To create a family archive and capturing memorable moments, it is customary to take photos. Most people keep them in phones, but it is wrong, because mobile memory can be labeled, and the photos will disappear forever. That is why people acquire photo albums – a great method to save pictures and transfer them to descendants.
Peculiarities
Photo album is a product for storing memorable pictures. This is not just a book, dusting on the shelf, and a storehouse of family history. Collection of photos is a time-consuming, but an interesting process that will be a great occupation for all households.
Photo albums differ in their formats. Of course, their choice is a matter of taste. But all media format products have its own characteristics that need to be considered when purchasing. Photo albums can be classified for several varieties.
- Vertical. There are any format. They are also called portrait, as they have a corresponding appointment. And also on pages you can place several horizontal photos of small size.
-
Horizontal. They are also called album. The most common, photos most often printed in this format.
-
Square. The dimensions of such products may be the most different. You can place several photos of various formats, for example, 1 horizontal and 2 vertical. The larger the size of such an album, the more photos can be placed on one page.
The most common photo album formats are A4 and less.
Large products (from A3) are more expensive and occupy more space.
You can purchase a small model with a lot of sheets. The best choice will be a square product.
It is positioned as a photo album with different types of photos.
Large models (30×30 or 45×45 cm) contain several pictures of any sizes.
Photo albums make from special blanks, decorating them using various techniques:
-
Decoupage (pictures, ornaments are printed on sheets);
- Distrassing (scratches, darkens, hurry, visually “aged” them) are on the pages artificial way
- Stamping (add stamps and appliques in the album);
- Journaling (Interesting facts, descriptions, quotes add onto sheets).
There are conventional photo albums with monochrome sheets. At the same time, they may differ in color: white, black, beige and others.
Even ordinary photo albums can be made unique by creating an individual design of the whole family.
Varieties
Photo albums vary by way of fastening photos on pages. It depends on the preservation of images and simplicity of product use.
Models with pockets
The most common options. Pockets are attached to the sheets that put pictures.
pros:
- Easy use;
- Sheets are made of plastic or paper.
There are several minuses.
- Limited set of pocket sizes: 9×13, 10×15, 13×18, 15×20 cm. For photos of different formats have to acquire several albums.
- Polyvinyl chloride from which pockets are made, decomposes from time. This leads to the appearance of spots in the pictures.
Magnetic models
Have low cost, good appearance and convenient mounting system. The album pages have a film with adhesive surface, under which the photos are lined up.
pros:
- On one sheet, you can arrange several pictures, the amount depends on the page size;
- Photos can be changed in places or remove from the album at will.
Minuses:
- It is not recommended to use decorative elements in albums; they will strengthen the likelihood of shots;
- The film is not always smoothly in the photo, bubbles;
- The adhesive surface of the sheets over time turns yellow, leaving stains in the photos.
Paper and cardboard models
The very first option of photo albums remaining popular to this day. On the pages, pictures are fixed with special corners, bilateral scotch tape or glue. Between the sheets there are protective inserts that prevent contact photos and their deformation.
Pros:
- Albums have aesthetic appearance;
- on paper sheets can be placed inscriptions, clippings, decorative elements;
- Wide selection of page design styles;
- You can enter several photos of different formats.
Minuses too. So that such an album looks beautiful and not “empty” will have to pay a lot of time to decorate.
But it can be turned into a plus, engaged in the design of the whole family.
In addition to photo albums with ordinary sheets, there are unusual solutions. Such models are made in several most common styles.
-
European. The sheets are decorated in a restrained style, with a minimum number of jewelry.
- Shebbi-Shik. Photo albums resemble vintage products, with characteristic hurriches, lace.
- American. Sheets have a lot of decorative decorations.
The photo albums and the sheets of sheets differ. Pockets are always made from polypropylene, and the base can be paper or plastic. The sheets are fasten with heat, crosslinking or metal rings.
Tips for choosing
To buy a photo album to consider which photos it will be used. For wedding, prom or portrait snapshots fit vertical products. The format is selected in accordance with the stated photo sizes.
Landscape photos are most often positioned in horizontal albums.
In them, you can create panoramic images by combining two parts of a large snapshot.
Old low-resolution photos or printed from an instant camera better place in square albums.
For photo albums decorated under a specific case, thin products are chosen with a small number of pages. For the family archive it is better to prefer thick albums, or with sheets of format from A3.
And also shops offer a wide range of albums decorated in a solemn style: wedding, graduation, tourist and many others.
The most secure pictures are classic paper models. Plastic and magnetic photo albums with time cause darkening of images or appearance of spots.
The use of the cover directly depends on the life of the album. The most common is laminated cardboard. He is inexpensive and looks beautiful. And tissue covers and eco-tree. They are unusual, will serve a good gift. The most expensive and wear-resistant – natural leather covers.
You can make a photo album and to order. It will fit perfectly for the original gift. You can pick up any design style and product material. The main idea of such an album is the presence of a plot, a solemn reason.
Photo album – a great way to capture the history of the family or present a unique gift. When buying such a product, it is necessary to repel from all the above tips. Only so you can pick up a photo album that fully justifies the expectations.