Create a Photobook Course

Lesson 1 • Defining Your Photobook Project

Guides students through setting a clear creative brief before opening any software. A defined brief prevents costly redesigns later in the process.

Lesson 2 • What Is a Photobook

Defines photobooks as curated printed narratives distinct from albums. Anchors the chapter by clarifying purpose before any design decision is made.

Lesson 3 • Exploring Photobook Formats and Sizes

Covers standard sizes, orientations, and binding styles. Students match format choices to project goals and audience expectations.

Lesson 1 • Auditing Your Photo Library

Teaches systematic review of large photo collections to identify usable images. Students apply quality filters before investing time in layout.

Lesson 2 • Selecting Photos with Intention

Covers editorial thinking: choosing images that serve the story rather than personal attachment. Students reduce their collection to a purposeful edit.

Lesson 3 • Organising Images into Sequences

Introduces chronological, thematic, and emotional sequencing strategies. Proper sequencing creates narrative flow across the finished book.

Lesson 1 • Exporting Images for Print

Teaches correct export settings including resolution, colour space, and file format. Proper export prevents quality loss between editing and printing.

Lesson 2 • Cropping and Straightening Images

Introduces crop ratios, rule-of-thirds framing, and horizon correction. Proper cropping aligns images with layout grid requirements.

Lesson 3 • Colour Correction and White Balance

Teaches white balance correction and colour cast removal for accurate print colour. Consistent colour across a spread prevents visual inconsistency.

Lesson 4 • Sharpening and Noise Reduction

Covers output sharpening and noise reduction workflows specific to print. Students avoid over-sharpening artefacts that appear prominently in print.

Lesson 1 • Pacing and Rhythm Across the Book

Introduces pacing techniques: full-bleed spreads, white space pages, and image density variation. Rhythm controls the viewer's emotional experience through the book.

Lesson 2 • Integrating Text and Image as a Unit

Addresses how text and image interact to create meaning beyond either element alone. Students design pages where text and photo reinforce each other.

Lesson 3 • Defining a Visual Narrative

Teaches story arc construction using beginning, middle, and end structures. A clear narrative gives the viewer a reason to turn every page.

Lesson 4 • Reviewing and Refining the Complete Book

Guides a full book review for narrative coherence, pacing, and design consistency. Students apply targeted revisions before final export and print submission.

Lesson 1 • Choosing and Placing Images on a Page

Teaches image sizing hierarchy, focal point placement, and white space use. Strategic placement directs attention and creates visual hierarchy.

Lesson 2 • Designing Effective Spreads

Covers two-page spread composition, gutter awareness, and visual balance. Students design spreads that read as unified compositions, not isolated pages.

Lesson 3 • Cover Design Fundamentals

Addresses front cover, back cover, and spine design as a unified package. A strong cover sets expectations and invites the viewer to open the book.

Lesson 4 • Working with Templates and Custom Layouts

Compares pre-built templates with custom layouts and when to use each. Students adapt templates without losing design consistency across the book.

Lesson 1 • Typographic Hierarchy and Sizing

Teaches title, subtitle, caption, and body text size relationships. Clear hierarchy helps viewers navigate text without disrupting photo viewing.

Lesson 2 • Choosing Fonts for Photobooks

Covers serif, sans-serif, and script font categories and their emotional tone. Font choice must complement the book's visual style and subject matter.

Lesson 3 • Text Placement and Legibility

Addresses text-over-image contrast, text boxes, and background treatments. Legible text placement prevents readability failures in the printed book.

Lesson 1 • Preflight and Export for Print

Covers preflight checks, PDF export settings, and printer-specific requirements. A clean preflight prevents rejected files and costly reprints.

Lesson 2 • Applying Consistent Styles

Introduces paragraph styles, object styles, and colour swatches for consistency. Styles allow global updates without manually editing every page element.

Lesson 3 • Building Pages and Spreads

Teaches page addition, reordering, and spread-by-spread construction workflow. Students build the full book structure before refining individual pages.

Lesson 4 • Importing and Placing Photos

Covers linked vs. embedded images, placing files, and managing image frames. Students maintain a clean, organised document with no missing-link errors.

Lesson 1 • Soft Proofing on Screen

Teaches soft proofing using printer colour profiles to simulate print output on screen. Soft proofing catches colour shifts before committing to a print run.

Lesson 2 • Evaluating the Final Printed Book

Provides a structured checklist for assessing the delivered book against design goals. Students identify what to improve in future projects based on print results.

Lesson 3 • Ordering a Physical Proof Copy

Covers the process of ordering a single proof copy before a full print run. A physical proof reveals issues that screen review cannot detect.

Lesson 4 • Submitting Files and Placing the Order

Walks through file upload, spec verification, and order confirmation steps. Students avoid common submission errors that delay or invalidate an order.