Several million new users are making digitally designed photo books the photo trend of the year. Holiday photos more than anything else are sparking a real “design fever”. But how do you go about taking photos and designing a book that will truly preserve your holiday memories? Here are ten tips and hints for creating fantastic holiday photo books:
Whether your photos are of fun swimming scenes taken during a family holiday at the coast or unforgettable images of nature taken on dream holidays in faraway places: a photo book shows the most cherished moments in first-class quality from the first day to the last.
Tip 1: Location, location, location: introduce your holiday destination
Use maps and scenic images to give an introduction to your holiday destination. Use text boxes for information on the area and little facts you may have picked up along your way.
Tip 2: Give an overview: a large photo shows what it’s all about
Panoramic images make create full page backgrounds and look fantastic when printed. Views of the beach, mountain, landscape and towns – wherever you are on your holiday, these photos will get your Cewe photo book off to a good start.
Tip 3: How you remember it: this is how your holiday surroundings really looked
Holiday memories don’t only depend on people; they also depend on how things looked at your holiday resort. Take photos of your hotel room or holiday apartment. Show the view from the window. Take photos of the markets and streets at your holiday report. Not “postcard clichés”, the moments and things which were important for you personally. This could be the friendly man who sold you some local fish, the old fisherman at the boat hire site or your neighbour at the camping site.
Tip 4: And now action: combine your photos to show events
Doing sports, playing, whatever moves: press the button of your digital camera frequently. For it is mainly these “action scenes” that fill your photo book with life. For example, choose the best three photos of the same scene – that’s all it takes and you will be able to quite simply use this series of photos to create a very vivid page in your photo book.
Tip 5: Zoom in: make the small things big too
Flowers, pebbles on the beach or fresh market produce – special details of your holiday are worth giving a special place in your photo book. These “little things” make a particularly attractive change when designing a book, particularly thanks to their colour and shape. Essential for getting a good photo: move in close, zoom and activate the macro setting on your camera so that the scene fills the frame and is focussed.
Tip 6: Ideal transitions: introduce individual sections with general photos
Dividing your photo book up into individual sections will help you to structure your photo book: little adventures, special events or stops on a round trip should have their own sections in your book. General holiday photos, such as waves in the sea, flowers or patterns in the sand are ideal for transitions from one section to the next.
Tip 7: Emphasised variety: black & white to bring colour to your photo book
In only a few seconds you can switch from “colour” to “black & white” – for fantastic visual variations for your photo book. Scenes such as buildings, structures or landscapes look just as good in shades of grey as they do in colour.
Tip 8: Change your angle of vision: unusual perspectives make a good impression
Normally we prefer to be at eye level in any situation. But leave this angle of vision for a while – after all, you are on holiday. And what’s best of all: photos taken from unusually low or high angles usually turn out to be even more interesting. You can often reserve a double page in your photo book for these photos.
Tip 9: Capturing impressions: everyday events often provide the best images
On holiday it’s worth getting your camera out every day, not only on special situations. Swimming gear on a washing line, people in deck chairs, food on a table and similar supposedly everyday photos turn into an animated story of an unforgettable holiday experience in a photo book.
Tip 10: Dramatic close: mood lighting as a highlight
The story of your holiday is told in the pictures which go to design numerous pages of your photo book. You should finally pull out all the photographic stops and save the last few double pages for fascinating mood lighting. Whether it is a sunset at the coast or alpenglow in the mountains, storm clouds or the final few rays of sun spreading over a landscape or a city – there are many opportunities to take such grand photos when you’re on holiday. Tip: you should always have your digital camera with you, since these light situations frequently occur unexpectedly.