First year photobooks

weddinginthecove · May 2014

Im right in the middle of trying to create a first year photobook for L. It has been super time consuming causing me to be able to bump less, all bed time has equaled book time. Just wanted to know what everyone's experience here with photobooks has been if you have done any for previous children or are working on one for LO now.

I have been trying to limit the number of photos I am putting in, but it has been really hard to do with all the cute photos I have of him. I also struggle because this will likely be the only real prints of these photos and what's the use of them sitting on a computer. I am currently up to the 7th month and am at 120 pages. I am using photobook Canada as I am comfortable with them from doing my wedding photobook and engagement guestbook through them. They allow up to 400 pages with the size book I have selected, but I was hoping to not have to go that far. As it stands now I am looking at at least 200 pages. I guess what I am wondering is if anyone has ever printed a 200 plus page photobook (the most I have ever done is 92). If you have, did you have any issues with the binding? Was it too thick? I'm wondering if I should just suck it up and create two volumes or say screw it and just make the huge book. I've googled it to death and it's actually really surprising how few things I can find on books that large. That's when I thought WWJ13 do?

Also any other general thoughts on photobooks or any tips would be great. I know I will be super proud of this book when its done, but it's a real struggle at the moment.

Mufflerlove · May 2014

Could you split it into two? Like 0-6 6-12 or 2013 2014? My wedding album was 100 pages. 200 is a lot but I think it's fine still. It would be heavy but that's ok. I would think if 400 is an option the binding should be fine.

So far I did a birth - 2 months book and it was like 40 pages haha. I haven't had time since it's soooo time consuming.

ASmallWonder · May 2014

Holy moly! I did one for Aiden's first year and it was like, 22 pages. I tried to stick to one page a month with a few extras thrown in for particularly cute months and special occasions. Quinn's is looking to be about the same. I didn't try to fit in every cute picture, just my most favorite ones and I have to say, I LOVE that book. I intended to do one for every year but I lost interest doing Aiden's second year so he still only has the one lol

numbersgirl08 · May 2014

When N was born I had this great plan to take cute pictures of her on a blanket every week and then do a book that compiled them all.

That didn't last too long - it got too hard to remember to do a photo shoot every week!

My new plan is to do a photo book with a page for each week and they will just be one of the many pictures I've taken of her that weren't posed. I'm just going to do one picture/page for each week - whatever my favorite picture is. I'd like for the pictures to take up the whole page. So it will be a pretty sleek, simple book with only pictures and only 52 pages (or 26 I guess if we have pictures on both sides of the page).

weddinginthecove · May 2014

Okay obviously I'm going way overboard. Did you guys print these photos in any other way. I feel like it's such a waste to not have them somewhere ( i still didn't use anywhere near a quarter of the photos). I've thought about using two books @Mufflerlove‌ and am still toying with the idea, I think in my head I just really wanted one book. Obviously though if it's way too big or the binding won't hold it's not worth that option though.

Mufflerlove · May 2014

Think of it this way.. Even if you have a 200 page photobook are you going to regret it? Of course not. It will be more pictures to enjoy ten or twenty years from now.

I don't print pictures off though. Just the photo books for me.

weddinginthecove · May 2014

That's a really good point @mufflerlove I will probably regret not using more photos down the road. I haven't printed off photos in years, digital cameras can be crappy that way. I'm hoping to go back and make some yearbook type photo books after this if I ever find the time. The one positive thing is probably I hardly ever took photos so I'm lucky if I get 20 pages.

I have also been using an app on my phoebe called Tweekaboo since L has been born. Worst and greatest thing I've ever done. I post a photo of him everyday with a diary type entry of what we did that day, any firsts or anything special. It has been so time consuming and there have been so many tines I want to give up. With that being said I think I started saying too much and now I feel like I need to keep it up for consistency. I plan to print them out as a book/books at the end of the year. Our families have links to the account so they have gotten to have updates on him, which they love. Looking back over it is crazy. I think it will be so great to see it all in print. My plan going forward after one year is just to do weekly updates with a quick recap.

Anyways totally long winded but I recommend tweekaboo to any of you who are looking for something neat to store memories and share with family without making it all super public. It's invite only and you can also add videos. I also have only filled out 3 pages in my too expensive baby book I bought on Etsy, so I'm super glad I wrote it all down somewhere.

Monkeybutt80 · May 2014

You could break it down like some said. We did 0-3months, 3-6 months, 6 - 9 months and will do 9-12months book. I like separating them bc they each has a slightly different feel to them, like his 0-3month one is all newborny- pastel colors and his 6-9 months one is bright and fun to reflect his active months! It's about 70 pages each (counting front and back so 35 sheets) and I err on the side of more pictures! Why not!!!
Starting next year, I will probably do annual or 6months books as we are slowing down in the number of pictures we take.

weddinginthecove · May 2014

@monkeybutt80 I'm kind of now wishing I did split it up more so I could have used more photos lol. I still may split it down the middle at 6 months. It would be too much work to go back and delete pages to make four hooks at this point. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who takes way too many photos and makes huge books.

momofcatan · May 2014

200 pages seems like a lot, I would split it, otherwise I feel like when someone is flipping through they will never get all the way to the end. Also, have you thought about getting a digital picture frame? I don't *love* them (I find the quality/colour meh) but it is a great way to display all those digital pics.

itsStackie · May 2014

My MIL makes photo books all the time. I believe the 2013 was at least 180 pages and it didn't seem bulky at all. I am making a scrapbook myself so I don't go overboard on pages, and plan on doing annual books from now on if I can keep up.
My MIL will also make a first year book of LO for me, but it usually doesn't have many pictures of my family, that's why I make my own.

weddinginthecove · May 2014

@araziza‌ I have one of those frames and hate it. Someone gave it to me as a gift years ago and it just sits in my closet. I can see it being great for LOs pictures but a part of me hates the look of it so much I can't justify it. Perhaps there are nicer ones now but mine is terrible.

@itsStackie‌ this may be a weird question but can you by any chance get a picture of the side of it so I can see how thick it looks. I can't seem to find any pictures online showing this. Again just ignore if that's too strange of a request. I need to get this "I want one book" out of my head. Most of you guys seem to think splitting it makes the most sense, so I think that's what I will do.

Also @araziza I totally hadn't thought of how others would feel looking through it. I guess I just thought about making it for me and LO and how we would never find it boring. I would probably be hired to tears looking at someone else's book that was that long haha

itsStackie · May 2014

@weddinginthecove‌ I should see them Sunday.

weddinginthecove · May 2014

Thanks @itsStackie‌ I am just trying to visualize what all those pages will look like. Regular books aren't helping because the paper is so different. Thus definitely should not be this difficult girl me. I think I am obsessing because I'm putting so much time into it it's bringing out the perfectionist in me.

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