Recently Preston Photographic Club member Sam Mariani gave a choice presentation on photo books.

In this day and age of all things digital where websites such as Facebook and Instagram are the primary ways in which people share their pictures, photo albums may seem passé, but there are some great reasons to make photo books.

Photo books tell your story your way. You can collect and organize your pictures around a particular theme such as your backpacking trip across Europe or the year you spent building your house. You can customize your book by arranging the photos how you want and adding text and design elements to insert your unique personality into the book.

Photo books bring your memories to life. We love the Internet as much as anyone else, but looking at a beautiful book on your lap feels different than viewing it on a computer monitor or mobile device. The album’s weight and the smooth feel of the glossy pages filled with vibrant photos offer substance and tangibility. It’s also a wonderful way to share your photography with people who may not be online or on your preferred photo sharing website.

Photo books are beautiful and professional. They make great coffee table books and you can also use them to create a portfolio. You can easily integrate photo books into your photography business. They also make beautiful gifts.

Putting together your own photo book can be very easy. There are a number of websites that allow you to create them such as Snapfish, momento, Artisan State, and albumworks. In most cases, you download a desktop program, create the photo book, and then upload the whole thing to the site. The company then prints the book and ships it to you. Costs vary according to factors such as the size of the book, the quality of the paper and printing, and so forth. Besides cost, other things to consider when selecting a company to create your photo book are ease of use, delivery options, and design options.

Sam noted that the result in printing may not always be what you expect. It may be worth creating a small book with more than one company to compare the results before making a final decision.

Many photo book sites also offer other products such as calendars, cards, posters, diaries, and coffee mugs, which all make great gifts showcasing your photography.

A big thanks to Sam Mariani and also to Joe Conte for sharing these terrific resources.