Thinking of creating your own photo book? You’ve come to the right place. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Think of the Big Picture
It’s best to plan the photo album’s purpose before you begin. Ask yourself what the album is for. Is it for a specific person? Is it for a specific accomplishment, like a graduation? Is it for a specific event, like a wedding? Whatever the purpose of the photo album may be, it’s important to know what kind of images you’re prioritizing before you begin. For example, if the album is meant to show the life of a certain family member, then you might consider organizing the photos in chronological order. This will make the album easier and more fun to view.
Gather Your Memories
Before you can begin organizing the album, you have to gather your photos. You don’t want to start making the album and then find a photo that works in the middle. This can cause disorganization, and you might have to start over. Check your phone for any photos you want to use. Look in the closets of your childhood home. Ask friends and families if they have photos that you could see. Check photo boxes, and even half-made albums from the past. Look wherever you think photos might be, and gather the memories you want to keep.
Find Safe Storage
When storing the photos you want to use, it’s important to consider photo safety. Plastic containers can gather moisture, which is a big negative when trying to preserve pictures. Make sure your storage boxes are lignin-free. It helps to keep dust rags handy while pulling out old stored photos. Materials like wet wipes can add moisture to the photos. Dust rags are a safer material to use. Using pencils, sticky notes, or postcards to organize stored photos keeps ink and residue from your pictures.
Choose Your Method
The most complicated part of keeping an album is the organization. Sorting through your photos takes time, but it helps to already know what your method of organization will be. One way to organize is chronologically. This will allow your photo album to tell a story. Another way is by subject. If the album is about your family, then you can organize the pictures by the person in the photos. This can grow complicated if there are multiple people in photos. A good way to organize around this is to consider who is the center of the photo. You can even add a group section!
Create a Backup
While a photo album is a great way to contain your memories, photos are perishable. It is important to scan your older pictures so you have a backup. Local drug stores often offer resources to scan old photos. This will mean that if something happened to your album, you always have the option to create another!
We love DIY! Need another project to keep you busy? Try these 3 crafting activities for teens.
Thinking about scanning in all of your old photos? CVS, among other drug stores, offers image transfer!
