Photo calendars make fantastic keepsakes to display cherished memories all year long. But with so many personal pictures, how do you select the perfect shots? Follow these tips for thoughtfully designing custom calendars filled with your most photogenic moments.
Reflect on Meaningful Events and Milestones
Think through the past year and identify significant occasions you want to highlight: weddings, vacations, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries. Include classic yearly events like the first day of school or family reunions.
Momentous milestones also deserve a spot – maybe a big promotion at work, a new home, or a graduation. Your photo calendar for 2024 should showcase what matters most.
Capture the Essence of Family
Photos with loved ones bring warm familiarity whenever you glance at the calendar. Include candids that show genuine connections and joyful time spent together.
Aim for a range of shots – silly outtakes along with nice portraits, close-ups with grandparents as well as full family spreads. These heartfelt glimpses into relationships ground the calendar with what’s most important.
Select Seasonal Shots That Evoke a Sense of Time and Place
Images reflecting seasonal activities help orient us within the year. For spring, incorporate Easter egg hunts or fields of wildflowers in bloom. August pages might display poolside fun or back-to-school preparation.
Fall photos could showcase leaves changing and Halloween costumes. And December spreads naturally include holiday gatherings, cosy around the fireplace.
Highlight Major Events with Feature Photographs
Your calendar provides the perfect opportunity to highlight milestone events like a fabulous vacation, wedding day, or new baby. Devote key dates like anniversaries or birthdays to full page feature shots.
Up the wow factor with close-up perspectives, black and white, image overlays, or other photo effects. Treat this featured photograph as the month’s artistic centrepiece.
Mix Vertical and Horizontal Orientations
The calendar layout will dictate some photo orientation needs, like wider shots for multi-month spreads. But in general, aim for an engaging mix of vertical and horizontal images.
Vertically oriented shots allow fuller views of people and scenes. Horizontal frames landscape vistas nicely. Diagonal lines and asymmetry add visual interest too.
Curate Cohesive Color Schemes
A palette of complementary hues creates an appealing flow across calendar pages. Coordinate photos around themes like black and white minimalism, pastels, or nature’s earth tones.
Alternatively, limit each month to 2-3 dominant colours to unify pages. Just ensure that the text remains readable against photo backgrounds.
Showcase Your Unique Personality and Interests
While many photos will focus on family, include some just for you too! Feature hobbies you’re passionate about, favourite travel destinations, special pets or personal milestones.
These creative touches showcase your multifaceted life and interests. A few artsy abstract photos also lend welcome contrast to standard shots. Your calendar should reflect authentic memories that make the year meaningful.
Careful photo selection ensures your custom calendar tells the complete story of the year. These cherished images will delight you month after month when displayed in your home or office.
