TripMemo Product Team
Product & releases
8 min read•Published
Summary
A photo book holds roughly its page count multiplied by the photos you put on each page. Two or three photos per page is the comfortable middle: about 50 photos for a 20-page book, 100 for 40 pages and 200 for 80 pages. Use one photo on a page for your best shots and up to four for busy days, and leave a few pages for a title, a route map and day openers.
A photo book holds about its page count multiplied by the number of photos you put on each page. Two or three photos per page is the comfortable middle for most books: about 50 photos for a 20-page book, 100 for 40 pages and 200 for 80 pages. Give your best shots a page of their own, put up to four on busy pages, and leave a few pages for a title, a route map and day openers.
| Pages | Relaxed (about 1.5 per page) | Comfortable (2 to 3 per page) | Full (4 per page) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 30 | 40 to 60 | 80 |
| 24 | 36 | 48 to 72 | 96 |
| 40 | 60 | 80 to 120 | 160 |
| 60 | 90 | 120 to 180 | 240 |
| 80 | 120 | 160 to 240 | 320 |
| 100 | 150 | 200 to 300 | 400 |
| 150 | 225 | 300 to 450 | 600 |
| 200 | 300 | 400 to 600 | 800 |
Below: how each layout looks, a calculator that works in both directions, and charts by trip length and format. We make TripMemo travel photo books, so the page ranges are the ones our studio prints, but the arithmetic works for any book.
Work It Out: Photo Book Calculator
Choose a binding, the number of photos per page and the pages you want, and the calculator shows how many photos the book holds. Or type in how many photos you have, and it tells you how many pages you need.
Photo book calculator
Your book holds
78 photos
39 photo pages at 2 per page, in a 40-page hardcover, plus 1 page of titles.
120 photos at 2 per page need a 62-page hardcover.
1, 2, 3 or 4 Photos per Page
The number of photos on a page changes how the book feels more than any other choice.
- 1 photo per page: your strongest images, printed large, full bleed to the edge of the page or with a white border. Best for views, portraits and the moments you will talk about for years. A book that only uses this layout feels slow, so save it for the best shots.
- 2 photos per page: the workhorse layout. Pair a wide shot with a detail, or a place with the people in it. Easy to read at any size.
- 3 photos per page: one larger photo with two smaller ones. Good for a day with a clear highlight and a few supporting moments.
- 4 photos per page: a grid for food, street details, markets and sequences. Use it on busy days, not on every page.
In the TripMemo studio you choose how many photos go on each page, from one to four, and change any page later.
Pages vs Spreads
A page is one side of a sheet. A spread is the two pages you see side by side when the book is open. A 40-page book has 20 spreads, so when you plan the book, think in spreads: what a reader sees together matters more than any single page.
Photo book page counts are almost always even, because each sheet has two sides. If your plan comes to an odd number, add a page rather than squeezing one out.
Working Backwards From Your Photos
If you already have a shortlist, divide it by your average photos per page, then add the pages that carry no photos (see below) and round up to an even number:
| Photos on your shortlist | Pages at 2 to 3 per page (plus a title page) |
|---|---|
| 50 | 18 to 26 (a hardcover starts at 24) |
| 75 | 26 to 40 |
| 100 | 36 to 52 |
| 150 | 52 to 76 |
| 200 | 68 to 102 |
| 300 | 102 to 152 |
| 500 | 168 to 252 |
If the number of pages is more than your format holds, there are three fixes: put more photos on each page, cut the shortlist, or split the trip into two books. Two or three books can be ordered together in one checkout at a lower price each.
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How Many Photos by Trip Length
| Trip | Photos to keep | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| A weekend or city break | 50 to 80 | 24 to 32 |
| A one week holiday | 80 to 150 | 40 to 60 |
| A two week holiday | 150 to 250 | 60 to 100 |
| A month or more, or a gap year | 300 and up | 120 or more, or one book per country |
| A year of travel | 150 to 300 | 60 to 120 |
These are the photos you keep, not the photos you took. Most people take ten times as many as they print, and the book is better for it. Our guide to organising thousands of travel photos covers how to get from one to the other. For a year of trips in one book, see the year in review photo book.
How Many Photos by Format and Size
The binding sets how many pages the book can have, and the size changes how many photos sit comfortably on each page.
- A5 portrait (14.8 × 21 cm): pages are small, so one or two photos per page reads best, with three or four for details. Plan a few more pages.
- A4 portrait (21 × 29.7 cm): room for three or four photos on a page without them feeling small.
- 21 cm square: the easiest size for a mix of portrait and landscape photos; two or three per page is ideal.
- Layflat: pages open completely flat, so one photo can run across both pages of a spread. Count a panorama as one photo filling two pages.
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Your trip, printed.Start it in the TripMemo app.
Pages That Hold No Photos
Most photo books have a few pages without photos, and it is worth planning for them so your photos still fit:
- A title page at the start.
- A route map showing where you went. The TripMemo studio can draw one from your trip's places.
- Day or place openers: one page to start each day or each stop.
- Note pages for a longer memory, a letter or a list of favourites.
For a ten-day trip with a title page, a route map and a page to open each day, that is twelve pages before the first photo. The calculator above lets you add these.
How to Cut Down to the Right Number
If your shortlist is twice the size your book can hold:
- Remove near-duplicates. Keep the sharpest of each burst.
- Pick one hero per moment. Then let the rest go, or put them four to a page.
- Keep people and details. A book of only landscapes feels empty; a few faces, meals and signs bring it back to life.
- Read it as a story. If a photo does not move the trip forward, it can go.
When the shortlist is ready, our step-by-step guide to how to make a travel photo book takes you from photos to a printed book.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many photos per page in a photo book?
Two or three suits most books. Use one photo for a page you want to stand out and up to four for busy days. TripMemo's studio lets you choose one to four on each page.
How many photos for a 20 page photo book?
About 40 to 60 photos at two or three per page, 30 for a relaxed book with large photos, and up to 80 at four per page.
How many photos in a 40 page photo book?
About 80 to 120 photos at two or three per page; 60 for a relaxed book and up to 160 at four per page.
How many pages should a photo book have?
Divide your shortlist by two or three. A weekend fills 24 to 40 pages, a one or two week holiday 40 to 80, and a long trip 100 or more.
How many photos can you put in a photo book?
Up to four per page in TripMemo's studio: about 1,190 in a 298-page hardcover or softcover and 480 in a 120-page layflat book.
Is 100 photos enough for a photo book?
Yes. 100 photos fills a 40-page book at two or three per page, a satisfying book for a one or two week trip.
How many photos for a holiday photo book?
Most one or two week holidays make a good book from 80 to 200 photos, filling 40 to 80 pages.
