How to choose photos for a family photo book

Choose the story before the layout

Decide whether the book is about one session, a first year, a holiday, or an everyday season. The narrower the story, the easier it becomes to choose images that belong together.

Use a three-pass edit

• Pass one: mark every image that makes you smile or brings back a detail.
• Pass two: remove duplicates and keep the strongest expression or composition.
• Pass three: balance the book with wide scenes, close portraits, and small details.

Give the book breathing room

Not every page needs a collage. A single photograph on a clean spread can give an important moment more weight, while a few smaller images can show the energy and connection around it.

Finish with the photographs you will miss most

The final pages often become the emotional close of the book. Choose a quiet portrait, a favourite family grouping, or a tiny detail that captures the age and personality of this chapter.