To someone who’s been taking photos the past 12 years, a coffee table photo book showing the best photos is but a dream come true. Well at least for me. In any case, a personal photo book of my kids is as wonderful as the real thing.
If like me, your hard drive (perhaps shoebox) is holding your photos (that’s digital and printed) for the longest time now, a photo book is a great way to have them out of the…box. A photo book, closely looked at isn’t just a book of photos, it’s a collection of the special moments and milestones of your life (and your kids) that you treasure. Later on, it will be a nostalgic remembrance of days past, also a funny walk down memory lane. Photo books are also great gifts to families and friends.
To make a photo book is like compiling a photo album but digitally, the photos get printed directly on paper and you don’t have to worry about the acidic content that photo albums are dreaded for. There are online stores that offer such services and your nearest photo printing shop might do it for you too. However, doing a layout online and by yourself will give your photo book a personal touch. You can include anecdotes, text and quotes to make the photos much memorable. So I tried making one with select photos and a few quotes via printluna.com. It’s an easy-to-navigate website that offers templates for users to choose from. You upload photos and layout them the way you want. They also have options to sell your books!
Consider the following when you set to have yours printed.
Purpose of printing the photo book
If you are a photographer, consider a professional layout that would pass as a coffee table book with the goal of being sold. If you are planning to give them out as gifts, consider the photos that would be included, those that are significant to the person who will receive it. If you are printing it for personal reasons, to compile for future viewing, a neat layout with notes of when and where the photos were taken, a little anecdote perhaps would suffice.
Size of photo book
Different websites offer different format and sizes. Choose what is appropriate for the purpose of your photobook. For personal bound copy of photos to brag, a 2×3, 3.75×2.5, 4×4 and 5×5 small book is recommended. This will appear as a flipbook which is now getting to be a popular wedding souvenir.
If you prefer a rectangular shaped book, the small rectangular 8 x 6 is perfect. This will only include photos sans text. If you want to include text to make a story book along with the photos, the 8×8 will be your option and this is the size that most photo book printers offer.
For a full use of page, get the 8.5×11 classic photo book size. This is the one used by professionals as it gives them the full option of layouting photos in different styles.
There are bigger sizes to choose from but I doubt if those would be practical to carry around or give as gifts.
Types of photo books
Would you like your photo book to be hard bound or soft bound? Would you like to have the pages glossy or matte? These are all taken in consideration as well as the cover that is to be used. Take time to think of your preferences.
Again, photo books will serve somehow as a vault of your fondest, funniest, most treasured memories. It’s time to start making one.
There have been numerous discounted deals on photo books these days. I was actually tempted to buy one online for my travel photos. But I feel like my photos aren’t enough yet.. I might have to travel some more to make the photobook printing worth it. =)
Well, this is one interesting stuff, I will try this out this weekend 🙂 Thanks G
Wow, a photo book looks like a splendid idea to preserve those precious moments. I remember losing all my online albums on this one website where I uploaded my pics to. A photo book seems like the wiser alternative.
So nice! Ive been meaning to make another photobook for Una’s photos. Nag-crash na ang hard disk and all ng hindi ko na nagawa. Buti na lang I already ordered for her 1st birthday’s photobook before I lost all of her photos. Christening na lang and her growth milestones.
ako gagawa pa lang..good thing may napanalunan ako na dgiscrap software..hindi ko pa alam pano gamitin..hehehe..
i am fond of picture editing, making sideshows but i never try this online photo booking. i want to explore this one.
When we were kids we used to have our photos printed all the time. BUt, come the digital photo era, we only save everything in multiple hard drives. Tamad na magprint hehe.
I ordered photo book online from AC but got very disappointed. Thanks for the tips. Maybe I can make perfect layout this time.
Wow! I’d like to try this too. Got a lot of photos pero puro soft copy lang. nakakamiss din ung mga old fashion na photo album. hehe. thanks for sharing!