| Tips and techniques from the fields of art and design | | | | photographs, keep these things in mind, as well. You |
| can help you achieve more impact for the pages you | | | | can begin by taking a series of photos for every |
| create in your photo book projects. The following | | | | special event you attend; if you take between five |
| simple ideas can be used to transform your pages; it | | | | and eight photos, you will be sure to have enough to |
| is easy to apply the techniques to your current | | | | choose from when it comes to designing a page or |
| projects. | | | | two in your photo book around this particular event. |
| First, consider how you usually edit and group your | | | | If you tend to take group photos, make sure you |
| photos. Many people group photos in chronological | | | | zoom in for close-ups of individuals or objects, and |
| order in their photo books. This can sometimes lead | | | | zoom out for wider landscape shots. If you tend to |
| to a sense of discontinuity across both pages of the | | | | focus on landscapes or the environment, consider |
| two-page spread (the pages that face each other | | | | other subject matter to give your photo book |
| when the photo book lies open in front of you). | | | | variety: people, pets, or specific objects, for example. |
| Instead of grouping photos chronologically, consider | | | | As you design your pages, you can also think of how |
| grouping your photos by theme, colour, or subject | | | | the reader's eye moves across the page as she |
| matter, since these will unify the look of your photo | | | | looks at the photo book. Use repetition horizontally |
| book pages. You can use this same tip when deciding | | | | across a two-page spread, or else use a layout |
| which pages should face each other within the book. | | | | based on triangular or circular patterns so that the |
| You may also want to experiment with the photo | | | | viewer's eye will be led through the series of images. |
| software on your computer, or with the software | | | | Some online book programs give you pre-designed |
| provided by the company that manages and prints | | | | pages, and other programs let you set up the page |
| your online photo books. You may be able to a add | | | | design yourself. Don't be afraid to use several smaller |
| colour to each page as a background, or to change | | | | photographs in your layout: several small images in a |
| your colour photos to sepia or black and white-these | | | | row can give the impression of a series of |
| can both really transform the look of your pages in | | | | photographs taken in quick succession, or of a small |
| your online photo book. An entire spread of black | | | | sequential story being told. |
| and white or sepia photographs will unify the design; | | | | Finally, in the art world, collage techniques are known |
| adding one or two colour photos in the mix will really | | | | to give interesting results. Collage in photo book |
| draw the eye to these images, creating a focal point | | | | design allows you to include a large number of images |
| for the page. | | | | from various sources, all on the same page, without |
| Creating one focal point for each page in the photo | | | | any need for formal organization. Some ideas might |
| book is also a great idea. As you select and edit your | | | | be a collage of favourite people, special events, a |
| photos, choose one or two close-ups or simple, crisp | | | | "day in the life of" page, or a collage featuring the |
| images that can serve as a focal point for every | | | | same person or occasion, captured at different |
| two-page spread of your book. As you take your | | | | moments throughout the years. |