Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/prepare-photos-for-photo-book/ # Prepare Photos for a Photo Book: Crops, Bleed, Gutter and Captions Plan photo-book exports around image boxes, safe areas and binding. Includes a pixel-budget example and a page-by-page preflight checklist. Photo preparation3 min readUpdated 04 October 2026 Quick answer ## The short version Prepare each image for its actual page placement, then check the book provider's bleed, safe-area and binding guides. Keep faces and captions away from trim and the gutter. Review a complete proof and preserve the sources, rather than treating one page-sized export as suitable for every layout. ## The page size is not every photograph's print size A 10×8-inch book can contain a full-page image, a small portrait and a two-page spread, each with different geometry. Record the image box for each placement before resizing all files to one target. Keep full-resolution sources and make delivery copies only after you know the layout. Blurb's official guidance distinguishes bleed beyond the trim from safe areas for important content and directs readers to book-specific specifications. Follow the chosen provider's template rather than assuming a universal margin. Binding can obscure central detail even when the outer page dimensions and pixels are correct. ## Worked example: a 7×5 box and a full page At a planning target of 300 PPI, a 7×5-inch image box requires 2100×1500 pixels. A 3000×2000 source has enough pixels, but its 3:2 ratio differs from the box's 7:5 ratio. Filling the box crops the source width to 2800 pixels before resampling, losing about 6.67% of its width. Inspect people near both edges before accepting that crop. For an illustrative 10×8-inch page with a provider-specified 0.125-inch bleed on all four sides, the outer area is 10.25×8.25 inches, or 3075×2475 pixels at 300 PPI. That bleed value is an example, not a specification for every book. Obtain the actual page template; safe margins and gutter allowances are additional placement checks, not quantities to guess from this calculation. ## Give each placement a short record - Source ID and selected version: note whether it is an unedited scan, a restrained restoration or an interpretive colourization. - Box dimensions and crop: record the intended placement, including portrait/landscape orientation and any cut to the source. - Important content: identify faces, signatures and dates that must remain safely inside trim and away from the binding. - Caption: keep the photo ID, useful context and uncertainty readable. Do not put the only identification into a tiny raster image. - Proof outcome: note accepted, recrop, replace source or unresolved, with the page number and change needed. ## Preflight the whole book 1. Check page sequence against the story or album index. Include missing or uncertain context honestly rather than filling gaps with invented scenes. 2. Use the provider's warnings and guides to inspect each image box, but also inspect manually. A passed resolution warning does not protect a face at the gutter. 3. Review page pairs, including chapter openings and spreads, at readable size. Check captions, repeated images and accidental mismatches. 4. Export or review the full proof through the provider's required route. Confirm the selected paper, binding and colour options before ordering. 5. For a significant family project, order one proof before a large gift batch. Preserve the approved layout version and the source inventory together. ## Keep the book separate from the archive A book is a chosen narrative, often with crops and selected captions. The archive should retain uncropped sources, backs and unresolved notes even if they do not appear in the book. A future researcher may need information outside your selected image box. Do not interpret a pleasing proof as proof that AI recovered unknown historical detail. Review altered faces and text against the source before printing. Book preparation is about composition and delivery; it is not a reason to overwrite evidence files with decorative layouts or to publish private family notes without considering the intended audience. ## FAQs Can I use the same export for a full page and a small box? A full-resolution source can feed both, but check each placement's crop and pixels. Page-specific exports should reflect the actual box and provider template. Will enough pixels prevent the binding from hiding a face? No. Pixel density and page placement are different checks. Keep important detail away from the gutter according to the book's binding and template. ## Sources Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article. - Blurb: [Understanding bleed and trim in your Blurb book]() ## Related - [Prepare readable historical captions]() - [Calculate source pixels for a placement]() - [Review the physical proof]() - [Use the print-proof worksheet]() ## Ready to restore your photos? Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider. [Get Started]()[View Pricing]() RestoreBunny Team Photo workflow editors Guides follow our [editorial policy]() for sourcing, product claims, AI limitations, updates, and corrections.