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Scrap books and photo albums; pictures on cork boards and fanciful photo frames, these have been the way the majority of us have chosen to present our photographs to the world over the years. Times however, as good old Bobby Dylan told us, they are a changing. The advent of digital photography has led to numerous new ways to present and preserve photographs of fun filled holidays, family gatherings and first days at school, not to forget nights out painting the town a fashionable shade of crimson. When it comes to presenting photos in new media such as digital photo books and photo frames, there is a new aesthetic code that needs to be adhered to, and we’re on hand to show you how to make the most of your precious pics.

When arranging pictures for viewing it is important to create some sort of narrative, yet not just paste in pictures chronologically. One drawback with digital photography is that we all have a tendency to snap away uncontrollably, inevitably ending up with a series of photographs that look more like a stop frame animation. So before you even begin to pick pictures to past into a digital photo book, you must edit ruthlessly. Once you are down to your final selection, mix and match up parts of the day or event, and try not to put pictures of the same people too close together.

We all remember those moments of being bored by Aunty Mavis’s photo albums. The tedium of a series of twenty photos of little Billy feeding the ducks will put an end to any persons interest in a digital photo book, even his own mother. When you have a series such as this when there is a single subject, but have many photos you want to share, break them up with artistic shots of the location. A macro shot of flowers in bloom, a butterfly or a panoramic view of a dramatic skyline can make a big difference.

Changing angles whilst taking photos can make a digital photo book far more interesting too. Kneel on the ground, stand on a bench, create angles, utilise shadows and even change the way you frame a subject to create varied shots. Centred subjects page after page will become boring, no matter how different each subject is. By trying to put a digital photo book together for the first time, you are quite likely to see a style to your photography, and spot ruts you may have got stuck in. It is fine to use abstract angles to create an interesting photo, but enjoyment comes in the variety.

This is where albums of any kind differ from popping a favourite picture in a frame. Individually photographs are a unique moment in time, a suspended emotion captured for all to appreciate, separated from any other thing around it. A series of pictures is a narrative; it tells a story and lets the viewer understand the event or occasion at a deeper level. If you paste too many similar pictures next to each other, the essence of what a photograph is, is lost.

Ultimately, creating digital photo books to share or for prosperity will in turn influence the way you take pictures, and so each book will become better with time. The best advice that can be shared is to always look at your selection and arrangement as if you were an outsider that has just picked up this particular photo book in a gallery or book shop.