Photo Books for the Holidays
THE MAGIC OF MAKING BOOKS IN APPLE PHOTOS
Every year, about this time, as the days get shorter and I rediscover my sock drawer, I realize it’s book season again. Not the can’t-put-it-down page-turner type of books, but the sit-on-the-sofa and revisit moments past type of books.
Photo books.
This is the time of year when there’s a backlog of under appreciated photos sitting in my Photos Library, with just enough time to get them organized and shared before the ball drops and we start the year all over again. Nothing beats a custom printed photo book as a holiday gift, visual journal, or personal yearbook. For creatives, it can showcase the year’s work. For travelers, the journeys. Leafing through printed pictures in a bound book is a rich experience unlike anything digital.
Making photo books gets easier all the time, and one of the best ways is right in Apple Photos.
Photo books - as well as prints, cards, and calendars - have been a favorite Apple feature since the introduction of iPhoto in 2002. In 2018, when Photos replaced iPhoto, Apple made it so any printer could connect directly to the Library and offer the same seamless experience that Apple users loved in iPhoto, but with many more options.
Today, over half a dozen photo book printers are part of the Apple Photos ecosystem and let you build amazing photo books of all sizes from your own pictures. No exporting to your desktop or a website. No fussing with the right file format. No installing a whole new app. If you use Apple Photos for your photo management, then you only need to look at Projects as an easy way to create photo books that you will love to view and love to give. Projects is only available in Apple Photos on the Mac.
Some stellar reasons to make photo books right now are:
Enjoy your photos at a decent size. The iPhone screen is amazing, but photos deserve to be seen larger than a business card. Your uncle Carl is 6 foot 3 inches, for Pete’s sake. He deserves at least eight by ten inches. Ya.
There’s about fifteen pictures out of forty-seven you took of the kids at the town farm that should be in a book. They’re all cute, but those photos tell the story of a fun afternoon. Save them. Print them. Give them as a present and someday they can laugh at Mom riding the statue of Wilbur the pig.
It was a great weekend at their home on Cape Cod. We took photos of the stuffed bookshelves and artifacts on the walls. A 100 year-old house without a straight line and more character than Anthony Hopkins. Here’s a little book we made to thank you for the great time.
The Year Book. Every family should have one. Time moves on. Memory fades. The little, important things can ghost and die without a whimper. The big ones need more perspective than a tiny grid of images. Books make a statement. That THESE photos are the most important ones. You get to decide.
All those old photos that never saw the light of day were finally scanned. Here are some family moments that were lost to time, saved in a photo book for everyone.
I want you to have this. It’s just a book of photos that I think you’ll love. I do. Some of yours. Some of mine. We had a great time and I wanted to remember it. Us.
For your own enjoyment and for holiday gift giving, I think a photo book is a one-of-a-kind treat and brings our memories back to something tangible and precious in this digital time.
Start by creating an Album of the photos you want to include. You can add and delete from the Library or a Collection until you have the pictures you want. Then move them around as needed to make a nice story arc.
Select the Album and choose File > Create > Book to see the printers available for book printing and select one. If you don’t already have the printer’s extension installed, you will be told how to do that. Then Apple Photos will create your book Project. Follow the prompts to design and order the book.
Happy book making.
Online Photo Book Workshop
🎄 Let’s Make a Photo Book for the Holidays
Every year around this time, I look at my camera roll and think: I really should make a photo book.
A year’s worth of memories - birthdays, travel, family, quiet moments - all sitting in my Photos Library, waiting for a little attention.
If that sounds familiar, this might be just what you need.
Starting November 6, I’m hosting a 2-week Online Photo Book Workshop - a friendly, guided experience that will help you actually finish a photo book in time for the holidays.
Together, we’ll turn that “someday” project into something real - a beautiful, printed book you can hold in your hands, share with family, or wrap up as a heartfelt gift.
Here’s what’s included:
📘 Kickoff Lesson (Live & Recorded) – A one-hour overview of the full process: collecting photos, choosing layouts, and placing your order.
💬 Two Q&A Sessions – Get personal help and inspiration as you design your book.
🎓 Graduation Session – We’ll celebrate your progress and make sure your book is ready to send to print.
📺 Session recordings available for 60 days – Perfect if you can’t attend live or want to revisit later.
No fancy tech skills required — just your photos, your story, and a willingness to start.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a finished, printed photo book — something you can gift, display, or cherish for years to come.
You’ll receive full details and pricing in a few days. No obligation — just first dibs on a spot.
Let’s make this the year your memories make it out of your Photos Library and under the tree. 🎁
P.S. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by photo book software or stuck choosing “which photos,” don’t worry — I’ll walk you through each step. You’ll be amazed at how easy (and fun!) it can be once you start.
Very interesting! Thank you for sharing the process.