Photo books are a great way to print all of your pages and layouts into one collection, but it can sometimes seem like a daunting task! In this tutorial we’ll take you through the steps of choosing a theme, deciding on which styles to use, and making sure it turns out exactly as you want it to!
Step 1: Choosing the Size
Most photo books come with 20 pages, though some printers let you add more pages or don’t have a set limit. You can often order them the standard 12×12 size or also often available are 8×11 books. You’ll want to think also about binding – do you want a soft cover book or a hard cover book? Will it be spiral bound or traditional book style? If you’re not sure, just check with your printer what options they have available. In most cases they make it very easy to see the different options available to choose just the right type.
Step 2: Choose a Theme
Once you know what type of book you are planning, the next step is to choose what type of theme your book will have. For example, your book might have photos from a family vacation, be a review of the year, or showcase a special person. Knowing what type of theme you want will help you with the next step of selecting photos and designing your layouts.
Step 3: Choosing Page Layouts
The layouts of your pages will help keep the “flow” of your photo book running smoothly. While the pages don’t have to match, it will give it a more uniform look if you take into consideration which pages will be facing one another – this way you can coordinate color schemes or design elements with each other. Many printers come with pre-designed layouts, or for more control and flexibility, our All Boxed Up Photoshop Templates for multiple photos make for a great starting base for choosing where to place photos.
Step 4: Designing Your Pages
Now for the fun part! This is when you can add embellishments, journaling, texture and other design elements to give your pages some personality. If you prefer a more minimalist style, you may want to make a page in the beginning that at least introduces the photo book and explains things like dates, names, and places. This will help refresh your memory years later when you may not remember all the details.
Step 5: Uploading & Proofing
If using software on your computer to design your photo book, you’ll want to make sure you save each page as a flattened jpg file at 300 ppi. (See our article on digital scrapbooking resolution for more details) and then carefully proof your pages to check for spelling errors, typos, or anything else that you may want to change before ordering. Most online printers and even local shops will provide you with a PDF proof that you can review completely before ordering the final product. For more tips on this, see our article on printing digital scrapbooking pages.
Designing a photobook from scratch might seem a little overwhelming at first, but if you follow these 5 simple steps, you’ll find that it’s not as hard as it seems! Do you have any tips for planning a photobook? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
