Some people like their photos to capture that one perfect moment in time, hence telling a story from just one frame – and that is amazing, but in some cases, not all that easy. Especially when we are talking about certain special occasions, like a road trip, or a wedding perhaps. In these cases, you probably want to compile more photos and make a photo collage, organizing it in such a manner that it perfectly reflects the emotions felt and memories made.
There are plenty of different ways for you to create a good photo collage, but if you want to find out about some different ones, be sure to stick around – in this article, we are going to tell you everything that you need to know in order to make a stunning and meaningful photo collage.
The Purpose of Making a Collage
The very first step when it comes to starting to make a collage is the intention behind it. There are many reasons why you might have chosen to make this photo collage, all of them valid. But by understanding the purpose behind this collage, you are able to plan the execution much better. So, is it a gift? If so, you would want to take different things into consideration than if you were to make it as an artistic expression for your bedroom decor, for example. Or, on the other hand, your photo collage is probably going to be arranged differently if it’s depicting your vacation than if it was depicting a wedding.
Choosing the Collage Layout
After you have figured out the basics, so, what is the idea behind the photo collage, and to whom is it intended to, you are going to want to choose the layout. Many people would probably go on and just start arranging photos randomly, looking for the best combination, but in actuality, a much better approach is to decide on the layout first. This way, you will be able to fit pictures in a purposeful, structured template that you designed having the purpose of the photo collage in mind.
So, how do you decide on which layout should you use? Well, there are plenty of different customizable collage templates options out there when it comes to making a digital photo collage. The first thing that you should choose is the overall shape – horizontal, vertical, square, or even circular. If you want to depict a certain event chronologically, horizontal or vertical is probably the best way to go. On the other hand, if you are making a photo collage that is based on the visuals more than the storytelling, choosing a uniquely shaped template is going to give you more creative possibilities.
How to Choose the Right Pictures
After you have made a decision regarding the template, it’s time to focus on selecting the pictures that you are going to use. In most cases, this tends to be a trial and error process due to the fact that even though pictures individually look great, putting them next to each other doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to complement each other.
Now, of course, if the sole purpose of the photo collage is to depict a certain event, your primary focus isn’t just the visuals but what is represented in the photos. So, you will end up making compromises regarding the importance of the depicted moment and how that photo looks with the other ones. In the end, it doesn’t have to be perfect since no artwork can even achieve it, focus on what’s important to you specifically, and choose your photos relying on that.
Deciding on the Final Theme and Touch-Ups
After deciding on the pictures and arranging them, the only thing left to do is final tweaks that are going to emphasize the theme of the entire photo collage. So, if you happen to see that the color scheme sort of isn’t uniform, or you perhaps want to put an accent on a certain color, that is something that you can easily do digitally. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Also, if you want, you can always add clip art or text to your photo collage. Some people prefer their photo collage clean, but on the other hand, some like to decorate the photo collage with many things. Whatever the case may be, trying out different things is always great due to the fact that it makes room for improvement.
In the end, it all comes down to understanding what story you want to tell with your collage. There are countless different default templates out there, but putting time into tweaking the settings and making your own, unique photo collage is the key when it comes to creating something impactful. That being said, try out different things, if something doesn’t work out, you can always go back to the settings that you previously liked. Have fun!
Sasha Douglass
