For the Love of Family Books

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In this digital age we live in, many struggle getting their digital photographs from the computer to somewhere in print.  While there’s a variety of ways to do this, one way that I’ve personally conquered this battle is through the printing of an annual family book.  I started this tradition back in 2007, shortly after I began pursuing photography. And today, my books proudly grace my credenza and are one of my most prized possessions.  If my house was on fire and I knew my family was safe, the first thing I’d grab would be my family books.

These books also make a most fabulous Christmas gift for the grandparents. :-)

So, how does it work?

My family’s photographs are located together in one spot and organized by months and years. Having your files organized allows for quick and easy access at the end of every year.  I use the following folder organization system –

I have a main folder called family
Then a folder for the year (2007, 2008…)
Within each year are the months (01, 02, 03…)
Within each month, I have these folders  –
RAW
JPG
web

Note: Because I work in Lightroom, I don’t need a PSD folder due to Lightroom stacking RAW and PSD files.  But when I used to work in Adobe Bridge, I also had a PSD folder.

At the end of every year, I upload high-resolution JPG files from each month into the Blurb BookSmart program and then I start designing using Blurb’s page layout templates.  I never really have a specific plan when I start designing…I just start.  My design style is pretty simple and I like to keep the photos in chronological order, for the most part. I also have started including our Christmas card and newsletter in the book, which is fun because my newsletter summarizes our family’s year.

Blurb books are wonderful quality and the software is quite user friendly, once you get the hang of things.

Some thoughts and tips, when creating your book…

You can find additional tips and tutorials on creating your book, here on the Blurb website.

This is the layout of my 2010 family book — from land to sea…a family we’ll be..

Larger view here.

And a sample page spread…

Larger view here.

I can’t even begin to express how much I love my family’s annual books.  I hope my kids will one day consider them treasured family heirlooms.  Whether you use Blurb or another book-making software, I hope you’ll give it a try.  It’s never too late to start.

ETA:  I also do class books, for my kids’ school auction, which are a huge success every year.

After graduating college, Deb Schwedhelm spent 10 years as a Registered Nurse in the Air Force. It wasn’t until she left the military that her career as a photographer began. In 2006, Deb decided to pursue her dream — she purchased a DSLR camera, began teaching herself photography and never looked back. Whether commissioned portrait sessions, commercial assignments or her ongoing personal projects, Deb always remains true to herself and her artistic vision. Deb is married to a U.S. Naval Officer and is the mother to three incredible children, who are often the subjects of her photographic work. She is currently based in Tampa, Florida. Her work can be viewed on her website, and her inspirational photoblog can be found here as well.

About Deb

After graduating college, Deb spent 10 years as a Registered Nurse in the Air Force. It wasn’t until she left the military that her career as a photographer began. In 2006, Deb decided to pursue her dream — she purchased a DSLR camera, began teaching herself photography and never looked back. Whether commissioned portrait sessions, commercial assignments or her ongoing personal projects, Deb always remains true to herself and her artistic vision. Deb is married to a U.S. Naval Officer and is the mother to three incredible children, who are often the subjects of her photographic work. She is currently based in Tampa, Florida.

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