Photo Books

Finding the right photo book for you is the most important step in creating your keepsake. We recommend first looking at the differences between MILK Photo Books and MILK Photo Albums to see if it’s even a photo book you want to make, as it may be the case that you're better suited to a photo album.

Generally, we recommend photo books for people who have a lot of photos. Our photo books offer up to 200 paper pages, meaning plenty of space for photos. Photo Books are also more portable and lightweight compared to albums making them perfect for coffee-table books and repeated use and viewing.

Once you decide it is a photo book you’d like, then comes the matter of choosing from our four ranges; Premium, Moleskine, Softcover and Classic.

• Premium Photo Books are popular as wedding companion books, celebrations of your children's first years, family heirloom pieces and epic travel coffee table books.
• Moleskine Photo Books are popular as travel journals, contemporary wedding mementos and creative photographic portfolios.
• Softcover Photo Books are popular for remembering everyday adventures, holidays and family moments.
• Classic Photo Books are popular for vacation trips, family yearbooks and birthday gifts.

We have a MILK Photo Book for every occasion. There's no one size fits all when it comes to creating but if you need some inspiration, browse The MILK Gallery and explore what others are creating. Learn more about our full range to make sure you pick a format that's right for you.

You can create a custom photo book online via the MILK website. Our innovative Design Studio is available to use on desktop, tablet and mobile devices, allowing you to create anywhere and at any time. You can also alternate between platforms meaning you can start your project on your desktop, edit it later on tablet and then checkout on mobile. No progress will be lost! Simply hop online, enter the Design Studio, upload your digital photos and get creating. There's no need to download an app to your device, you can just start creating immediately via your browser. All you do need to do is register an account with us. We make it easy with the option to sign up via Facebook, Google or Email. Once you have an account with us you can save your project and continue to edit it at your convenience.

We believe our design studio is intuitive and easy to use but if you find there’s something you can’t quite get the hang of, we recommend watching our helpful videos or searching our Knowledge Base. If you still can’t quite figure it out, our helpful support team are available via phone, email or live chat.

You can also create online via the MILK Books Photo Extension for Apple Photos. Download the MILK Books application via the Mac App Store to get started. Here you have the option to continue creating offline, but will have to make sure you're online to print and purchase.

While we don’t have a specific app for iOS, you can create photo books on your iPhone or iPad or any mobile or tablet device for that matter. Simply access the MILK Design Studio online via the browser and start creating. Not only can you create on tablet and mobile but you can checkout too. For best results we recommend the Safari or Google Chrome web browser. See our helpful video for tips on how to create photo books on your tablet or mobile.

To create a photo book on Mac, simply download the free MILK Books project extension for Photos through the Mac App Store. Our extension allows you to create and design your project with ease directly within the Photos app. Edit your photos with Apple design tools like red eye reduction, image rotation and more; navigate with Apple gestures, and when it's time to check out, use your one-touch Apple ID to sign in and purchase. As of yet, our Gallery Frames, Canvas Prints, Art Prints, Greeting Cards and Postcards are not available to create via our Mac extension but keep an eye out for updates.

In the MILK Design Studio, you'll find a large selection of image templates with the maximum number of images per page being 12 (i.e. 24 per spread). The total number of photos you can put in a photo book will depend on the number of pages you select. Theoretically, you could include 1000s of photos if you were to go with our max page count of 200 and the max amount of images per page. However, our designer would recommend that you keep it simple and try to limit the number of photos per page to between 1 and 3. This gives the images room to breathe and avoids crowding. We do understand that sometimes the memories are just too good and you simply need to crowd the page. We see this often when people are making their wedding photo albums, particularly once they get to the reception section. All the fun party pics of friends and family on the dancefloor tend to get grouped together across a few choice spreads. In cases like this, we’re happy for you to flout design advice; what’s most important is preserving the memories and moments.

Whether you've got lots of photos or a perfectly curated selection, we've designed templates that make creating beautiful books simple. To help you get started on selecting the best templates, we've put together 5 tips for choosing the right template for your images.

MILK Photo Books are handcrafted using traditional bookmaking techniques. We take great care in putting together your keepsake which is why our production times for photo books can be between 7-21 days. For your photos, we use the latest print technologies to achieve a print result as close as possible to your original images. We use liquid-ink digital printing technology (HP electroink) to produce more vivid, saturated colors and smoother skin tones and gradients. This method is superior to conventional offset printing. The sophistication of our printing process also means that your chosen paper will retain its physical characteristics (whether textured, coated, or un-coated). This is because HP Indigo's liquid ink binds itself to the fibers of the paper, rather than sitting on top as with toner-based printers. The MILK Classic range is printed in 4-colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), whereas books in the MILK Premium range are printed in 6-colors (cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, black). This addition of two colors means our Premium range offers even more fantastic color and print quality.

Absolutely! Nowadays, it’s not an exaggeration to say that most people have thousands of photos across numerous devices and platforms; hard drives, laptops, phones, Facebook, Instagram, iCloud and OneDrive. Not to mention the shoeboxes in the closet and tattered family photo albums. Screens simply don’t do your photos justice and shoeboxes can get lost in house moves or destroyed by mould. Getting your precious memories printed in high quality photo books is 100% worth it for your peace of mind. Not only is it a beautiful way to preserve your beloved moments but it’s also a wonderful way to celebrate them too. Photo books protect your memories and bring them into your everyday life. They're a lightweight format that present your photos like a story, offering you an easy way to re-experience your most-loved moments. Truthfully, flipping through the pages of a photo book is far superior to flicking through your camera roll or trawling through chests of loose photos. Start your photo book collection today with MILK and line your shelf with your precious moments.

Base pricing starts at 24 pages for each MILK Photo Book. Pricing will increase for each additional spread you add to your project. Note: Moleskine Classic and Moleskine Monograph Photo Books have a fixed page count and thus a fixed price.

Softcover Photo Books - From $39 $32 USD

• Softcover Photo Book Landscape 8.6 x 6.4"" (21.8 x 16.3cm)
• Softcover Photo Book Square 8 x 8"" (20.3 x 20.3cm)
• Softcover Photo Book Portrait 6.4 x 8.6"" (16.3 x 21.8cm)

Classic Photo Books - From $34 $28 USD

• Classic Small Landscape 7 x 5.2" (17.8 x 13.2cm)
• Classic Medium Landscape 9.25 x 7.4" (23.5 x 18.8cm)
• Classic Large Landscape 13 x 11" (33 x 27.9cm)

Premium Photo Books - From $67 $54 USD

• Premium Medium Landscape 8.6 x 6.4" (21.8 x 16.3cm)
  
• Premium Medium Square 8 x 8" (20.3 x 20.3cm)
• Premium Medium Portrait 6.4 x 8.6" (16.3 x 21.8cm)
• Premium Large Landscape 12.7 x 9.5" (32.3 x 24.1cm)
• Premium Large Square 11 x 11" (27.9 x 27.9cm)
• Premium Large Portrait 9.5 x 12.7" (24.1 x 32.3cm)

Moleskine Photo Books - From $79 $64 USD

• Moleskine Medium Landscape 9.25 x 7.4'' (23.5 x 18.8cm)
• Moleskine Medium Square 8 x 8'' (20.3 x 20.3cm)
  
• Moleskine Landscape Monograph 9.25 x 7.4'' (23.5 x 18.8cm)
• Moleskine Classic Landscape 8.15 x 5.12'' (20.7 x 13.0cm)
• Moleskine Classic Portrait 5.12 x 8.19'' (13.0 x 20.8cm)

We offer a range of cover designs including simple text covers, Designer Covers, and custom cover images. You can choose to add a custom cover image to any photo book in our Premium, Moleskine, Softcover and Classic ranges. Putting an image on the cover is a great way to introduce your story and showcase one of your most loved photos. For our Premium, Moleskine and Classic Photo Books, our cover images are crafted using a traditional technique in which the image is fixed into a slightly debossed section of the cover. This gives a premium, flush finish. However, our Softcover Photo Books are a little different as the entire Matt card cover is an image. For our softcovers, we offer a number of templates that allow your to add more than one image to your front, back and inside cover.

While a cover image provides a strong opening statement, we recommend opting for a Classic or Designer Cover when it comes to our Premium range. With these cover options, we use UV technology to print text or custom designs directly onto your cover. Using slightly raised inks, this process offers a sleek and beautiful way to introduce your story and the result comes up perfectly on our quality cover fabrics.

The standard sizes for photo books are:

• 4x6 photo book
• 6x4 photo books
• 5x7 photo books
• 7x5 photo books
• 8x10 photo books

While we don't offer these sizes at MILK, we have a variety of portrait, landscape and square options that are perfect for your photos. Looking for medium or large photo books? We offer a variety of medium and large sizes as seen below.

Medium

• 8.6x6.4"
• 6.4x8.6"
• 8x8"
• 9.25x7.4"

Large

• 12.7x9.5"
• 9.5x12.7"
• 11x11"
• 13x11"

We currently offer a small photo book (the small landscape Classic Photo Book which is 7x5.2" or 17.8x13.2cm. It's a handy, everyday size and perfect for your photos. We currently don't offer an extra large photo book, but our Classic Photo Book is our largest available at 13x11" or 33x27.9cm.

At MILK, we combine age-old book making methods with the latest printing technology to create a new quality of photo book. The MILK Photo Book range includes:

• Premium Photo Books - Made with archival quality materials and featuring 6-color printing, section-sewn binding and 24-200 pages. By far our most popular photo books, these will make a beautiful addition to your collection. Choose between Natural Linen, Colored Linen, Coated Cloth or Vegan Leather covers available in a selection of different colors.
• Moleskine Photo Books - Our most popular MILK formats reproduced using genuine Moleskine materials. Featuring 6-color printing, section-sewn binding and up to 96 pages. Bring your photos to life in the iconic format renown for it’s black hardcover with rounded corners, elastic band and silk ribbon marker.
• Softcover Photo Books - Our most affordable offering in modern luxury featuring 4-color printing, PUR binding and 24-200 pages. The “Softcover” consists of durable Matt card with French folds that is fully customizable. Print on the outside, inside and the French folds themselves to give your book a whole new level of luxe.
• Classic Photo Books - Quality yet affordable hardcover photo books featuring 4-color printing, PUR binding and 24-200 pages. Available in landscape format only and featuring linen covers in your choice of 7 standard colors (the most popular of which are Sand and Ivory).
• 3-Piece Photo Book Sets - Our most popular formats bundled into 3-Piece Sets that make starting your collection even easier. The perfect way to begin building the library of your life. Available in Classic or Premium.

Making a MILK Photo Book or Album using old photos is a beautiful way to preserve and celebrate your past. Old photographs offer a glimpse into days gone by. Whether it's young pictures of your great-grandparents, old wedding photos or bygone childhood moments, bring the memories back to life in a format you can flip through and pass on to the next generation. Before you start creating, the most important step is to digitize your old photos to make them available to upload into our online Design Studio. The process of converting your photos into a digital format can take time but the end result is well worth the effort. Here are some tips to scanning your old photos:

1. Choose your most loved photos - You don't have to scan every single photo. Gather all your best pics and start to structure them in an order that suits your story. This can be chronologically, by family member or by theme.
2. Decide on your method of scanning - Use either a traditional scanner and computer or a smartphone with a high-resolution camera and app such as Pic Scanner, Heirloom, or Google PhotoScan. It’s important you choose a method that provides a high quality result (300dpi) if you intend to print your photos. Anything less than 300dpi may result in a pixellated image.

Once you've done that, you're ready to upload your now digital photos in the MILK Design Studio and start creating. Simply choose your format and go from there. With MILK you can fully choose your book or album's cover type, material, text, and start laying out your old photos with our design templates.

For more tips and details, visit our blog on how to scan your old photographs. For inspiration, flip through The MILK Gallery and discover some of the projects our customers have created using old photos. Here's one we love: Mum-z: A life, a legacy by Gabriela.

We highly recommend restoring your old photos to their former glory by converting them into a digital format and preserving them in MILK, you won't regret it.