How to Arrange Photos for a Photobook

Picking photos for your photobook is only step 1. The next step is to figure out the order in which they should appear.

The order of the photographs determines how your photobook will feel. The same photographs can appear serene, moody, frantic, or disorienting, depending on how you arrange them.

Good sequencing establishes a rhythm and encourages people to turn the pages.

Start with your best idea

Rather than arranging individual photographs, start by considering the broad direction of your photobook.

What do you want your audience to experience? Does your photobook have a clear start and finish? Are you telling the story of a trip, capturing a location, or showing a group of related photos?

Your photobook doesn’t necessarily have to tell a story. It could also be organized around colors, feelings, places, times, or visual relationships.

It’s just important that there is a method to your sequence.

Draft an initial sequence

Once you know the general direction of your photobook, begin laying out your selected photographs so that they are all visible simultaneously.

You can use printed photographs, digital thumbnails, or even a simple Word or Google Docs file. Don’t think about the page layout yet. Just think about the arrangement of the photographs themselves.

Start moving photographs around until you find an arrangement that works well.

Some pairs of photographs will feel natural. Others won’t.

Look for visual links

Photographs don’t have to feature the same subject matter to flow well.

Think about how photographs relate to each other based on:

  • Colors
  • Shapes
  • Lines
  • Textures
  • Light
  • Content
  • Angle
  • Motion

A photo of a sphere might lead smoothly into a picture of a circle. A photo containing a small area of red might lead to a photo several pages away with a larger area of red.

This will make your photobook feel more cohesive.

Vary the pace

Consider your photobook as having a rhythm.

Multiple busy photographs placed in sequence will feel like a quick-paced story. A quiet photograph with lots of negative space will feel slow and contemplative.

Mix different kinds of photographs together. For example:

Wide shot → Close-up → Portrait → Still-life → Busy street scene

There is no set formula, but varying the pace can keep your photobook interesting.

Introduce some contrast

Matching photographs will help establish continuity, but contrasting photographs will add visual interest.

A bright photograph followed by a dark one will feel like a dramatic shift. An image packed with details next to a minimalist shot will stand out. A portrait followed by a sweeping landscape will feel striking.

Be bold. Sometimes, two entirely unrelated photographs work together as one of the most effective sequences when placed side by side.

Keep the Beginning in Mind

The first few pages set the stage for the whole project.

The first page does not always have to feature the strongest photograph. Instead, it is helpful to think about which image is the best way to present the work. The first photo can establish the location, introduce a subject, set the tone or simply intrigue the viewer.

Don’t rush the beginning. Leave enough space for the start to take shape.

Work Backwards From the End

It’s easy to get caught up in the beginning and forget about the conclusion. Don’t. Just as the opening sets the stage, the closing pages also play an important role.

A good ending can offer closure, raise a question or simply leave the viewer with a lasting image. Consider finishing with an image that seems slightly quieter or more subdued than those in the middle of the book. The ending doesn’t have to summarize the work. It has to feel deliberate.

Allow Some Photographs to Breathe

Not all photos must be accompanied by other images. A single image might warrant a full-page spread.

A photo may need some breathing room, both literally and figuratively. A photograph without anything beside it demands attention. But don’t give every photograph this treatment. Changes in size and pacing are an integral part of the visual language of a photobook.

Look at the Project as a Whole

Once you have a rough draft, step away from individual images and review the entire sequence from beginning to end. Ask yourself:

  • Is there a clear rhythm to the sequence?
  • Are there any areas where the book feels redundant?
  • Are the transitions between images logical?
  • Is there a loss of momentum in the middle?
  • Does the ending resolve the narrative or leave it open-ended?

If there’s one image that doesn’t seem to fit, don’t immediately pull it. Try moving it. Often, a photograph is not necessarily bad, but misplaced.

Leave Time Between Editing Sessions

A sequence may look perfect on one day and feel incorrect a few days later. After editing your first draft, take a break. Come back to it later and edit again. Sometimes, a bit of distance will reveal photographs you no longer need and help you better understand the relationship between images.

Sequencing Is Part of the Story

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to sequencing a photobook.

Strong sequences arise from the relationship between images, rather than the individual photographs themselves. Experiment with rhythm, repetition, contrast and visual motifs. Shuffle the images until they flow seamlessly. When the images inform and enhance one another, the photobook becomes more than a series of individual photographs.

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