While the age of technology can be a wonderful thing for a lot of reasons, there's one bone I have to pick with it. It seems these days our photos are simply living in digital form in an app on our phones, sandwiched between a screenshot of a Pinterest recipe and a blurry photo of our dogs. If this sounds like you, you're not alone! I've been known to be guilty of it, myself. But I do think it's important to take back the wonder of printed images. The beautiful moments we capture of our family's lives deserve to be enjoyed, loved, and passed down through the generations in the form of a photo album (or album collection). When we take the time to print our images, we're giving those memories a space in our homes where they can be reflected on and appreciated throughout our lives.
In this blog post, I'll be sharing 6 simple steps to help you create the perfect photo album from your images, so keep reading!
Choose What Style of Album You Prefer
When you come into the studio for your session, you'll have time to browse through the studio's sample albums in our waiting area. I've curated a large collection of sample albums of all sizes. My collection features albums with different layouts, paper materials, cover fabrics, and cover colors. Your album will be carefully crafted with you in mind, so this is a great opportunity to choose how you'd like your album to look and feel.
In this short 1-minute video you can get a feel for what to expect when you come to my studio and you'll see a brief overview of some of the albums in my collection that you'll be able to look through during your session:
Think Timeless
Your photo album will be in your family for a long time. In fact, with any luck, your grandchildren will be able to look through these albums some day and cherish seeing their parents and grandparents when they were younger. Before making any final decisions on your album style, ask yourself this: "Is this style something that will go well in any decor style, in any home? Is this a keepsake my family will be proud to hold onto?" It's important for your album to reflect your family and be true to your family's style, but it's also important to choose a style that not only you will love forever, but so will your children. To do this, I'd recommend considering more neutral options that will stand the test of time!
Select Your Favorite Images
Your photo album is for you and your family to love and enjoy for years, so during your photo selection process, I challenge you to forget about the current social media aesthetic and choose photos that YOU love. If you enjoy a good, silly face or a mid-laugh smile, then be sure to include those images in your album. The photos you choose should be a representation of your family, just as it is, in this moment!
Tell a Story with Your Photos
In addition to choosing your absolute favorite images, you'll want to keep in mind that a variety of poses, angles, configurations, details, and outfits will help to tell a story about this moment in your family's lives. Once you've selected your absolute favorite images from your gallery, consider making another pass through your gallery and adding in images that you like that showcase different moments from the session that you may have missed your first time through.
Sample album proofs like what you'll see during your album design process.
The Design Process
Once your photo selections have been made and you know what size, paper thickness, and cover fabric and color you'd like for your album, you'll send that information to me so that I can start designing your album for you. I'll create some page layout proofs (like the ones above) using the images you selected and I'll send them to you for final approval. After you've approved the album, I'll send your album to print for you. The typical turnaround time is anywhere from 1-4 weeks depending on where your specific album is printed (some of the albums are made here in the US, while others are printed in Italy and may take a bit longer).
Enjoy Your Beautiful Album for Years to Come!
Once you receive your album you can use it however you like, but I highly recommend displaying it proudly in your home! Depending on your home decor, you can consider using your photo album as a coffee table book, displaying it on a bookshelf in your main living space, entryway, or master bedroom, or displaying it on a shelf in your nursery! The options are endless, but I do know one thing for sure--you'll be so glad that you printed your photos and created a keepsake that your family can enjoy for years to come.
Interested in scheduling your Colorado Springs maternity, newborn, or family photo session? Click Here