A printed photo book makes a keepsake that lasts for years. Creating a great photo book isn’t just about placing images on pages, it’s about curating a collection of photos and the stories that go with them. Whether you choose to create a baby book, travel photo book, or wedding photo book, we’ve put together this guide full of tips on how to make the perfect photo book—one that you can be proud to show off.
Most of us have phone cameras and computers overflowing with photos, but what’s the best way to share them? By making your own photo book, you can transform all those images into stories that are easy to share with others. We’ll discuss the many different types of photo books you can create, from photo books to guest books to wedding albums.
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Types Of Photo Books
There are so many options when it comes to creating your own custom photo book. First, you can choose from a number of different sizes, from 7×9 all the way up to an eye-popping 11×14 and many sizes in between. Once you decide on a size, then choose between a hardcover or softcover book. If you opt for a hardcover book, you have even more options—like adding metallic accents or die cuts.
Want to bring your photo album to the next level? You can choose features like layflat books that are perfect for wedding and travel albums. Or, add memorabilia pockets so you can store special trinkets and keepsakes alongside your favorite photos.
When you’re ready to design it, you can choose to create a guest book, a school yearbook, a coffee table book, a wedding photo book, or create any album you can think of from among hundreds of different styles and themes.
Personalized Photo Books
When it comes to making a photo book, it’s all about personalization. Not just in the pictures you use to fill the pages, but in everything from the theme to the colors you choose and the captions you write. And, since it’s so easy to make your own photo book or guest book, you can make each one as unique as the person you’re creating it for. We’ve gathered up some of the best photo book ideas that are sure to inspire you.
Partner
If you want to honor the love you have for your spouse or significant other, put together a photo book that celebrates all the wonderful memories you’ve shared together. Whether it’s an anniversary, a relationship milestone, or just because, they’ll feel the warmth of your love as they flip through the photo book’s pages. Some great theme ideas for partners include a book of firsts—first date, first vacation, or the first time meeting the parents. Or, if you’re a couple that loves to travel, put together a collection of all your adventures.
Parents
What better way to recognize the love and sacrifices your parents made than to make a quality photo book commemorating your favorite family moments? If you’re looking for a perfect Mother’s Day or Father’s Day personalized gift, a book full of memories of mom and dad is the way to go. Be sure to include some of your mother’s sage advice or your father’s silly jokes among the family photos.
Grandparents
There is no better photo gift for a grandparent than a photo album that celebrates the bond they share with their grandchildren. While posed portraits are lovely and should make it into your book, be sure to also include candid photos that highlight the true personalities of each member of the family. Incorporate shots of the kids and their grandparents doing activities together, like playing at the park, putting together a jigsaw puzzle, or baking cookies—these are the memories they’ll cherish the most.
Children
Whether your children are still in diapers or they’re graduating college, the time is always right to make your own photo book for your kids. If they’re babies, put together an album that includes your pregnancy, their birth, and their first steps. As they grow and ask about where they came from, you’ll have a book ready to show them their story. If your kids are grown or heading off to college, they’ll adore a book full of your favorite recipes and your best parental advice. Whatever theme you choose, be sure to organize your photos in a way that tells a story.
Friends
Friends are some of the most special people in our lives. And the best part about best friends is that you already have a ton of photos of them in your camera roll! That makes it simple to create an album that documents the bond you share. If you and your bestie are foodies, put together a scrapbook style album full of your adventures in cuisine. Don’t forget to include shots of the food! If you’ve been friends since you were young, your buddy will surely cherish an album that chronicles your friendship over the years.
Wedding Party
Your wedding party was there with you on your big day, so why not make a photo book for all your attendants as a thank you gift? Be sure to include photos of the events leading up to the wedding, photos of the bridal party getting ready, and group shots of everyone. Unlike your own wedding photo book and guest book, make them the focus of this photo album so they’ll realize how much you appreciated their attendance on that day. A small square premium book with a hardcover and layflat pages will make for a gorgeous gift that showcases all of your beautiful wedding day photos.
Family Reunion
When your family gets together for a big reunion, commemorate the festivities by creating an album full of fun family photos from the day. Make sure to include a group shot of everyone along with lots of candid photos. Pre-designed idea pages can help inspire your storytelling. After you design it, you can order bulk photo books and send one to everyone that attended the party.
Teams
Are you the coach of a school sports team or an enthusiastic parent of someone who is involved in a team activity? Show your team spirit by putting together a one-of-a-kind photo book that celebrates a season well played. Include headshots of each member of the team, a group shot, and action photos taken during games and while celebrating big wins. Each member of the team will love flipping through the pages and reliving their fondest memories. A softcover, 8×10 book would be perfect for your team photo book type. Look for pre-designed sports-themed page layouts to make your design a home run.
Business
When it comes to personalized books, don’t limit yourself to just photos for friends and family. Creating an album for your business is one way to make your company stand out from the crowd. Whether you’re an artist who needs a professional portfolio, you need creative corporate gifts, or you’re looking for an out-of-the-box, attention-grabbing way to share your company’s information with potential investors, a custom photo book will fit the bill.
Printing Your Photo Book
Choose from a huge variety of layouts, backgrounds, and embellishments to create a photo book you can be proud of. Once you’ve decided on a layout, it’s time to print it. Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to printing your photo book:
- Cover: Your photo book’s cover will make its first impression, and you have lots of options. Will you opt for an easy-to-flip softcover or a durable hardcover book? Or, take your book to the next level with a die-cut cloth, leather, or linen cover.
- Binding: Consider how you’ll want your pages to lay when the book is opened. You may decide to upgrade to one of the layflat options, where the pages lay flat when your book is open, allowing for a seamless view across the spread. This is a popular option for travel books, portfolios, and wedding photo books.
- Length: The length of your book will depend on how many photos you decide to use. Personalized books include 20 pages as a default, but you can always add more if needed.
- Size: There is a wide variety of book sizes to choose from when creating your book. What you choose will depend on where it will be stored, how many photos you have to put in it, and personal preference.
- Pages: You will have the option to choose between glossy or matte printing on the pages of your book.
- Copies: How many copies will you want to print? If you will need more than ten, check out bulk photo books to get reduced pricing on multiple copies.
Photo books are a wonderful way to keep all your best memories within reach. With this guide and all the theme ideas in mind, now you’re ready to create your own photo book to keep for yourself or give as a gift.
Related Resources
For even more inspiration on how to make the best photo books, make sure to visit our related resources below:
