18 unique photo book ideas friends and family will love
There’s no doubt about it, photo books always make people smile. Or well up. Or result in lots of hugging and reminiscing.
Either way, the point is that a photo book can be anything you want it to be. Your own page-turner could make people laugh, cry, grin, gasp and just about everything else in between. You’ve got the photos saved somewhere, so now you just need some unique and creative photo book ideas.
From celebrating a birthday to saving tasty recipes, the possibilities really are endless. So, we've come up with some of the best photo book ideas to help get you started.
Creating a photo book online couldn’t be easier, so prepare to get those creative juices flowing and let’s dive straight in...
1. Create a scrapbook from an unforgettable holiday
Sun. Sea. Sand. A travel photo book is a great idea if you want to keep hold of those treasured holiday snaps.
Whether it’s a quiet romantic getaway, a honeymoon, or a chaotic family holiday with the kids, you just can’t beat flicking through pages of landmark sights, scenic landscapes and happy faces covered in delicious ice cream. You can even use this ready-made photo book travel template theme to get started!
2. Save those special graduation pics for years to come
When graduation season rolls around, we’re super proud of how far our (not-so) little ones have come. Whilst the day may feel like it comes and goes in a flash, you can guarantee Dad will be standing there with his camera grabbing snaps, while you hold the tissues.
Graduation photo books are the best way to preserve the special memories of such a momentous day, and they're also a special gift for your genius graduate. From family photos to the iconic cap throw, capture it all in a photo book to hold onto forever.
3. Celebrate a milestone birthday by telling their story so far
It doesn’t really matter whether they’re turning 18 or 80, photo books are a great way to celebrate those important birthdays. Um, or any other birthday, for that matter.
By filling pages with their happiest moments and most cherished memories, you can tell their full remarkable story so far. Alternatively, you could even throw in some inside jokes or the most embarrassing pictures you can find of them! After all, everyone deserves a good laugh on their birthday.
4. Mark the end of their school era with photos from over the years
Over the years, you’ll gather a collection of “first day” photos, with your little ones proudly standing at the front door in their perfect uniform - knowing they definitely won’t come home looking so smart. But when the end of their school era comes around, these memories can fade into the background as they head off into their next adventure.
From first days to sports days, school photo books help you keep hold of these special moments for years to come, keeping you prepared for when the grandkids ask, ‘What did Mum look like when she was in school?’, or to embarrass your child when they bring their new partner around for the first time!
5. Save those mouth-watering recipes in your very own cookbook
Grandma’s chicken stew. Dad’s famous spag bol. That time you experimented with the remnants of your kitchen cupboard and created a surprise masterpiece. Recipe photo books are fantastic for keeping hold of your tastiest family favourites forever.
Simply take some great snaps of your delicious dishes, add in the cooking instructions and create a cookbook you can pass down through the generations. If you don’t have the pictures saved yet, this is the perfect excuse to cook up a load of mouth-watering food!
6. Show them just how much you love them
Love language gifts can often be difficult to give, because how do you buy someone something that fully represents how much they mean to you?
Photo books provide a unique way to tell the story of your relationship, whether it’s for your girlfriend who you’re ready to pop the question to, or a special gift for your best friend who's about to head off travelling. Nothing says love like showing off all the memories that make your heart full, your belly laugh, and moments that speak a thousand words.
7. Keep hold of the kids’ best sketches and scribbles forever
Alright, so they might survive for a while stuck on your fridge door, but your kids’ best sketches and doodles really belong in a photo book. Not only will this keep them safe and sound, but just think about all the clutter you’ll be able to avoid! No more scraps of paper all over the house? Bliss.
Depending on what they like to draw, our ready-made kids photo book with a monster theme could be a great place to start. Simply scan or take photos of their mini works of art, add them to your photo book, and you’ll still be able to enjoy them even when the kids are much older and have flown the nest!
8. Say goodbye in the most heartfelt way
You might love your work bestie to bits, but one day you might have to face them leaving for a new adventure. After so many water cooler chats, meetings, chaotic office nights out and inside jokes, saying goodbye to a favourite colleague is always tough, especially when you want to surprise them with a leaving gift nobody else is going to give.
So, for a gift for someone who has everything (or will do), why not make them a photo book with all the special memories you’ve collected over the years? From the iconic Christmas party in 2018, to the day you both accidentally wore the same outfit, collect all these moments together and remind your work bestie just how much you loved working with them.
9. Showcase the best moments from a magical wedding day
It’s the best day of your (or their) life, so you’ll want to keep hold of those happy memories forever. From romantic shots of the happy couple to the drunk uncle who danced to every song, a wedding photo book lets you relive the magic of that day all over again.
A great gift for newlyweds, family members or anyone else who played a part in the special day, you can use our simple occasion theme to quickly make something special. Close-ups of the delicious cake are always encouraged - you’ll never want to forget that.
10. Mark a special anniversary for that special couple in your life
From their first year together to their golden anniversary, it's time to look back on all their years as a happy couple - and one of the best ways to do this is with a photo book!
Whether you’re looking for a unique gift for your grandparents celebrating 60 years of marriage or something paper for your 1st wedding anniversary, photo books transform all the special moments into a heartfelt gift they'll want to hold on to forever. Make sure to include the love, the laughs, and all the extra details that make their amazing love story so special.
11. Flick through your silliest and most adorable pet pics
Let’s be honest, most of your best photos probably involve a dog, cat, rabbit or some other kind of cheeky pet. You might have caught them mid-sneeze, eating something they shouldn’t, or cracking the world’s toothiest smile. Whatever it is, your silliest and cutest pet snaps belong in a photo book.
Just think about it. An entire book filled with your pet’s adorable, smushy face? Now that’s a book you’ll never be able to put down. Check out our guide to pet photography, so you can get the perfect shot, every time!
12. Remember them, forever
When we lose someone special to us, we often find comfort in looking back on special moments shared with them. This might involve scrolling through old photos on your phone, going through old family photo albums, or raiding memory boxes to find birthday cards they sent you over the years.
You can celebrate the life they lived by bringing all these priceless memories together into a beautiful photo book. Fill it with photos, cards, letters, or even note down the important words of wisdom they shared with you - then, in the moments you miss them most, you can flick through the pages and remember just how special they were.
13. Cherish your baby’s amazing first year of life
When there’s a teeny-tiny human crawling around, the photo possibilities are endless. It seems like every day they’re making new noises, pulling new faces and basically looking even cuter than the day before. Even if you thought that wasn’t possible.
Your baby’s first year of life will always be a magical time, and our ready-made baby photo book helps you keep hold of such precious memories. Fill the pages with cherished pregnancy moments, “firsts”, and milestones, so that you can flick through the pages with a packet of tissues when they’re all grown up and having babies of their own!
14. A wedding guestbook that can have pride of place in your home
Everyone is always looking for unique wedding guestbook ideas to incorporate into their special day, but many of these ideas aren’t always functional after the wedding has passed. Instead, try using photo books to make a wedding guestbook that guests will absolutely love - and will then take pride of place in your home for years to come.
Add photos of your best moments together, snaps from your engagement party and other favourite pics, and then simply leave some blank spaces on each page for guests to sign on your wedding day. When your wedding day is long gone and you’re sat with your newlywed reading each and every special note written to you, you can keep it on-show as a stylish yet special coffee table book.
15. Remember your roots and tell your family history
Gawking at your grandparents as kids. Seeing family members you never got to meet. Laughing at Dad’s dodgy childhood haircut. There’s just nothing quite like flicking through old family photos, but the originals have probably deteriorated or faded over time.
Not to worry, our fantastic slide scanning service will bring old photos back to life, and then you can add these newer, clearer versions into a family history photo book. You’ll be making your very own family heirloom before you know it.
16. Release your inner children’s author
When the kids are bored of the array of bedtime stories you’ve bought over the years, you may be put on the spot to tell your own story. Children’s books are full of excitement and adventure, and you know exactly what your kids love.
So instead of trying to come up with the most intriguing story on the spot to get the kids to bed, why not write your own and “publish” it in a photo book? Fill the photo book with hand drawn characters, your story, and even personalise the tale by including your children’s names! The possibilities are endless when writing your own children’s book, and who knows? You might even make your millions with it one day!
17. Make a polished and professional portfolio
That’s right, photo books aren’t just about reliving the past, but they can also be used to make your future. Since they’re crafted from premium materials and offer such a professional feel, photo books are a fantastic way to showcase your photography skills with a stylish portfolio. Whether you’re a budding photographer, interior designer, or poet, a photo book is the way to go!
Starting with our blank photo book theme will let your creativity run wild, allowing you to make a portfolio unlike anyone else’s. Next stop: dream job!
18. Simply show off the photos that always make you smile!
Let’s face it, your camera roll is probably jam-packed with great snaps you’ve taken over the years. Not to mention all the photos you’ve got saved on your computer, social media and cloud storage accounts. Yep, it’s all too easy for some of your most treasured memories to get lost in all the noise.
You don’t need a special occasion to create a great photo book. This is always a great way to keep hold of your best-loved snaps from Instagram, Facebook or wherever else they might be saved. Besides, those happy photos are wasted on a screen, they deserve to be printed in a gorgeous colour photo book and held in your hands for the rest of time.
Why not make this a new family tradition, and print a yearly photo book showing everything you guys got up to over the last 365 days?
This is just the tip of the photo book iceberg. There are endless ways to create your own page-turner, so explore our full range of photo books to get those creative juices flowing!
