When things slowed down during Covid-19 I decided to finally organize all my family photos into an album. I learned a few things along the way, so if you're wanting to start a similar project, here are some tips. Since this was my first attempt, I did it by the seat of my pants and it took a lot longer than if I had planned it out with an outline!
Five tips to know before you start your own photo album project:
1. Identify all pictures to be used, especially old photos. Reformat your photos ahead of time to be usable for today’s technologies, such as scanning them and saving them as jpegs. 300 dpi works best for printing.
2. Begin with a formal outline or plan for the story you want to tell. Write the narratives that go with the photos ahead of time instead of trying to write them as you go.
3. Organize the photos and narratives sequentially and make corrections in Word before trying to create layouts. It’s best to edit in Word, and then copy and paste the narratives to Shutterfly or a similar photo book service.
4. Make the photos and narratives larger in size, so they are easy to see and read. Since it was my first attempt using Shutterfly, I didn’t know some things would come out as small as they did.
5. Look for deals before you print (sometimes Shutterfly will run 50% off sales) or save the project until they have a sale because it can add up. Print enough copies to share with family members, especially your own children and maybe even grandchildren.
-Pat Lau (mother of Sarah Chang, Marina HIlls ward)
NOTE: The FamilySearch Memories app can help organize your photos and memories as you collect items for your photo album. You can create folders for each family, add photos with important notes and dates, record audio as you interview a relative, and add documents you’ve scanned.
