Idea Center for Photo Book Success

The Idea Center was created to highlight some of the many ideas for photo books. Hopefully, you will find one that is just right as a gift or a special memory. Ideas can come from anywhere.

I have two friends with birthdays in May, and I made each one of them a photo book. Linda and I have been friends for years, and I found all the pictures where we are together and put them in a book. Dee and I took a trip to China -- of course her book turned out to be a travelogue! They both loved their books and it made a very special present. I am not usually that excited when I give presents, but it was wonderful to actually give something that meant a lot to the receiver.

The idea center contains a lot of information that was prepared for scrapbooking. There are so many ideas from scrapbooking that can help you create a more interesting photo book. Just realize that all the ideas do not directly transfer. If you need help thinking of a project check out the ideas below.

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Photobook Overview

Two of the most important choices you have when creating your photo book are:

• What size photobook should I use?
• What kind of cover should the book have?

Photo book sizes discusses all the size options you have.

Photo book covers discusses the different cover options.

Missing Pictures. Sometimes you might need extra pictures for your photo book to show something that you might not have in your pictures. Stock Photos can be considered a photo archive that you either make or get off the web that can fill in your missing pictures.

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Photo Book Tips and Tricks

• Page Backgrounds. If you are wild about backgrounds, Picaboo offers over 12,000 backgrounds to choose. Using Picaboo Backgrounds helps you choose the background and import it into your book.

• Fragile Pictures. If you have any old photos that are slightly worn or too fragile to put through a scanner or copier, use your digital camera and take a picture of these pictures. It is helpful to use a camera stand to get a steady photo of your original. Then you can use photo editing software to crop the picture to the size that you need. This will preserve the color and quality of the originals.

• Easiest Way to Make a Photo Book.. The easiest way to make a photo book is to upload all the pictures you want in the book and then choose the autofill option. Most of the publishers have the autofill option. With this option they place each picture in the book. It might be a single picture on a page, or could have 4 pictures on the page. I have done this and it did turn out good -- there was only one page that I had to change.

Photo Book Topics

Here are some topic ideas for making your own photo books. These ideas aren't featured on the navigation bar on the left, but are great ideas for your own books.

Travel Book

This might be a bit like "what I did on my summer vacation" from our school days, but we all have had a great vacation that we'd like to remember with a photobook

All of my pictures from Bryce Canyon deserve to be in a book! Along with all the other National Parks we visited. Or, you might have made a lot of small trips and they can be put into a book too! So the travel book can be from one trip, or the highlights from many trips.

Besides, your friends will be more likely to look at your pictures if they are put into an attractive photo book!

Family History Book

A history book with a page for each relative will put some order to that old family tree. But, a family history book can be more than just a bunch of old pictures.

When you are putting together the book it is the best time to ask relatives what they remember about certain pictures. For instance, if you asked the little boy in the picture at the left what he remembers about that day you'd probably get a few good comments that might really add a lot of feeling to the book you are making.

You might need to scan some old pictures to create this book, so check out our scanning information.

Cookbook

There are many times that a cookbook is a great gift: A family cookbook is a perfect holiday or birthday gift. The cookbook can contain pictures of the prepared recipe, the cook, or the family enjoying the meal. It doesn't need to be limited to just the recipe!

When a child moves into their first apartment a cookbook with all their favorites will be a favorite keepsake.

If someone has special dietary requirements a cookbook with some of their favorite recipes for their needs will be a great help. It would also be a great gift if you meet someone else who has the same dietary limitations.

A Few of My Favorite Things Book

This is a great project to start from scratch. Set the mood by playing "A Few of My Favorite Things" while creating your own personal list of favorite things. Then you can have fun with this and take pictures of all of these 'things". Add a bit of text on why these are you favorites and you have something that you will enjoy forever.

You can also start this with the current pictures you have and create favorite categories such as trips, holidays, pictures, meals, outfits. You get the idea. Then put thie pictures with the favorite and you can even add some text about why this is a favorite.

I mentioned playing "favorite things" and that gives another favorite -- your could have a book with your favorite lyrics and pictures that goes with those lyrics.

More Ideas

Everyone likes to highlight each year as it passes. A Year in Review Photo Book looks at one of my years and shows you how you can think about highlighting a year of your own.

Now if there isn't already enough ideas offered here are 100 Photo Book Ideas for you to choose for your own photo books!