In the twenty-first century, when the camera is even in the phone, and photos can be viewed on a tablet or computer, it is quite difficult to answer the question of why we need a photo album. Yes, in the past the only way to see photos was to print them, and albums served for convenience and preservation.

Now there is no such an urgent need, but the desire to collect all the memorable photos, in a paper version, remains.And here technical progress comes to our aid, which allows us to print quality photo books in one or more copies, for a relatively small fee. If you are wondering how to make a wedding photo book, then this article is for you.

Creating a wedding photo book

In most cases, newlyweds order photo books to a professional. But this option has its pros and cons. Yes, the photographer makes such a book not the first time, is well versed in computer programs, knows the trends, and the rules of arrangement of photos.

He can process photos on the computer, and the book will be professional and technically correct. But it risks looking formulaic and a little artificial.

Photobook from a wedding with their own hands

Another option is to create the book yourself and put some of your soul into it. Thus, you can get away from dull templates. And add inscriptions and comments to your creation. If you decide to choose this option, and design the book yourself, then you need to know how to do it correctly.

The first little tip. Do not put off its creation for a long time. The most beautiful and bright masterpieces are obtained when the emotions have not yet settled.

Choose a studio for printing

You should start your way to your photo book by choosing a studio to print your creation. In many articles they offer to choose the photos first, but to me, at this stage it may be over. And when you look at the offer on online resources, or go to a photo salon and get to hold sample books in your hands.

You’ll get such a boost of energy and motivation that you definitely won’t stop at what you’ve started. There are two printing options: order online, or go to a photo shop in your town.

Online resource

This option is suitable if there is no decent photo studio in the city where you live. When choosing a site, try to focus on large sites that have existed for several years. Read reviews from customers, as a rule, on such resources order photo books and professionals. And they do it quite often, so they will write their objective opinion.

You can even go to the forum, professional photographers and find out where they print work.

Photo studios of your hometown.

Your best assistant in choosing a studio in your city is word of mouth. Ask your friends and relatives where they ordered their books. People close to you will not lie, and have no problem telling you about the positive or negative experiences. They can also show you their work, which will help you decide on the design of your masterpiece.

Choosing a computer program

Most professionals create layouts in photoshop or paid programs. But this does not mean that there are no worthy counterparts on the web. Especially photographers are well versed in such platforms, but for a beginner, they can be unnecessarily complicated.

Online services and print studio programs

The easiest way to create a layout is offered by photo book printing resources. These sites always have special programs or the ability to create an online layout.

Online services are quite easy to use, as they have a minimal set of tools. This option is suitable for people who don’t know much about computers. As well as those who want to create an album in a minimalist style.

Computer programs

A large number of programs with an impressive set of tools can be purchased online.

But there are also decent free options:

1. FotoFusion, one of the most well-known platforms on the web, which is distributed on a paid basis. But there are also high-quality pirated versions. Its main plus can be called a large number of video tutorials on youtube;
2. HP Photo Creations is a free program that lets you create photo books, calendars, postcards, and collages. It is easy to use and has a good set of tools. Even beginners will be able to understand the program. And on the official site you can read the manual in different languages.
3. Scrapbook Flair is another program worthy of attention. Has a large set of tools and templates. According to user reviews, one of the most successful options for the beginner.

Selecting pictures

Choosing only beautiful and super quality photos, you can lose the story that the book shows. Remember a wedding photo book is a narrative about your love. It is not a photo album with just a collection of cool pictures from the celebration.

You can also distribute photos depending on the photographer. If you want to add interesting amateur photos to the photo book, they should not be mixed with professional ones. Otherwise, such a hodgepodge will look cheap.

Selecting professional photos. Regarding such photos, there shouldn’t be any problems. After all, they have already been processed, and if they were completely unsuccessful, deleted. Such photos should be chosen clearly according to the script. Each photo continues the story told in the previous one. Do not take too many pictures from one scene. Even if in all of them you turned out perfectly.

Selecting amateur photos. The first thing you need to pay attention to is quality. Remember, noises, darkening or darkening of the paper will be very striking. Pay attention to the background as well as “cropped” body parts. If there are people in the background that don’t come out well, the background can be blurred. And, in general, amateur photos will need at least some processing on the computer.

It is desirable that all the photos in the book have the same color. But if they were taken with different cameras, this can not always be achieved. This is why it is better to include photos that will be very different in a separate chapter.

The layout

Think about how the photos will be arranged on the pages. Don’t be afraid to experiment, create some rough versions, play with backgrounds, frames and layouts.

Do not change the layout of each page radically, otherwise your book may look tasteless. And also do not try to put too many photos on the page, the details and faces should be clearly visible.

By sticking to the above algorithm, you will be able to create your own unique wedding photo book. Take your time, get well acquainted with the program you will use to create it. If it won’t work at once don’t worry, keep trying, because each new page, even if it’s not entirely successful, is an invaluable experience. And it will lead you to success.