How to Make a Photo Zine
Build a sequence of photographs that works on paper, from selection to a folded proof.
A photo zine is a small publication in which photographs carry most of the meaning. Making one involves choosing what to include, deciding the order, and checking what survives when the pictures are printed at a smaller size.
Start with the photographs you have. You do not need to plan a new shoot unless the sequence is missing something important.
Find the connection between the pictures
Choose a subject, place, period or visual idea. It could be one journey, the same window over several weeks, or objects people leave on walls.
Gather more pictures than you expect to use, then remove those that repeat an image without adding anything. Two photographs of the same place can both belong if the difference between them matters.
Keep a separate folder for the selection so you can change your mind without losing the originals.
Arrange a sequence
Make small prints or move thumbnail images around on a screen. Try several orders before settling on one.
You might move from a wide view to details, follow the order in which something happened, or pair pictures with similar shapes. Those are options, not requirements.
Notice the transition between each pair. Does the second photograph help the reader understand the first, surprise them, or simply repeat it? You can choose repetition deliberately, but make it a choice.
Design for the finished page
Give an important photograph enough room. Several small pictures on one page can make sense as a comparison, but details may disappear.
Avoid putting a face, a word on a sign or another essential detail in the fold. A two-page picture needs a physical test because the centre may be harder to see once the booklet is assembled.
Add captions when the place, date or circumstances are important. A reader should not have to guess which image a caption belongs to.
Check image size and print quality
Use the original image files where possible. A screenshot or a picture saved from a messaging preview may contain less detail.
Print a page with both a dark and a light photograph. Check whether shadows have become solid blocks, whether pale details are visible, and whether small features still matter at this size.
If you need to crop or adjust images, GIMP is a free image editor. Make changes to copies so you retain the originals.
Finish the whole object
Print and assemble a complete test copy before ordering or making several. Check the sequence again as pages rather than thumbnails.
Credit the photographer and collaborators. When people appear in personal or sensitive situations, discuss the intended use with them before sharing the zine.
The final edit may involve fewer photographs than your first selection. That can make the ones you keep easier to spend time with.
Continue with How to Print a Zine at Home.