How to Make a Photo Book

Turning your photos into a photo book is one of the most meaningful ways to preserve your memories. Whether it’s a family vacation, a wedding, a baby’s first year, or everyday moments, a photo book lets you revisit and share those stories anytime.

If you’re wondering how to make a photo book, this guide walks through the full process—from gathering your photos to ordering your finished album—while also helping you explore different styles, formats, and ideas along the way.

In This Guide

How to prepare your photos
How to choose a photo book template
How to pick size, cover, and binding
How to create and customize your book
Additional photo book ideas and resources

Step 1: Gather and Prepare Your Photos

Before you start building your photo book, take a little time to gather the photos you want to include. This makes the entire creation process smoother and helps you stay focused once you’re inside the editor.

You can upload photos directly from your device, or import them from supported services like Google Photos, Amazon Photos, and Facebook. If your photos are spread across different places, it helps to pull them into one spot ahead of time.

As you prepare your photos, think about:

The story or time period you want to capture
How many photos you want to include
Any images you want to feature more prominently

Starting with a curated set of photos makes your book feel more intentional and easier to design.

Step 2: Choose Your Photo Book Template

Photo book templates give you a starting point for your design, with coordinated layouts, fonts, and page styles based on different themes and occasions.

You’ll find templates for a wide range of projects, including:

If you prefer more flexibility, you can also start from a blank page and build your photo book design from scratch.

Choosing a template doesn’t lock you in—you can adjust layouts, swap photos, and customize the design later.

Step 3: Choose Your Photo Book Size, Cover Style & Binding

Next, choose the physical format of your photo book. These decisions affect how your book looks, feels, and displays your photos.

Select Your Photo Book Size

Photo books come in square, landscape, and portrait formats. The best choice depends on how your photos were taken and how you plan to use your book.

Choose a Cover Type

Hardcover photo books for a classic, durable option
Softcover photo books for a lighter, more flexible feel
Leather photo books for a premium and more elevated look

Pick Your Binding Style

Standard binding for everyday books
Layflat binding for seamless spreads across two pages
Deluxe layflat for a thicker, more premium finish

If you’re deciding between formats, it can help to compare options like hardcover vs. softcover or standard vs. layflat before you start designing.

Step 4: Choose How You Want to Create Your Photo Book

After selecting your photo book, you’ll choose how you want to build it inside the editor.

Make It Fast

Shutterfly creates a starting version of your photo book using your selected photos. You can go in and adjust layouts, swap images, and edit text afterward.

Make It Manually

Build your book yourself with full control. You can place photos, adjust layouts, add text, and customize each page, including starting from a blank page if you prefer.

Make It For Me

With Shutterfly’s free photo book designer service, a designer creates your photo book for you based on your photos and preferences. You’ll receive a completed version to review and edit before ordering.

Step 5: Customize Your Photo Book From Cover to Cover

This is where your photo book starts to come together.

Design the Cover

Customize your front and back cover by:

Swapping photos
Editing titles, names, or dates
Adjusting layouts and backgrounds

Edit and Arrange Pages

Work through your photo book page by page:

Add or remove photos
Change layouts
Rearrange images
Add or delete pages

Add Text and Captions

Text helps tell the story behind your photos. You can add:

Page titles
Captions
Dates or locations

If you want more guidance, explore ideas for adding text and captions to your photo book.

Customize Backgrounds and Embellishments

You can also:

Change background colors or patterns
Add embellishments like borders or design elements
Adjust spacing and alignment

Small design details can make your book feel more cohesive and polished

Step 6: Review, Preview, and Make Final Adjustments

Before ordering, preview your photo book from beginning to end. This helps you catch:

Typos or missing text
Cropped faces or important details
Page order or layout issues

You can go back and make edits at any point before finalizing.

Step 7: Place Your Order

Once everything looks right, confirm your selections and place your order.

At this point, your photo book is ready to be printed and turned into a finished keepsake.

More Photo Book Ideas and Resources

If you want to explore more options, design ideas, or planning tips, these resources can help:

Choosing the Right Photo Book

Design Ideas by Occasion

Planning and Budget Tips