What are the Different Types of Photobooks?

There are a number of different types of photobooks that can be used to display and organize favorite photos, such as from a wedding, a holiday, a vacation, or a special event like a birthday or baby shower, just to name a few. Digital photobooks, which exist entirely online, are a good way to be creative and to share the photobook through email with people all over the world. A physical photobook or photo album is another option; this may be an actual bound book, in which the photos are printed directly on the page, or it may be an album that allows one to add and remove photos as needed by sliding them in and out of protective sleeves.

Any of these different types of photobooks have potential benefits; the type one chooses depends on cost as well as if the photobook needs to be shared with a number of different people. In general, photobooks that are only available online are the cheapest option, and may even be free in many cases. These will sometimes be created like a slideshow, or may allow users to flip through different "pages" of the photobook featuring a number of different individual pictures for pages. The link to the photobook may then be shared with as many or as few people as desired.

Physical photo albums are somewhat more popular, however, because they act as a keepsake. There are many websites that allow users to create their own physical photobooks; the users will design each page of the book, also making choices such as size, cover appearance, and any decorative art or captions that appear throughout the book. Once the book is designed, the user can place an order and the company will print and ship as many copies of the book as desired. This option can make a great gift for family members as well.

Other photobooks may simply be purchased in stores. These feature blank pages, either with plastic inserts into which photos may be placed, or sticky pages that photos are affixed onto. These are similar to scrapbooks; photos may be printed and placed into the album, then removed or rearranged if desired. This is typically a more time consuming process, and may make it impractical to make a number of different copies of the photobook, but for people who simply want to create a family photo album, this can be a good option, and the work that goes into putting it together will make it even more personalized and special.