Is a Photo Book a good gift? 4 ideas to inspire you

In a world of gift cards and generic presents, it’s easy to settle for something forgettable. But the best gifts come from the heart.

Turn your photos of memories, laughter, and adventures into a personalized Photo Book. With Journi, creating a stunning keepsake is fast, simple, and fun. It's a gift that will last a lifetime.

Is a Photo Book a good gift? 4 ideas to inspire you

Why a Photo Book is the perfect personal gift

A Photo Book isn't just any old object that will get lost in a pile of presents. It’s an experience; a carefully crafted story of your shared moments. 

Here’s why a Photo Book gift will be cherished forever:

  • It's 100% personal: You're not just gifting a book; you're giving a collection of your loved one’s best memories, which they can relive time and time again. 
  • It lasts: Unlike other gifts, a premium quality Photo Book from Journi is a lasting heirloom that won't fade or be forgotten.
  • It creates a shared moment: There's a special joy in sitting together and flipping through shared memories, page by page.
  • It shows you care: Even though our AI makes the creation process super easy, the effort of collecting and curating your photos and transforming them into a meaningful gift shows just how much you value your relationship with the recipient. 

4 inspiring Photo Book ideas

The best part about gifting a Photo Book is that it can be tailored to any person and any event. Here are some of our favorite Photo Book gift ideas to get you inspired:

Anniversary 💖

Create a "Story of Us" book with your favorite moments from every year you've been together. A Photo Book anniversary gift is a wonderful romantic tradition to start.

Birthday 🎁

Fill it with their 'greatest hits'; photos of them laughing with friends, enjoying their hobbies, and celebrating past birthdays.

Mother's/Father's Day 💞

A book filled with photos of them with their kids and grandkids. This one is a guaranteed tear-jerker (in a good way!).

Graduation 🎊

Chronicle their journey from their first day of school to their big graduation day. It's a powerful tribute to their hard work.


Open photo album showing graduation scenes: graduates in caps and gowns holding diplomas, with a building in the background.

Create a stunning book in 3 simple steps

Want to make a custom Photo Book online, but are overwhelmed by the task of sorting through all of your photos? What if we told you you could skip that step completely?

This is where Journi, the best Photo Book maker for busy people, changes the game. 

Our AI Photo Book creator is like your personal design assistant. With Journi, creating your Photo Book gift is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

Step 1

Simply select the photos you want from your phone.

Step 2

In seconds, our app intelligently arranges them chronologically, suggests a layout, and creates a beautiful, complete draft for you.

Step 3

Now it’s your turn! Add heartfelt captions, quotes, and more to create a truly personalized keepsake. Then, send your book to print!



Choosing the perfect Photo Book style 

Making the best personalised Photo Book gift means matching it to the occasion and the personality of the person you're giving it to. The look, feel, and size all contribute to making your gift special. 

Here’s a simple guide to all the custom options you can choose from with Journi.

Feature

Your Journi options

Best for...

Cover type

  • Softcover: A flexible, modern cover with a smooth finish, much like a premium magazine. It’s lightweight and versatile.
  • Hardcover: A classic, durable, library-quality cover that’s sturdy and timeless. It looks stunning on a bookshelf or coffee table.
  • Layflat Hardcover: Our most premium option. A special binding allows the book to lie perfectly flat when open, offering a luxurious, hands-free viewing experience on extra-thick pages.
  • A Softcover Photo Book is perfect for fun gifts for friends, travel souvenirs, and casual albums. 
  • A Hardcover Photo Book is the ideal choice for major milestones: weddings, anniversaries, and family yearbooks.
  • The Layflat Photo Book is for those truly once-in-a-lifetime events that demand the ultimate presentation.

Paper finish

  • Elegant matte: A modern, professional finish with no glare or shine. Its smooth, soft surface is great for artistic shots and resists fingerprints.
  • Vibrant glossy: A classic photo finish that makes colors pop and gives your images a brilliant, shiny look.
  • Premium satin: All of our Layflat Photo Books come with premium satin paper, which provides a gorgeous viewing experience.
  • A matte finish is perfect for a sophisticated wedding album, black-and-white photography, or a professional portfolio.
  • A glossy finish is fantastic for vibrant vacation photos, colorful birthday parties, and making everyday snaps look bright and beautiful.
  • Satin paper is engineered to be both water-repellent and completely resistant to chipping or cracking in the center crease. It elevates your book to a true art-book quality that’s built to be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Size & format

Our smallest Photo Book size is a compact 8 x 6 inches / 21 x 15 cm.

Our largest measures at 12 x 12 inches / 30 x 30 cm. 

Portrait, landscape, or square: Select the orientation that best fits your photos, whether they’re mostly phone snaps (portrait/square) or sweeping camera shots (landscape).

A handy A5 book is a wonderful 'just because' gift, while a larger A4 book makes a statement and is perfect for a coffee table centerpiece.

Page count

From a short story of 25 pages to an epic saga of up to 349 pages, you have complete flexibility. Our AI technology helps you see how many pages you need based on the number of photos you select.

Shorter books are great for recapping a weekend getaway or a single event, while longer books are perfect for a family yearbook or an extended travel adventure.

Custom designs

Choose from dozens of pre-designed themes, customize your own color schemes, create beautiful page layouts, write your own text in different fonts, and even add automatic maps of your travels

Tailoring your design to match the event, like using an elegant theme for a wedding or a bright, fun theme for a kids' birthday, is what makes your Photo Book a truly personal and thoughtful gift.



Open photo book on a table with images of a family, surrounded by candles and more books.

Ready to create a gift they'll never forget?

Imagine the moment they unwrap it. The quiet pause, the slow turn of the first page, and the huge smile that spreads across their face. That’s the magic of giving a Photo Book. 

It’s a gift that creates a new memory right in the moment it's given.

This year, give more than just a present; give a feeling. With our easy-to-use tools and beautiful, high-quality printing, you have everything you need to craft that unforgettable moment. All you have to do is begin.

FAQs: Your gift-giving questions, answered

What if I'm not very creative?

That's the best part, you don't have to be! Journi’s AI acts as your personal designer, instantly arranging your photos into beautiful, logical layouts. Our professionally designed themes give your book a stunning, polished look with a single tap. All you have to do is add your personal touches!

How long does it take to make a Photo Book gift?

While traditional Photo Books can take hours, the Journi experience is built for speed. Once you've selected your photos, our AI can create a complete, ready-to-order draft in seconds. Even with customizations, you can create a heartfelt, personalized gift in just a few minutes, right from your phone.

What kind of photos should I include to make it a good gift?

The best Photo Book gifts tell a story with a mix of photos. Include the big milestones (like vacations and birthdays), but don't forget the small, candid moments in between: a funny face, a lazy Sunday morning, a shared laugh. It's these everyday memories that often make the most heartfelt and personal gifts.

What makes a Journi Photo Book a high-quality gift?

A great gift should feel special from the moment they open it. We ensure every book is a premium keepsake by using thick, sustainably sourced paper that feels great in your hands, professional-grade printing for vibrant, true-to-life colors, and durable, bookstore-quality binding that's made to last a lifetime.

Molly
Author
SEO Copywriter at Journi

Molly is originally from the UK, but has been living in Vienna, Austria, for the past six years.

She loves writing and has written professionally about diabetes, feminism, education, animal rights, and chronic illness.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her cat, and drawing.

Secure Payment

VISA MasterCard PayPal American Express Klarna Ideal CB Discover Diners Club Apple Pay

Delivery Methods

DHL Post United States Postal Service UPS

Get the Journi App!