In last week’s post I talked briefly about using an online platform’s built-in templates to design a photo album. This week, I’m sharing more tips that will help you get the most out of your album, especially years from now, and some tips to simplify the design process.
Done is better than perfect.
“Done is better than perfect.” I can’t remember where I first heard this, but I love this reminder. Usually I apply it to things like cleaning the house or making dinner (there’s nothing wrong with microwaving chicken strips and frozen peas), but it’s relevant here too. Don’t get so caught up in trying to make your album “just right” that it never gets done at all.
Use templates.
Most photo book services will provide page templates you can use to design your album. All you have to do is select a template from a list, apply it to a page, then insert photos into the placeholders on the template. Look for these and use them rather than starting from scratch.
Start by organizing photos by month.
The obvious best practice is to put your photos in chronological order, but this can be a bit tedious and overwhelming especially if your photos are saved out of order. To simplify, you can just create a section for each month in the book and quickly add photos.
From there, if you have the time and the desire, you can rearrange photos within each month to put them in order or group them by event. If not, having photos grouped by month will keep them organized while helping you simplify the job enough to actually finish your album.
Caption the who, what, when, and where.
This is probably most “important” tip I have. Caption your photos with who’s in them (especially if they include someone other than close family), when they were taken, and what you were doing if it’s a special occasion or place other than home. Your captions don’t have to be super detailed—unless you want them to be! Just include enough information so someone later will know what the photo is about. Your photos will be more meaningful later if they have captions to give some context.
Simplify captions by grouping photos.
This goes along with two points I already mentioned. Wherever possible, group your photos by date or activity and add one “group caption.” Some examples:
- May 11, 2022 – Trip to the zoo with Grandma & Grandpa
- December 2019 – Our first Christmas in the new house
- August 10-14, 2021 – Family vacation to Michigan
- Fall 2009 – Marching band, 2009 season
Keeping these tips in mind should help you feel a little more prepared to create your first photo album, and they’ll help you create an album that will be meaningful far into the future! But don’t forget my first tip: Done is better than perfect.
Next week I’ll be sharing tips for keeping your digital photos organized and for choosing which ones make it to print!
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