5 Tips to Make a Photo Book Even When Life Gets in the Way

Over the past three weeks, I’ve shared some common obstacles keeping you from making a photo book. All to often, you know you want a photo book of your favorite photos….yet it seems impossible to actually make a photo book.  

You may have too many photo book ideas and not enough time. If so, you need to select one project that will be the easiest to complete or mean the most to you. Stay committed to this one goal and don’t let another enter your mind until you finish this first project.

Or, making a photo book may feel too much like a chore and not yet a habit. I suggested that you find a cue, a behavior that you are already doing (working in Lightroom), and then combine the habit you want to create (making a photo book). When you successfully combine the habit with the cue, make sure to reward yourself.

Or, you constantly have an inner voice telling you will never be able to finish a photo book. If this sounds like you, then you need to re-frame your mindset. Establish a positive voice that motivates you to finish your goal instead of preventing you. Turn the “I can’t….” or “I don’t have time….” into “I will make a photo book.” or “I want to find the time to print my photos.” This simple mindset switch is extremely powerful.

However, I also recognize that life is busy. It doesn’t just stop to let you work on something you want.

It is a constant battle for me to find small pockets of time to address my priority of printing my photos, especially among all of the other priorities competing for my time. And of course, making a photo book isn’t my only priority. It’s not even in the top five.

Yet, it’s still something that I want to get accomplished every year.  So somehow, I have to find a way to make it happen alongside all of the other interests and tasks going on in my life. Over the years, I’ve discovered how to make a quick, easy and beautiful annual photo book.

My full process is outlined in my workshop, In One Hundred Pages. It covers everything from getting organized to making a book, and yes, making sure it happens during one of the busiest times of the year.  

 

 

 

 

I want to share 5 tips on how to make a photo book even when life gets in the way.

 

 

 

1 – Make it a priority 

 

Making a photo book doesn’t have to be your top priority, however, it is important that you include it as a priority. I want you to think of making a photo book in a similar way to taking the photos. You pressed the shutter for a reason. You imported the photos into Lightroom (or whatever program you use) for a reason. You go through and edit or post to social media your favorite photos for a reason.

 

Don’t let that be the last step.

 

Print your photos! When you print your favorite photos in a photo book, you are making them accessible to your husband. To your kids. For the future. There is something special in seeing your photos curated together in a photo book.

 

 

 

2 – Get clear on the why

 

Once you’ve made it a priority, it’s important to understand the why behind making a photo book. Imagine what it will be like to have your kids go through your photo book when it comes in the mail. Now imagine your kids flipping through the pages ten years from now. What emotions are connected to that thought? How will it feel to see your kids going through your photos in a book. Hold on to that emotion and use it as motivation to keep you focused.

 

 

 

3 – Get clear on the how

 

The next step in keeping your photo book goal even when life gets in the way is to have a clear action plan for how you are going to achieve this goal. My workshop, In One Hundred Pages, outlines a clear map for you to follow to organize your photos and print them in a book. However, even if you don’t purchase the workshop, it’s important that you develop your own plan. Break down the steps you need to accomplish in order to reach this goal. Saying you want to make a photo book is too broad. Go deep and get specific. Once you understand how you are going to accomplish something, it’s more likely that you’ll actually see through the task.

 

 

 

4 – Establish your workflow

 

As you are defining how you will make a photo book, find ways to incorporate these tasks into an already existing workflow. Don’t think you have a workflow? I’m betting you do. If you take photos, import photos, edit photos, or share photos, you have a workflow.

 

Find out how you can insert printing your photos into the workflow you’ve already created. Go back to the Cue – Habit – Reward system and figure out what you can task you can add to your existing process to make it easier for you in the end. If you export a photo to share on Instagram, immediately export it again with the setting needed to print the photo. It can be as simple as that.

 

 

 

5 – Find an initial win – to build momentum

 

Finally, create a small, easy-to-accomplish task to have an initial win and build momentum. This first win is crucial in establishing the habit you want to create. It helps you realize that it’s possible to print your photos and it doesn’t have to be hard, stressful or overwhelming. 

 

Not sure what this looks like. Let me give you some examples:

 

Create a folder on your desktop with the name: “2020 Photos to Print.”

 

That’s easy, right? I’m serious when I say making a photo book doesn’t have to be hard. This first step is crucial and yet so, so easy. 

 

Ready to keep going? 

 

If you use Lightroom, create a preset to export photos you want to print directly to this folder at 300ppi and the long edge set to 12 inches. 

 

That is how simple I want you to keep these tasks to build momentum.

 

You can do this!

 

And if you want even more guidance, make sure to sign-up to In One Hundred Pages workshop!