In the old days, before photo books, we used to save our photographs loose in drawers and in old shoeboxes. If we were particularly motivated, we might buy a photo album and mount our favorite pictures between its covers. When we wanted to browse through them or share them with friends, we had only to drag the box or album down off the shelf and pass it around, to start reminiscing about the past.
But times change and technology advances, and now most of our photographs exist only as a collection of ones and zeros on a silicon chip. And though our snapshots take up much less room now, and are in no danger of fading or bending, somehow viewing pictures on a computer screen seems less satisfying than shuffling through a stack of photographs or flipping through an album. Digital pictures cannot be held; they feel transitory or temporary; and they seem less personal and less real.
One of the best ways to bring your photographs to life is to have them made into photo books using online software.
You can find many websites that publish photo books at a very reasonable cost. Most offer online editing tools that let you design customized keepsakes you will enjoy for a lifetime. The best ones offer password protection, vast amounts of digital storage, and gift services. Some even help you set up your own bookstore business, buying and selling photo books.
It is always a good idea to maintain a digital backup copy of your treasured photographs. Publishers of photo books make it simple to upload, organize, and store your photo collections online, leaving you secure in the knowledge that even if you lose or damage your personal computer, you will still have access to your photo memories.
Not only are photo books a great way to organize and access your snapshots, but they make fantastic gifts. When birthdays and holidays roll around, you are often far too busy with work and family to spend hours shopping for the right gifts. Now, gift giving is as easy as choosing a couple dozen of your favorite snapshots of the kids, and uploading them to a website publisher of photo albums. Just like that, you have a beloved keepsake treasure for Grandma.
They have many other great uses as well. Think what a great impression a photo book would make as part of a school project. Organize your favorite recipes into a cookbook, complete with photos of the finished meal. Are you a painter, a sculptor, a jewelry maker, or other creative type? Turn photos of your work into a professional portfolio. Do you have a business selling unique products? Use photo books to showcase your wares. The uses for photo albums are almost limitless.
If you are interested in creating photo books out of your digital image library, a good publisher will offer tutorials to get you started, can suggest creative ideas for personalized products, and will provide forums and FAQs to help you when you run into snags.