How to Create a Photo Collage

Create a unique photo collage of your family portraits to preserve those precious memories. Collages offer a way to show off several of your pictures in an interesting and unique way. Photographic collages make great gifts as one-of-a-kind keepsakes! You can also turn them into posters, mugs, calendars, and more!

Selecting a Subject

Gather together a collection of related photographs; use 10 photos or less.

One person
Members of your immediate family
An event: birthday, wedding, or portrait session
A subject: hobby, location

Size and Layout

Based on where you plan to put the collage and the size of other photographs in the same location, determine a size for the collage; 8x10 is small for a collage, 11x14 and 16x20 are more typical. From the images you've selected, determine a main centerpiece photograph. Make the centerpiece photograph larger than the others; you can vary the size of the photos for emphasis.

If you plan to tell a story or represent a timeline, then put your photographs in a sequence and organize them on the layout in that sequence. For example, if you are showing the growth of a child, use the most recent photograph as your centerpiece and sequence the other photographs clockwise from youngest to oldest.

When arranging the photographs, they can be symmetrical with even spacing between them or they can overlap. You can

Select a template to represent the layout of the collage.

1 Large photo on the left and 2 smaller photographs stacked above each other on the right
Large Photo in the center with a vignette and smaller photos symetrically organized around it.
Photographs with a 'Poloroid' frame scattered on the page
Photographs of different sizes with a thin white border arranged against each other without overlap

For instance, for the birth of a new child - place a photograph of the infant and parents in the center. Then around the edges, place pictures of the rest of the family enjoying the newborn.

Background and Blending

If your pictures won't overlap enough to completely cover the backing, you'll want to use a white or colored background. For an added effect, consider one or more of the following:

Blending the edges of the photographs
Adding an antique/torn look to the edges
Adding a drop shadow

Framing

Choose a frame that appropriate for the subject of your collage (metal, wood, wrap). Don't make the frame to wide or it will overpower the images in the collage. Put your collage behind glass for a finished look.

Collages like these become treasured heirlooms, photo memories hanging on your walls instead of tucked away in photo albums.