Get those photos back in your life, create a Year In Review Book!
Simple steps to create a Year in Review Photo Book
Looking at family photographs on a screen doesn't have the same feeling as looking at photos in a tangible book. Do you remember flipping through photo albums? Do you find yourself feeling happy and nostalgic when you visit a loved one and looking at your childhood or family photo albums?
When we went digital we stopped printing photographs, the photos sat on the computer rarely enjoyed and shared. A number of years ago I decided that I would create a book for each year - a Year in Review album. As a family we love to travel and we take a lot of pictures when we are exploring new places. So every January my project is to create our Year in Review photo book and I’ll share my tips with you.
Share your Story
With your photographs, the places you went, the people that you met and the memories that you created.
Feeling overwhelmed?….break down the task
Here are some tips to help you with this project.
It may sound like a big task - but doing a little bit throughout the year will make it easier. Review your photographs every month as they come in, it’s much easier to review 4 weeks of photos rather than 52.
● Review
● Rename, Rate and Tag
● Utilize your software
Review your photos every month and decide which you will keep and delete the bad and multiple shots now!
Rename - using the year-month-day-who-what-where naming convention will allow you to retain important information about your photographs. Your photographs will be ordered chronologically and you will have all of the information about the photograph, it’s hard to remember all of those details as time goes by! It’s like writing on the back of the photographs.
Rate and Tag your photos - most photo organizing software allows you to rate your photos, tag those shots that are special to you and that are worthy of being added into your book, the rest can be kept as your backup photos. Use a consistent rating / tagging system through the year so that you can easily identify what will go into your photo book.
Utilize your software - Add those winning shots into a smart album or folder within your photo organizing software called “2016 Year in Review”. At the end of the year you will have a smaller collection of photos to choose from when it comes time to create your book.
Get your photos in the correct order
As this particular book is the year in review, your layout is likely chronological. Start in January and work your way through the year.
Add a little bit of text - a short paragraph outlining the highlights of the year. Travel, special events or visitors that were hosted.
Choose your Layout
There are many different options to choose from when creating a photo book to suit every budget. Hard cover, soft cover, small or large formats. Many provide templates, with preset themes into which you can simply drop your photos into an allocated spot.
My personal preference is to have a consistent look for all of my photo books, I choose a blank book and then pick my background colours and layouts.
Add Text
I encourage you to add text - a few words about where your were, who you were with, or what the celebration was. As time goes by the details become hard to remember, and if someone picks up your book - the key details are there for them to “read your story”.
Share your Memories
Now that your book is done it’s time to enjoy and share it. It’s easy to order an extra copy for a family member too.
Sounds like a great idea, but don’t know where to start?
It is normal to have this feeling, so many years to get through. My advise is to start with the most recent year and then tackle the previous years, one year at a time.
About the Author:
Trish Keogh founder of Pictures in Place, a Photo Organizing Company. Please contact info@picturesinplace.ca to discuss your project.
Are you doing anything fun with your photos?
Back to school is here and with it comes many mixed emotions. After a very enjoyable summer I am excited for the new school year to begin, as it always brings a resurgence of energy, but I am also a little anxious of the change it entails.
‘Have fun with your photos, they tell our stories’
Earlier this year, I was looking back through some old photos and came across this photo of my daughter and her friend. They both got a good kick out of seeing it, so I suggested that they have a little fun and recreate the photo. In the original photo they were about 2 years old. They met at daycare, located in our local high school and became good friends. Off to different elementary schools they went, and did not meet again until they were back at the same school, but this time as high school students. In June of this year, just before the graduated, they recreated the photo!
Photographs help us tell the stories of our lives, they transport us back in time for a few moments, so it’s important to share and enjoy them. Take some time and plan to get those photos of: the first day of school, halloween costumes, friends from the school or sports, holiday celebrations and silly faces.
‘Use your photos to make a special gift.’
This fall will be very different for our family, as our daughter is off to university. We are so proud of her and excited for this new chapter of her life to begin, but I am also feeling sad and a little nostalgic about wanting my little girl back.
As a parting gift for my daughter, I created a photo book. A collection of photos of her, her accomplishments, places that we have been and the fun that we have had along the way! Hopefully it will help her when she is feeling a little homesick. I printed a second copy to help me, as we transition into this new stage of our lives.
‘Keep your photos organized, accessible and secure.’
It’s fun to reminisce over family photos, but the downside of digital is that we don’t print our photos any more. Take some time each month to keep your photos organized, accessible, and secure. If you do that it will take very little time to find your photos for that special gift.
About the Author:
Trish Keogh founder of Pictures in Place, a Photo Organizing Company. Please contact info@picturesinplace.ca to discuss your project.