You’ve completed the photo session with everyone happy! Applaud yourself! Now its time to design a personalized family photo albums!
What’s all that effort for if you don’t print your images?
Christmas Cards do not count. #sorrynotsorry
I’m talking about printing your images in a way your KIDS see them daily. In a way that reinforces family bonds, legacy and history.
Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? It doesn’t need to be.
Every photo session includes what I call a Gallery Reveal and Order Appointment. That’s when you get to see, for the first time, all of your images from your photoshoot and pick out what you want – folio box, prints, wall art, and/or photo album.
Table of Contents
Acrylic family album with matching album box. Shown in white leather with grey suede interior.
What are personalized Family Photo Albums?
A custom photo album from your photo session is the best way to capture your story in one place.
I offer albums that are hand-made in Europe and designed to be enjoyed with wipeable covers and scratch-resistent papers.
A single album is lay-flat binding with 10-40 images of your choosing. There is no gutter or crease down the middle which creates a panaromic print from edge to edge across two pages!
A simple eight inch book opens to a beautiful 16-inch wide print every time. A 10 inch book opens to 20-inch wide photographs and 12-inch albums open to a full 12×24 print! Many people don’t even have frames that size on their walls.
Albums are a simple and timeless way to combine dozens of imagines in one place – and to get more digital downloads!
Why I Love Personalized Family Photo Albums
A single family photo album can hold dozens of images in one place.
Family photo albums are my favorite way to print images! There is so much personality in our families, there’s no way to sum it up into just one shot.
- I love to start an album with a panoramic family shot, followed by two to three candids.
- After that I like to dedicate a full spread (two pages, left and right) to each child in the family with 3-4 images that displays the gamut of his expressions.
- I also include a spread of just Mom & Dad in one or two shots. After all, it starts with them!
With Newborns I start with:
- An establishing wide shot of the baby – either with family or in the nursery
- 2-3 images of baby details
- 2-3 image of baby with family
- 2-3 of mom and dad with baby
- 2-3 of baby with sibling
- Nursery details
- One large family photo
Albums hold large, panaoramic photographs
Secondly I love a family photo album because you can get such large prints in a small space.
- An eight-inch album opens to a 16-inch wide photograph
- Ten-inch album opens to 20 inches
- 12-inch album opens to a fabulous 24″ wide print! Its amazing!
Designed to be liveable
Lastly, I love albums because I design them to be liveable!
I don’t use linens or textiles that are easily dirtied. All cover options are easily wipeable with a dry cloth of tiny bit of water.
The pages are printed on special papers that are scratch-resistent and wipeable with a dry cloth only.
Options for Personalized Family Photo Albums
Every photo album is completely unique to the family, including the design.
Album options include:
- Ten or more images
- Leather cover or Acrylic cover – both are wipeable!
- Cover title in Laser etching or UV print
- 3 different sizes: 8, 10 or 12 inches
The first decision you need to make for your album is how many images? Starting with just 10 or up to several dozen images you get to pick! If you can’t narrow it down, not a problem. You can add one a single image, group of 8 or more.
Second comes the cover:
- Do you want a solid leather cover with text?
- Do you want the cover to be an image from the session?
If you choose a leather cover you’ll have the option to deboss, etch or UV print a up to 2 lines of text on the cover. The choice between the three methods is usually decided by the color leather you choose. Some leather covers have a choice between UV printing and etching. When there’s a choice, you’ll get to decide!
If you don’t care to have text on the front, you might be inclined to the acrylic cover. The acryclic cover is one image printed in a mostly square ratio with a binding and back of leather. You’ll need to pick out one favorite shot. Typically horizontal images do not work well for the cover but I have tricks up my sleeve to make it work!
Acrylic Family Photo Albums
Acrylic album covers are fun and bright! If you don’t care to have text on the front, you might be inclined to the acrylic cover. The acrylic cover is one image printed in a mostly square ratio with a binding and back of leather.
- Choose a leather cover for binding and back
- Choose one image to be the cover
You’ll need to pick out one favorite shot. Typically horizontal images do not work well for the cover but I have tricks up my sleeve to make it work!
The acrylic print will be 90% of the front cover while the binding and back cover are in a leather cover of your choosing. Usually white or off white are the best options there.
These covers are super durable and clean with a damp cloth.
Leather Family Photo Albums
If you choose a leather cover you’ll have the option to deboss, etch or UV print a up to 2 lines of text on the cover. The choice between the three methods is usually decided by the color leather you choose. Some leather covers have a choice between UV printing and etching. When there’s a choice, you’ll get to decide!
Leather albums have a few more options:
- Color of the leather
- Text or no text
- Etching, debossing or UV print
- Font choice for text
All leather options will have the opportunity for text on the cover. But depending on the color you choose, you will have limited choice between HOW that text is applied. Debossing and etching are my personal favorites. They’re quite aggressive techniques that require substantial thickness.
If debossing or etching isn’t available for your preferred color, usually UV printing is the other option. This applies a thin layer of clear ink on the leather making it a naturally darker shade with a slight sheen.
Most families choose something like “Oahu 2023” or “Bennett Family Vacation 2023.” Something as simple as just the year works well too!
Leather newborn album in pink.
Matching Photo Album Box
Regardless of the cover options you choose, you can add on an optional matching album box. This box is the exact same with a suede interior and ribbon for safe keeping.
Storing your album in a dark, dry place out of sunlight will help it to last much longer.
The matching album box comes in every size.
Sample Personalized Family Photo Albums
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- The Best Personalized Family Photo Albums
I'm a USMC spouse, South Carolina native, recovering homeschool mama of a 4 boy circus. They've taught me the most important facet of family photography: KEEP IT FUN!
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These albums are so pretty! And they become family heirlooms. My kids love looking through ours all the time!
Thank you so much! Its best thing – everyone has room for an album!
I loved the video of a personalized family photo album.
Thanks! Super simple iphone video!
I love albums SO much! They are the perfect way to keep all of your images preserved beautifully in one place. Love that you offer such gorgeous album options.
Same! They’re my absolute favorite. Where else can you get up to 40 10×20 images in ONE place??
Ohh these albums are gorgeous! I love how detailed you go into what’s included.
Thank you friend! Several options but not overwhelming at all, right? Decision fatigue is real!