Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/photo-book-gutter-and-face-placement/

# Keep Faces Away from a Photo Book’s Gutter

Plan book spreads with the binding and safe areas in mind before ordering a family album.

Printing & presentation2 min readUpdated 16 October 2026

## Try it on your own photo

Repair a copy of your photo, then compare faces and details with the original.

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Quick answer

## The short version

A book spread is not a flat poster. The binding can obscure content near the center, and the printer may reserve trim and safe areas around every page. Choose the book format first, then position faces, names and small details where they remain visible in that format.

## Define the job before editing

A book spread is not a flat poster. The binding can obscure content near the center, and the printer may reserve trim and safe areas around every page. Choose the book format first, then position faces, names and small details where they remain visible in that format.

## Mock up difficult spreads early

Mark the center line on a draft spread and place important features away from it. If a panoramic group photo crosses the gutter, test a smaller image with surrounding space or a single-page placement. Do not stretch faces or invent missing edge content merely to fill a template.

## Make the decision from evidence

Use the book supplier’s current template and inspect both page and spread previews. A layflat format may behave differently from a conventional binding, but it still needs the supplier’s clearances. A paper mockup helps reviewers understand placement before they approve the digital layout.

## A worked planning example

Example: A family portrait has a face directly at its center. Instead of centering that face in the binding, place the full photograph on one page and use the facing page for a caption and related detail.

## A practical checklist

1. Choose the book and binding format.
2. Mark safe and gutter areas.
3. Review critical spreads at readable size.
4. Order a proof when the project warrants it.

## Keep a traceable result

Keep the source file, the working copy and the delivery copy as separate items. Record the input and the changes you actually made so another person can understand the result later. These workflow examples are planning examples, not documented customer outcomes or proof of a successful restoration.

## FAQs

Can I solve gutter problems by stretching the photo?

Stretching changes proportions. Adjust the layout, crop deliberately or use a different placement instead.

Should I replace my original with the edited copy?

Keep the source unchanged and save a separate working or sharing copy. An export, edit or AI interpretation can omit information that remains useful in the source.

## Sources

Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article.

- MDN Web Docs: [Pixel manipulation with Canvas](<https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Canvas_API/Tutorial/Pixel_manipulation_with_canvas>)

## Related

- [Open the related free tool](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/crop-image/>)
- [Print Bleed vs a Digital Photo Border](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/print-bleed-versus-digital-border/>)
- [A Screen Proof vs a Test Print: What Each Can Check](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/screen-proof-versus-photo-test-print/>)
- [Browse photo guides](<https://restorebunny.com/guides/>)
- [Free image tools](<https://restorebunny.com/tools/>)

## Ready to restore your photos?

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