I said I was over photo books, but they are just so dang popular these days it’s hard to imagine that the trend will fade anytime soon.
If you can’t beat ‘em, stick with ‘em, I guess.
The reason I am tiring of the books is that I find that the end result is not as wonderful as I’d hope it’d be. Then, again, that could be my fault. I’ve made more than a dozen photo books, but in each case I struggle to select images that tell a comprehensive story minus the text.
It seems the key to creating a memorable book that yields few regrets is to come up with a story before you choose your shots. For example, instead of piecing together a generic wedding photo book, you might consider spicing up the story by choosing a perspective you want the book to highlight. You could recount the day’s events through the eyes of the bride and groom, or go an entirely different direction and design a book from the bridesmaids’ perspective.
While you are in the planning stages, also consider the tone you want to maintain throughout the book. Do you want to make a fast-paced action story or are you looking for a slower contemplative tale? Most of my books are comedic, thanks in large part to my daughter’s hilarious photos.
Once you choose tone, theme and perspective, think about style. Most software programs allow you to choose from a variety of styles and templates. In addition, you can change the color of your photos to black-and-white, sepia or other muted hues. If a change in color will help enhance your story, then use the program to manipulate your selected shots.
Finally, choosing the perfect photos to include in your book can be tricky. When in doubt, stick with chronological order. Decide on a beginning, middle, and end, then go back and fill in the gaps. To spice up your book, use an array of different shots, including close-ups, panoramic and action. By varying the images you can create visual appeal.
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