette party memories, post-graduation adventures, funny WhatsApp chat photos from the last year – the possibilities are endless.
2. Pick a cover design
Now you’ve chosen a theme, it’s time to pick a cover. From pastel shades to heart prints, landscape size to our mini bestseller, we’ve got them all. Matching the cover style to the pages that lie within helps set the tone from the off. Our minimalist designs are perfect for modern fairy tales – like your best friend’s wedding – whilst our patterned covers are just the thing for kids’ birthday presents or capturing fun family moments.
3. Select and add photos
When it comes to adding your photos, there are a few faux pas that are easy to make. Luckily for you, they’re just as easy to avoid. Follow these handy hints for picture-perfect results.
Use high-quality photos
Always opt for high-resolution photos to avoid pixelated, blurry shots. Not sure if they’ll make the cut? No worries – our online editor will warn you if images are too low-resolution. Avoid using particularly dark photos, too, as they won’t print well. You can use your phone’s photo software or editing apps to lighten each frame if they’re the ones you love the most.
Think about your story
Your photo book should feel like a tale from start to end, so consider the order of your snaps and save your winning shot till last. Chronological order will help create a narrative, but it’s sometimes more aesthetically pleasing to arrange photos in terms of style. Using our editor, it’s easy to drag and drop pages, so you can play about with page order until you’re 100% happy.
Get friends and family involved
Whether you’re creating books for your wedding party or a funny album for your friend’s 30th, don’t be shy to ask your nearest and dearest if they have any shots you can add. Because the more photos you have to choose from, the better your book will be. Plus, it’s a nicer surprise for your lucky recipient when they spot shots they didn’t even know existed inside their book.
4. Customize your layout
We’ve got lots of layouts for you to choose from, so take a look to see what will work best for your photo book…
Less is more
Your hand-picked images deserve to be showcased to their best, so be sure not to cram them too close together. Collate a few photographs that complement one another onto each page – why not try combining photos with similar color schemes? – and then let your standout shots shine with a full page to themselves.
Find that balance
Strike a balance when positioning your photographs. For example, don’t use all your landscape shots in one section and close-ups in the next. Find a rhythm by using different layout types as you go. And if you have two similar photos (like one of you and one of Mom at the Statue of Liberty), then place them on opposite pages so they feel like part of something bigger.
White space is good
Why not consider leaving blank pages here and there? They’re good for handwriting messages or sticking down souvenirs like train tickets, instant photos and business cards. You also have the option to leave white space around your photos, so you can scribble anecdotes, street names, or the title of the song playing at the time the photo was taken.
5. Add captions to your photo book
But don’t go overboard. Remember, a picture tells a thousand words, so stick to simple details, like where you were and when, or who’s in the photo. These kinds of captions will help your photo book become an everlasting place to revisit for generations to come – much like our beloved childhood photo albums.
Ready to tell your story? Create your own personalized photo album or a keep-forever gift for someone special in our collection of photo books.
Pages for your favorite photo moments
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