IS THAT YOU?
You always wanted to create family photo books but then life just happens. Or you are simply feeling overwhelmed and don't know where to start?
You have
Do you feel like you need to get your photos organized first?
Head over to 'Digital Photos' to work on your mess.
You are ready to get started with creating your photo book. Read below to find some inspiration and tips.
You are not sure which of all the photo book companies would suit your photo book project best? Read here.
You want to have a photo book for your children. But your photos are a mess or you have no time or feel overwhelmed. Let me help you.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
Displayed family photos, like in a photo book, give our children a sense of belonging. They get the message 'that is our family and we are all important to one another'.
1. Have a plan
"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." B. Franklin
Making a photo book can be an overwhelming process. By being well-prepared and having a clear vision, the book-creation process will be much less daunting and faster. Here are some tips:
A. Plan your book. Who will be the audience? What is the story about? If the book will be for your family and your children are still small, consider either wipeable pages or a cheaper softcover version. What is your budget? Most photo book companies run specials regularly. What is your timeframe? If the book is a gift, consider printing and shipping time, especially when the photobook gets printed overseas, as most do.
B. Choose the photo book company. There can be huge differences in levels of quality and intuitiveness (ease of use) of the software. Some other topics to consider are the page count, and do the photos stay in order upon uploading? That is important if you are working on a bigger photo book, like a yearly family photo book. Can you re-order the book further down the track? Most companies delete a photo book project after a few months when you created it online. Check out 'Online / Offline' here where you learn about the differences and advantages.
C. Envision the look. Big, small, square - does it need to fit into a certain bookshelf space? What about the cover? Soft, hard, fabric or wrapped in a photo? What style and amount of photos are best for your audience? Some people want their photo books all to look the same and line up nicely on a bookshelf.
Do you prefer a lot of photos vs a few photos, a plain vs a busy background? Will there be text? Just captions or an accompanying story? What can you prepare in advance?
D. Structure the layout. There are more things to become clear about even before you start a photo book software. What will be the book's title? Shall the title show on the spine? Not all photo book companies offer that option. Is there a need for a title page or introduction page, a dedication page, or a content page? These are easily up to three or four more pages to add to your page count but can be a very nice and welcoming way of starting a photo book.
E. Prepare the photos. Select all your photos for your book project and put a quality copy of these in a dedicated folder on your computer. Are there drawings or printed photos that need digitizing? Do so, put them in this folder, and then rename all photos, if possible. Why? Some photo book software will sort by name and if you are working on a bigger book, it can be frustrating to find the photos.
F. Consider the text. Even before you start designing your photo book online, you can write down the text for the additional pages, like the title or dedication page, or stories you want to include in your book. Write these in an online document and copy-paste them into your book later on.
Head over to the Blog Post "You don't know where to start?" and get some inspiration.
2. Start small
"And it doesn't have to be perfect. Just start and keep it simple."
If you are contemplating creating a photo book for the first time and feel overwhelmed rather than joyful and excited, then start with a small project. Maybe a book about a trip or a weekend away.
A. Test the photo book companies out there. Most companies offer online creation tools. Why not sign up and get started on a project? Upload a handful of photos and get a feel for it. Is it intuitive? Do you like the flow and offer of layout options?
B. Choose a small project. If you are contemplating creating a photo book for the first time and feel overwhelmed rather than joyful and excited, then start with a small project. Maybe a book about a trip or a weekend away.
A small photo book project was our 'spring lambs' which we got to raise by bottle for a couple of months.
3. Design tips
"Less is more."
There are no rules, just preferences. If you like it bold, then choose colourful backgrounds or arrange your photos randomly. However, if you prefer viewing the book shall be a calm experience where you are guided by the stories the photos tell then choose fewer photos and clean backgrounds. By clean I mean plain, not distracting.
A. Choose only your best photos. That is hard as you may love so many photos. But not all need to go into the book in order to tell the story or help the viewer to remember things.
B. Have a small set of fonts. And stick with them. Choose two to three different fonts and use them consistently throughout your book. Have one font for captions, one for text and one for headings. They should be easy to read and classic. That's it. Stay within 10 - 12 pt in font size for captions and text, otherwise, it looks unprofessional. Extra tip: look for font pairing examples on Pinterest.
C. Keep the layout balanced. Opposite pages (both sides of the spread) should complement each other. For example, have a close-up photo on the left side, and a wider photo, which shows the scene and people in it. Use fewer photos and give your photos some breathing space, the so-called 'white space'. It's easier on the eyes and doesn't exhaust your mind.
D. The hero photo. Place your favorite photo on a page of its own. And put photos that support the hero photo on the other side.
Here we chose two of our favourite photos to have a place to shine.
The white space around the left photo provides some breathing space.
4. Photobook preferences
"There is no one answer to the question 'What company is the best?'."
Choosing a photo book company you want to trust to spend hours with creating your precious photo book can be daunting and overwhelming. There are several features to decide upon first which then makes it easier to choose. On this site 'photo book companies' I go into detail about some aspects you want to consider, like the intuitiveness of the software (ease of use), customer care, ability to share online, and the option to reprint.
It is best for you to make a list with your personal preferences and then check out the various photo book companies.
A. Online / offline software. Most companies offer for you to download their software onto your computer and design your book 'offline'. There are two big advantages to it: You have usually more options and templates for creating your photo book. Also, and that is the main reason why I create my books offline, if possible, is that your photo book project is saved on your computer. That way you could reprint the book any time in the future. Most photo book projects done online will only be stored for 6 months or max. 1 year and then deleted off the company's server.
The disadvantage is that the software can take up a lot of space on your device.
B. Big choice of templates. Check out whether the photo book company offers a range of templates and fonts as well as embellishments if you wish to use them. Also, explore their range of sizes and paper options.
C. Prices and discounts. Nearly all photo book companies offer regular discounts. It can be worth making a photo book and keep in the online basket until a sale is on.
D. Quality. Will it be a coffee table book or will children be able to go through the photo book? If the book is thought to be an heirloom book, choose a company that offers quality paper, material, cover and colour. If the book is just for the family to enjoy and be used often, you can print a softcover or hardcover versions from cheaper services.