Scrapbook photo sizes and how to plan the space
Choose scrapbook photo sizes after measuring the page and reserving margins, gaps and keepsake space. Work with width and height separately so mixed photo shapes fit without unwanted crops.
A photo's printed size and the space its mount occupies are different measurements. Include borders before deciding how many photographs a page can hold.
For digital pages, calculate the box sizes in the editor's canvas units. A bigger box does not add detail to a small source file, so check the image at its final size.
Try this in your own scrapbook
Arrange your photos on the pages of a digital scrapbook in your browser.
Measure the whole arrangement
Write photo dimensions as width by height in the intended orientation. A landscape 6 by 4-inch print occupies different space from a portrait 4 by 6-inch print.
Add every gap and mount border to the photo block. Four 4-inch squares with a 0.5-inch central gap form an 8.5-inch square before outer mounts.
Compare shape before ordering prints
A 4 by 6-inch rectangle has a 2:3 portrait shape. A square crop removes part of it, so check faces and landmarks before choosing equal boxes.
- A 4 by 6-inch print has a rectangular 2:3 shape.
- A 5 by 7-inch print needs a different crop from a 4 by 6-inch print.
- Use 4-inch squares only when the crop keeps the important details.
- Small copies can show a sequence, but check that faces remain recognisable.
Give detailed images more room
Make a scene or group portrait larger when small faces need room. Keep equal sizes for photographs whose details are equally easy to see.
A complete object scan may need to stay rectangular. Give a letter enough area for its writing instead of matching the dimensions of neighbouring photos.
Steps
Measure the space inside the margins
For a suggested 12-inch page, reserve 0.75 inches at each outer edge. This leaves a 10.5-inch width before any extra binding allowance.
Place the main print
Try a 6 by 4-inch landscape first. Set aside the area it needs, including its mount, before adding small photographs.
Add supporting sizes
Use two 3 by 4-inch portraits below the main image with a 0.5-inch gap. Their combined row is 6.5 inches wide.
Test at real size
Cut paper boxes or draw a full-size sketch. Check faces, handwriting and the whole measured block before ordering or cutting prints.
Questions
Will four full 4 by 6-inch photos fit a 12-inch square page?
A two-by-two arrangement exceeds 12 inches in one direction once gaps are added. Use smaller copies, a different arrangement or a two-page spread.
Are square photos better for scrapbook grids?
They simplify equal grids when the images support the crop. Keep a rectangular photo if making it square would remove an important person or detail.
What size should a main scrapbook photograph be?
Try a 6 by 4-inch landscape on a 12-inch square page. Include its mount and nearby keepsakes, then check that the image's small details remain clear.