Get inspired with these unique photo book ideas
Every day we see hundreds of amazing photo books and albums created by our community. To help get your creativity flowing, we've gathered 16 of our most unique photo book ideas, inspired by you.
1. Celebrate your furry friend
Honor your best four-legged friends with a dedicated photo book. A much-loved member of any family, capture your pet’s unique personality in a stylish, long-lasting format. We love this customer book created by Nicole of her pet dog Dug and his action-packed first year; and The Cats by Renée Ng.
2. Create a book of poetry and short stories
Whether you're an established, aspiring or amateur wordsmith, assembling your works in a photo book is a great way to showcase your collection of poetry or short stories. In the MILK Design Studio we offer an array of designer templates to make it easy for you to create beautiful books. You can opt for text only and let your words do the talking or add pictures for some extra depth. Discover this poetry book made with MILK by Jean Perdue.
3. Preserve your most-loved recipes in your very own cookbook
Whether you’re an aspiring chef brimming with ideas or have a drawer full of old family recipes, give these culinary creations a new lease of life with a DIY recipe book. Start by collecting and transcribing all your sentimental recipes, photograph each dish, choose your format (we think a Premium Large Portrait Photo Book would suit perfectly), browse our Design Studio templates for a look that works for you and get creating. Get inspired by this customer photo book created by Amy. It features generations of family Christmas recipes.
4. Showcase your little one's art
Run out of fridge space for your young Picasso’s treasured artworks? Declutter your home without parting from these cherished snippets of your child’s younger years. Digitize copies of their artwork to add to a photo book and create a memento that can be pulled out and admired for years to come. See this customer book that did just that.
5. Mark a special anniversary
Looking to commemorate a milestone anniversary? Whether it’s one year, three years or 50+ years together, nothing quite says "I love you" like a thoughtful, tailor made gift – cue a custom MILK Photo Book. Go the extra mile and create a keepsake that narrates the story of your life together so far. We love these beautiful projects created by members of the MILK community, all celebrating different milestones in their relationship: Meg & Rob’s Golden Wedding Celebration; Five Years with Kara & Christian; and Adriel and Kezia’s First Chapter.
6. Practice gratitude with photos
Add a little more gratitude to your daily life with a photo book to remind you of all that really matters. Fill the pages of your project with things that spark joy; use our designer templates to add photos of eventful moments in your life and then the text tool to add pages with motivational quotes or a poem. Once it arrives, you’ll be able to flip through the pages for the perfect pick-me-up when you’re feeling down.
7. Print a guest book for your next event
Let your loved ones leave their mark on your special event with a beautiful Guest Photo Book or Album. Great for weddings, birthdays, milestone anniversaries and more, fill your guest photo book with images and leave white space or a few blank pages for guests to write a thoughtful message. We love this Guest Book by Jackie, full of beautiful portraits of the happy couple with plenty of space for friends and family to leave well wishes for the future.
8. Make a city guide for your short-term rental
Elevate your home rental or Airbnb with a high quality City Guide Photo Book carefully curated by you. A great personal and authentic touch for any guest visiting from out of town, you can fill the pages with a collation of house rules as well as must-visit restaurants and cafes, notable landmarks, boutiques, and hidden local gems. Our high quality will ensure it lasts as it helps guide guest after guest. See this beautiful guestbook of The Manor Holcombe.
9. Print your interior design portfolio
Wow your potential clients with a tangible interior design portfolio that exudes sophistication and elegance. A MILK Photo Book is a beautiful way to showcase your work and services. Share the story behind your business, photos of past projects and suppliers that helped bring your vision to life. We love this photo book created by The Design Paddock – giving readers a unique insight into each project, from conception through to completion.
10. Celebrate 365 days in print
Every day is full of endless photo opportunities so why not make the most of it by starting your own 365 photo project – taking a photo a day for a whole year – then showcasing the result in a beautiful MILK Photo Book. A great record of the year that was, and it’s a great project for kids, too! Discover Clair Derwort's guide on how to get started on the photo-a-day challenge.
11. Share your story from then to now
Take a journey through time with a photographic record of the then and now, old and new, or before and after. Celebrate a long-lasting relationship by scanning old photos from your younger years and pairing them alongside more recent snaps. We love this customer book celebrating Rich & Monica’s 40th anniversary with photos dating back to the 1980s. Or perhaps it’s the journey to adulthood worth commemorating; this customer’s Moleskine Photo Book narrates the amazing 30 years of Myles. But this doesn't just apply to people, any and all milestone transformations are well worth keeping record of. This creative Photo Book by Gemma documents the renovation of an old English cottage into their forever home.
12. Pop the question with a photo book
Have you got an important question to ask a loved one? Will you marry me? Will you be my bridesmaid? Create a keepsake to go alongside the milestone moment. Curate a collection of your best photos together and use our text tool in the Design Studio to create a narrative. Then, once you've set the scene and built suspense, end your photo book with the BIG question.
13. Showcase your photography in a portfolio
Showcase your photography in a display-worthy format. Each MILK Photo Book is expertly handcrafted using age-old bookmaker’s techniques, the latest printing technologies, and the finest archival quality materials, so you can rest assured knowing that your work will not only be beautifully showcased but that it will last for generations. Both our Classic and Premium Photo Books are great options for photography portfolios, but a much-loved format amongst creatives is our Moleskine Photo Books. Browse these customer portfolios for inspiration: Steven Smith Portfolio 2020, Abigail Weeden 2019, and Moments from Time.
14. Collect your sentimental cards and letters
Are you sentimental about keeping cards from over the years but currently have them hiding away in a shoebox? Bring the words back to life in a compact, easy-to-read format where they won’t get lost or forgotten. Scan the cards and fill your book with your collection of well-wishes from over the years. Another modern-day idea for a birthday or other celebration is to create a card gift book. Request loved ones to get creative and draw, design or write a message. Collate them all in a Premium Photo Book to gift. See a beautiful 30th birthday card book here for inspiration.
15. Write your own children's book
Get creative and delight your children with a custom photo book they can read at bedtime because nothing quite compares to seeing the wonder on a child’s face when they see (or hear) their name in print. Upload complete illustrations directly to your project or use our designer templates to add images and text to tell the story. Get inspired by this clever book, The Tale of Grandad Pete, by Zan Stiles.
16. Preserve words of wisdom
If you have a loved one due to go through a life-changing milestone, help ease the potential worry, stress and anxiety with words of wisdom, advice or kind words from their closest friends and family. We love this thoughtfully made photo book, Strength in Mothers, by Chris. It includes a collection of advice and photos from mothers for an impending mother-to-be; a beautiful keepsake to cherish forever.
