I would love to offer my clients books from our lifestyle sessions. I have seen beautiful books done but am completely stumped as to what words go along with the photos. For instance, I have seen poems, lyrics to songs, or a tiny bit of narration to go along with the images. BUT I am SO not a writer. And I hate cheese. (Well I love cheese, but to eat only) I have a super tough time coming up with things to say on my blog! How could I ever write a book?! I don't mean writing a ton of narration but just words to accent the pages and images.

Do you have any tips? I am not one for corny poems or mushy gushy songs. I simply want to present a cute book with killer images that they can open anytime and remember that time in their lives. Do I even need words? What have you all done in the past?

Personally I don't think words would be a necessity...let your images speak for themselves. I would just maybe do some sloppy borders or different design elements on the page instead of words (I think words are more of a hit or miss...and I'd hate to miss by putting something that the family things is too cheesy).

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I would stay away from words as well, but I have done a few books where the parents write a letter to the kid, and put it in the book on the first page and the last page. It was a hit.

I registered for AsukaBook.com a few weeks ago and if you login, you can see their "albums of the month" gallery. One of the latest ones was a children's lifestyle shoot and the idea was so awesome. The photographer (http://www.kabloomstudios.com/) made an alphabet book featuring the kids and items around their house.

Actually, here's the link, it's better than my description....maybe you don't have to log in to see it:

http://asukabook.com/book-club/kharaplicanic/index.htm

I am not one for cutesy, overly cheesy stuff, so I understand where you are coming from. But I thought this was such a neat idea. And with a little creativity you could apply this idea using things like songs or nursury rhymes or even do something seasonal like "The Night Before Christmas" except with personalized text. I think basing the writing off of a set formula makes it a lot easier to come up with stuff.

That book alone gave me a million ideas of things I would like to try. Does Khara from KaBloom post here?

Like how did you do that? Like they give you a letter that you type out and make nice in the first page? Or you put a pocket with their handwritten letter in it?

I type itusually. I have scanned one and made a brush out of it before as well.

Sorry if I should know this but how do you make a brush out of something? That sounds like a great idea!

The alphabet book rocks!

I have a tutorial downloaded somewhere let me see if I can find it.

The letter is a cool idea...

If they type it, have them email it and cut and paste it. If its hand written then scan it and paste it into the book.

I wouldn't personally make a brush preset out of something that I was just going to use once or twice. It is very handy to have your logo and your signature defined as a brush however...

Making a brush is pretty easy (easier than you think!), just use the selection tool to select what you want to be the brush (it should be on a white background), with it selected (marching ants around it) - use the Edit pulldown and select 'define brush preset', give it a name and presto it will be at the end of your list of brush presets.

Oohh thanks Bill! That's a great tip...I HAVE to do that with my logo.

I like the format that Anne Geddes used in the book she did with Celine Dion and the tiny babies-she wove the lyrics from the songs throughout the pages, sprinkled here and there.

I checked the book out from the library for inspiration.

I have been wanting to do that for a session book, but haven't had an opportunity yet.