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If you are skilled in graphic design and already have photo-editing software on your computer, you can craft your own photobook. Check out more pictures of camera gear.
Thinkstock Images/Comstock/ThinkstockThink about your old photo albums for a moment. Some of them might be in poor condition, with plastic covers peeling off and the sticky pages falling apart. Maybe there’s one album that’s still incomplete because there are undeveloped film rolls tucked away in a forgotten drawer. And of course, there are the albums filled with imperfect memories — a forehead cropped out in one shot, a double exposure in another.
Although our old photo albums hold immense sentimental value, it’s hard not to notice their imperfections when compared to modern digital photobooks. These updated versions offer sleek pages and easy editing tools. You can craft vibrant layouts, add captions, and fine-tune photos, whether they come straight from your camera or from scanned older images. Plus, when it comes to printing, you can either do it yourself or leave it to the experts. Unlike traditional albums, digital photobooks allow you to create multiple copies for friends and family with ease.
Digital photobooks are similar to digital scrapbooks. Both involve scanning and uploading photos, followed by adjusting the layout on a computer until you reach the desired look. However, photobooks are more focused on showcasing photographs. If you want to highlight family portraits or your photography, a photobook is the perfect choice. But if you're looking to preserve a variety of memories, like concert tickets or crayon drawings from your grandchildren, a scrapbook might be a better fit.
How to Make a Digital Photobook
Picture this: soon you'll have a custom-made, polished photobook sitting proudly on your coffee table. No need to be a professional photographer or editor, and you certainly don't need an agent or publisher. All it takes is a few essentials: your photos (whether hard-copy images that you can scan or digital ones from your camera), a computer, and access to a photobook website or software.
Making a photobook is a straightforward task, but staying organized will certainly help. If you're using old photos, lay them out and scan them. For those images already stored on your computer, simply create a folder and place them there.
When you're ready to begin, find a photobook website or software that fits your needs. Many leading services showcase their work on their websites, offering not just examples of photobooks made using their tools, but also step-by-step screenshots of the features and options available.
When selecting a publishing tool, look for flexibility. Keep the following factors in mind as you explore your options:
- Does the platform offer themed photobooks (like travel, heritage, wedding, or storybook themes, for instance)?
- Can you modify pre-existing templates or design your own layouts from scratch?
- Does it provide a wide range of graphics and fonts to personalize your photo layouts?
- Are there premium cover options (such as leather, fabric, or padded covers) available?
- Can you include captions or journal entries alongside your photos?
- Can you easily rearrange the pages while you're working on the design?
- Is there an option to share your photobook online or via email?
Next, consider the costs. If you're skilled in graphic design and already have photo-editing software like Adobe Photoshop, you can create the photobook yourself. However, you'll still need to pay someone to print and bind it, which will be your main cost, since many services offer the design software for free. Therefore, whether you're a beginner or experienced, opting for a specialized company like Picaboo, Shutterfly, Kodak, Snapfish, or MyPublisher is likely the most convenient choice.
Some platforms, like Pixable, now offer the option to create a photobook featuring your Facebook friends by collecting their profile pictures and letting you select and arrange them in your album.
Digital Family Tree Photobooks
A digital family tree photobook is not just a photo collection—it's a family history book. It weaves together the story of your lineage, spanning several generations of ancestors and extending to your recently born descendants.
There are many ways to approach this type of photobook, often called a heritage album. Some genealogy platforms, such as Ancestry.com, allow you to print your family tree and insert photos along the way. Other services go beyond just creating a digital family tree photobook—they can also assist with researching your family history. They will gather details, along with images and records of your ancestors, and compile them into a personalized book for you.
If you already have most of your family’s information, an easy solution is to create your photobook using a digital photobook website or software. Websites like Picaboo.com provide a heritage album option. When designing the layout, you can opt for vintage-style fonts and backgrounds in shades like black, brown, or sepia. You might also include images of trees, maps, flags, or homesteads to further enhance the theme.
How you structure your family tree photobook is completely up to you. You might prefer to organize it by grouping each family branch together in separate sections. Another option is to dedicate an entire page to each ancestor, showcasing not only their photographs but also important details like their birth, marriage, and death dates, as well as the names of their spouse, parents, and children. You can also incorporate scanned newspaper articles, as well as personal family stories or memories about a specific ancestor.
Family tree photobooks make wonderful gifts, so be sure to share yours with loved ones—whether online, via email, or as a printed version.
