I am forever driving my family crazy with my camera. You’re probably familiar with the scene. It’s some holiday, special event, or dress-up worthy occasion. You spent the morning wrestling the children to the ground just to get them to look that cute, so you’re determined to get a picture of the cuteness, darn it!
As a result, I have accumulated over 50,000 pictures of my kids. When I was a kid myself I was obsessed with taking pictures on my little 35mm camera, getting the film developed, and filling up photo albums with my prints. The first few years I worked with digital cameras I was disappointed with the idea that most of my images would stay hidden on my computer as opposed to being displayed in books like I had become accustomed. Shortly thereafter I taught myself to make digital photo albums online. Now I’m hooked on these books!
Since 2007, I have made an annual family yearbook. Anyone who has attempted one knows the truth – it is quite the daunting task – kind of like scrapbooking – without the glue. I knew enough the first year I attempted a digital yearbook to start way in advance, and with each passing year I’ve picked up a few new tricks to make the process go even more smoothly.
They’re called yearbooks because they take a year to make.
If you are a camera-addict like I, then you likely have a ton of pictures to go through each year. Trying to do it all at one time is an almost insurmountable task. So, I make an effort to dump my camera onto my laptop about once a month. Some Saturday evening when the hubs wants to watch a horrific war movie that I know I won’t be able to stomach, I cuddle up on the couch with some wine, my camera and my laptop and organize that month’s photos. I copy the pictures over, rotate to the correct position, and delete the obvious duds.
Think of digital folders as Rubbermaid bins.
All those pictures need somewhere to go. Putting them into one giant folder would ensure that I will never be able to find what I am looking for later. So I created a chronological folder system that works for me. When I move pictures to my laptop I immediately file them in the appropriate album. I have a “Through the Year” folder for each year. Within that folder is one folder per month. I keep a separate folder for Holidays, which breaks into individual folders per holiday per year. And I keep a separate folder for Events, which breaks into individual folders per event per year. This allows me to find certain pictures more easily later on.
For example, if I want to remind myself what theme we used for Eva’s second birthday I go to “Events”, “Birthdays-Family”, “Eva’s 2nd Birthday”, instead of trying to figure out what year it was when she was two. Non-event and non-holiday type pictures get sorted into the regular “Through the Year” folders.
For example, if I want to remind myself what theme we used for Eva’s second birthday I go to “Events”, “Birthdays-Family”, “Eva’s 2nd Birthday”, instead of trying to figure out what year it was when she was two. Non-event and non-holiday type pictures get sorted into the regular “Through the Year” folders.
Choose your favorite pictures now, not later.
I probably take more than 5,000 photos a year, but I include only 250 or so in my yearbook. Each time I move pictures to my laptop I compare each picture looking for the best of the best. At this time I copy those favorite photos into a “Yearbook” folder. By the end of the year I have a collection of the very best pictures ready to go. This is the folder I upload to my photo book making site to begin my work.
Shop ‘til you drop.
There are a million photo-share sites out there that have super user-friendly book-making software. Shop around to find the best deals, or the site that is easiest for you to navigate. I decided on Walmart years ago and have continued to make my books with their site. Their software has improved each year, and I like the familiarity of using the same program time after time. Friends of mine enjoy finding the best photo book deals and bouncing between a few of the other big-name photo-share sites depending on the season. Start by uploading your folder of pictures and then just play with the software for a few days until you get used to it.
Embrace the concept of tradition.
In my mind, yearbooks are meant to be chronological. My format is the same each year. I begin each book with the previous Christmas and then proceed to document the following year, essentially month by month. I finish each book with Thanksgiving. This allows me time to purchase and receive the book before giving it as Christmas gifts. Whatever format, start, and stop date you decide on, consider keeping it consistent with each passing year.
Think along the “line.”
When I fill a book I think linearly. Here’s what I mean: I fill the book with pictures first, paying attention only to how many pictures per page I’d like and which pictures I’d like to highlight. I tweak the arrangement and picture layout on each page. I then go back to the beginning of the book and choose backgrounds and accents that make sense depending on the season or theme of the photos. Lastly, I return to the beginning of the book once again to enter my supporting text.
More Tips & Tricks….
If you’re overwhelmed with getting your pictures organized start with a clean slate for 2015. The past is in the past – leave that mess alone! Just get organized from here on out.
Don’t get bogged down in the creative details on the first page. If you spend too much time on page 1, you’ll never get to page 2. Get all your pics in first, then play and create.
If you take the majority of your pictures on your phone, consider using apps to upload your photos straight to the book-making site of your choice.
Photo books make amazing gifts for those special loved ones. My children’s grandparents regularly comment on how much they look forward to receiving these thoughtful and meaningful books each year.
Consider them special keepsakes for your children and put the time in now to get it done!
