How-to Video Tutorials
The basics of making a AdoramaPix photo book
Photo books are a great way to turn your favorite digital photos into a beautiful
keepsake that will hold your treasured memories, or serve as a unique and memorable
gift. The best part is that AdoramaPix makes it so easy to build a professional
quality book that will last a lifetime.
Who needs a photo book?
Photo books have a variety of uses both personal and commercial. They can be used to commemorate the birth of a child, display your wedding or travel photos, as a portfolio of your work, or to showcase your company’s products. The quality of AdoramaPix books ensures that books made for personal use will remain in the family for generations to come, and that books made for commercial use will impress your customers and clients.
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Things you’ll need
In order to get started, you’ll need five things:
- Digital photos
- A computer with an internet connection
- An internet browser (E.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari)
- Adobe Flash (version 9 or newer)
- An AdoramaPix account
if you don’t already have one, creating an AdoramaPix account is free and will take only moments. Just click on the orange button below to get started.Read moreIf you already have an account, then you’re ready to create a book. You can start by logging into your account and clicking the big orange button on the photo books page. Now we’ll take you through the 8 easy steps to creating your very own photo book:
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Choosing your size and style of book
Step number one is to decide on what size and style of photo book will best fit your needs. AdoramaPix gives you lots of options to choose from.
Choosing a shape
AdoramaPix photo books come in a variety of shapes. The shapes are broken down into portrait (taller than they are wide), square, and landscape (wider than they are tall). Choose the one that
Read moreyou think will best suit the types of photos you have. For example, if you have a lot of vertical photos of people, then a portrait shaped book is probably the best choice.
Choosing a size
Each book shape comes in several sizes. Clicking on the different sizes will show an example of what that size looks like. You’ll also see the prices for your chosen size at the bottom of the page. Browse through the different sizes until you find the one you want.
NOTE: AdoramaPix allows you to order smaller versions of books that have exactly the same shape. For example, you can make a 12x12 wedding album for the bride and groom and then order additional copies in 8x8 or 6x6 sizes. For image quality reasons you can only order smaller versions of a book, not larger ones. Therefore it is important to create the original book in the largest size you’re likely to need.
Choose a page count
Choose a number of pages for your book based on the number of photos you have. Since you haven’t picked a theme or loaded your photos yet, this number will be a guess. Don’t worry about it if you’re not sure, you can always change your mind later. -
Choose a theme
The next step is to decide on the theme of your book. AdoramaPix provides a number of pre-designed book templates suitable for common themes such as travel, holidays, portfolios, or weddings. You can also choose to ‘build your own’ if you want to create a theme from scratch.
We recommend that you browse through our themes to see if one of them is more or less what you want. Keep in mind that you can change anything you want later so it doesn’t have to be perfect. Clicking the thumbnails on the left will display a preview of that theme to the right. Clicking on the pages of the preview will let you flip through the template to see what it looks like. We have dozens of themes to choose from so chances are good that one of them will suit your needs.See a video example.
Read moreBuilding your own means you start out with a blank book and get to design your book exactly the way you want to. AdoramaPix has a powerful photo book editor that will give you plenty of freedom and creative control. Starting from scratch will take longer than using one of our templates as a starting point, but it lets you create something that is uniquely yours.
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Import your photos
You can choose to import the photos for your book from three sources.
- Your AdoramaPix galleries.
- Directly from your camera or personal computer
- From a photo-sharing site such as Flickr or Picasa
Importing photos is easy. The import screen (shown below) is divided into three parts, a list of photo sources on the left, the photos available at that source in the center, and the photos to be used in your project on the right.
Read moreChoose the source for your photos from the left hand panel. If the source is an AdoramaPix Gallery, your photos already reside on our server and can be browsed in the center panel. Select the photos from the center panel and drag them over to the panel on the right or click the ‘add all’ button. See a video example
If the source is from your personal computer, select your photos using your computer’s file browser and our Flash uploader will be launched automatically in the center panel. As your files upload, they will be added to the project photos on the right automatically. See a video example
If the source is Flickr or Picasa, browse your photos in the center panel. You can drag the photos to the project panel or use the ‘add all’ button the same way you would with AdoramaPix galleries, except you’ll have to wait for them to be uploaded to us by the photo sharing site. See a video example
Once the project panel contains all the photos you want in your book, you can proceed to the next step. Don’t worry if you forgot some photos, you can always come back and add more pictures later.
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Name your project
What’s in a name?
This part is easy. Just choose a name for your book project. You can name it anything you want, but we suggest you make the name relevant to the content of the book. E.g. “Amy’s Wedding Album” so you’ll know what’s in it later when you have multiple projects. This name is also what will show up as the title of your book if you choose to share it on the Internet.
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Add photos to your book
Once you’ve chosen your name the fun part begins. Now you get to take the photos you put into your project folder during the import step and add them to your photo book. There are two ways to do this – automatically, and manually.
Read moreThe automatic way to add photos is using our convenient Auto-Fill feature. When the editor first opens you’ll see a panel with the heading Images on the left side of the screen filled with thumbnails of your pictures. Just above those thumbnails are two buttons marked import images and Auto-Fill. The first button takes you back to the import step if you need more photos. The Auto-Fill button will take the photos you added to your project during the import step and add them to your book in the same order they are listed in. If you want them to be added in a different order, just click and drag your photo thumbnails around in the images panel until they’re in the order you want. See a video example.
The manual way to enter them is to click on a photo thumbnail and drag it over one of the photo placeholders on a page. When you release the mouse button, the photo will be added to that placeholder.
NOTE:You don’t have to use the place holders. If you drag a thumbnail over any open space on a page and release the mouse button, the photo gets dropped right there. You can add as many photos as you want to your pages in this way. See a video example.
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Edit your photo book
If you used a one of our pre-designed templates and added your pictures, this is the point at which you would flip through your book and add any finishing touches. These might include text captions next to your photos, or making slight adjustments to the size or positioning of the photos. If you think your book looks perfect as it is, just skip this step altogether.
Read moreIf you built your book from scratch or are changing the layout substantially, an explanation of all the things you could do is beyond the scope of this tutorial. So what we’ll do instead is provide you with a summary of some of the more common changes you might like to make to a book.
Fixing mistakes.
If anything you do produces an outcome you don’t like - undo it. The first option on the orange bar along the top of the screen is a white square with a curved arrow that says Undo beneath it. Click on the square until the mistake is corrected.
Moving pages around in your book
At the bottom of the screen you’ll see thumbnails of your book pages. You can click on those thumbnails and drag them to a new place in the book.
Moving things around on your pages.
Click the object you want to move so it is framed by a dotted line. Now you can click and drag that object around to wherever you want.
Removing unwanted elements
Click the object you want to remove so it is framed by a dotted line. Hit the DEL or DELETE key on your keyboard.
Resizing your photos or text captions.
Click the thing you want to resize so it is framed by a dotted line. Click and drag on the grey squares on the corners of the dotted frame.
Cropping your photos.
Click the photo you want to crop so it is framed by a dotted line. An orange bar will pop up by the photo. The first option on the bar is Crop . Click it and use the slider to crop your photo.
Adjusting your photos in the frame
Click the photo you want to adjust so it is framed by a dotted line. An orange bar will pop up next to the photo. The second option on the bar is Pan . Click pan to see the entire photo displayed under the frame. Click on the photo and drag it to where you want it.
Adding a text caption.
Click the grey bar marked Text to the left of the screen. Drag the word “Text” onto your book and release the mouse button.
Editing a text caption.
Double click on the text caption and start typing. To change the font, style or color of the text, those options are on the orange bar that appeared beside the text when you clicked it.
Changing a page background.
Click the grey bar marked Backgrounds to the left of the screen. Select a category. Drag the background you like onto your page and release the mouse button.Rotating a photo.
Click a photo so that it is framed by a dotted line. A circle with an arrow on it will be attached to the dotted line frame. Click on that circle and drag it to rotate the photo.
For additional information on how to edit photo books please refer to our HELP area.
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Preview your book
Whether your book is finished, or you just want to see how it’s looking so far, you can click the preview button at any time. Previewing your book will open a viewer that lets you flip through the pages of your book in a simulation of what it would look like if printed.
Read moreTo flip through the book you can click on the pages, click and drag the corners of the pages, or click on the arrows underneath the preview. If you’re happy with the way your book looks, you can go straight to order. If you want to change something, you can go back and edit some more. See a video example.
Don’t worry if the preview looks a little soft. Your computer monitor is much lower resolution than your book will be printed at. Rest assured if your photos were sharp when you took them, they’ll be every bit as sharp in your AdoramaPix book.
NOTE: Empty text placeholders and empty photo placeholders will not be printed when you order your book, so they won’t show up in the preview either. As far as layout and positioning goes, what you see in the preview is what your final book will look like – only sharper and more colorful.
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Place an order
When you click on the order button you will be taken to a preview of your book. This is your last chance to look through your book and make sure everything looks the way you want it to. Take a moment to inspect your book and make sure you’re happy with it.
If you click the order button again, our PixBuilder tool will quickly scan through your book and look for anything you may have missed. If any potential problems are found, you will be provided with a list of them as well as the pages on which they occurred.
Read moreDon’t panic if warnings come up. Some warnings are just us being thorough to make sure you didn’t accidentally miss something.
There are two types of problems that can be brought to your attention – errors and warnings. Errors such as having no photos at all in your photo book must be fixed before you can order. Warnings such as an empty photo placeholder should be investigated just to make sure it’s what you intended. Once any errors have been addressed and you’re sure that any warnings aren’t a concern, just click order again to skip to the summary page.
The summary page lets you review your order. If everything is to your satisfaction, click “add to cart” to move on to the shipping and billing information.
Family books
The years seem to pass so quickly. Don't let them go by without preserving your priceless family memories in personalized family photo books. Computers can crash, websites can go down, and memories can fade, but custom photo books from AdoramaPix can last a lifetime.
Browse our existing family themes
Additional photo book ideas
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Ancestry
Preserve your heritage by creating a family history book that will last for generations. Show pictures of your ancestors with captions describing who they were and details about their life. This is a fun project the whole family can take part in, especially grandparents and great grandparents. Get everyone to pitch in photos and commentary, and use our Classic Theme or our Heritage Album to keep your memories alive.
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Family Yearbook
Filling a photo book with your favorite pictures from the previous year makes a great way to preserve your family memories. Do this every year to create a visual record of your family’s growth and memorable events over the years. In the years to come, these captured memories will become family heirlooms.
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New Arrivals
The arrival of a new child is a perfect occasion for a quality photo book from AdoramaPix. Check our children section for some great ideas on how to celebrate this joyous arrival.
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Family Reunion
A family reunion or get-together is a perfect occasion for a photo book. Compile your photos from the event into a stunning photo book and send copies to those who attended. Such a gift would be appreciated all the more by those who were unable to attend.
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Family Trip
Preserve the memories of a special family trip with a personalized family vacation album. Check our section on travel ideas for some novel ways to create a timeless keepsake of your family vacation.
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Family Montage
Contact all your family wherever they may be and ask them to send you a few of their favorite photos of themselves along with the story behind each photo in their own words. Put all the photos together in an album so that you have all your relations in a single book. A family montage album is a great way to help your kids to become familiar with all their relatives, and where they live.
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Pet Book
Pay tribute a special member of your family with a photo book dedicated to a beloved pet. One of our Fine Art or Pet themed books is a great choice. Add a little humor and bring your pet’s personality to life by adding thought bubble stickers and inserting captions of what the pet was thinking into the photo.
Hard cover Photo books
This isn't a book that's cranked out on a machine with a thousand others, Your book is hand-crafted with the painstaking attention to detail you've come to expect from AdoramaPix.
| 14 pages | 26 pages | 38 pages | 50 pages | 76 pages | |
| 6x4.5 | $13.46 $14.95 | $20.66 $22.95 | $27.86 $30.95 | $35.06 $38.95 | $51.26 $56.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 6X6 | $16.16 $17.95 | $26.06 $28.95 | $35.96 $39.95 | $44.96 $49.95 | $66.56 $73.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 6X7.5 | $18.86 $20.95 | $31.46 $34.95 | $43.16 $47.95 | $55.76 $61.95 | $81.86 $90.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 6X9 | $21.56 $23.95 | $35.96 $39.95 | $51.26 $56.95 | $65.66 $72.95 | $97.16 $107.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 8x6 | $19.76 $21.95 | $33.26 $36.95 | $44.96 $49.95 | $58.46 $64.95 | $87.26 $96.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 8X8 | $25.16 $27.95 | $42.26 $46.95 | $59.36 $65.95 | $76.46 $84.95 | $114.26 $126.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 8X10 | $29.66 $32.95 | $51.26 $56.95 | $72.86 $80.95 | $94.46 $104.95 | $141.26 $156.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 8X12 | $35.06 $38.95 | $61.16 $67.95 | $87.26 $96.95 | $112.46 $124.95 | $169.16 $187.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 10x12.5 | $44.06 $48.95 | $78.26 $86.95 | $111.56 $123.95 | $145.76 $161.95 | $218.66 $242.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 10X8 | $29.66 $32.95 | $51.26 $56.95 | $72.86 $80.95 | $94.46 $104.95 | $141.26 $156.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 10X10 | $35.96 $39.95 | $62.96 $69.95 | $89.96 $99.95 | $116.96 $129.95 | $175.46 $194.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 12X6 | $31.57 $39.96 | $52.77 $65.97 | $74.37 $92.96 | $95.97 $119.96 | $143.97 $179.96 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 12X9 | $38.66 $42.95 | $68.36 $75.95 | $97.16 $107.95 | $125.96 $139.95 | $188.96 $209.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 12X12 | $50.36 $55.95 | $89.06 $98.95 | $127.76 $141.95 | $166.46 $184.95 | $251.06 $278.95 |
| Add UV Coating | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
New Leather cover Photo books
This isn't a book that's cranked out on a machine with a thousand others, Your book is hand-crafted with the painstaking attention to detail you've come to expect from AdoramaPix.
| LEATHER | GENUINE LEATHER | |||
| 14 pages | Each additional 2 pages (up to 76 pages) | 14 pages | Each additional 2 pages (up to 76 pages) | |
| 6X6 | $59.90 $59.90 | + $1.70 + $1.70 | $106.90 $106.90 | + $1.70 + $1.70 |
| 8X8 | $69.31 $69.31 | + $2.90 + $2.90 | $115.31 $115.31 | + $2.90 + $2.90 |
| 8X10 | $74.90 $74.90 | + $3.70 + $3.70 | $120.90 $120.90 | + $3.70 + $3.70 |
| 10x12.5 | $99.60 $99.60 | + $5.80 + $5.80 | $135.60 $135.60 | + $5.80 + $5.80 |
| 10X8 | $74.90 $74.90 | + $3.70 + $3.70 | $120.90 $120.90 | + $3.70 + $3.70 |
| 10X10 | $89.20 $89.20 | + $4.60 + $4.60 | $127.20 $127.20 | + $4.60 + $4.60 |
| 12X12 | $104.20 $104.20 | + $6.60 + $6.60 | $141.20 $141.20 | + $6.60 + $6.60 |
Book title - $8.00 (1 line only)
Book caption - $8.00 / line (max 2 lines)
Book title - $8.00 (1 line only)
Book caption - $8.00 / line (max 2 lines)
If you are looking to print a large quantity please contact us