The suitcase photo

A trip produces hundreds of photos and, often, very little story. Back home, the camera roll is full of landmarks and empty of the moments that made the trip feel like yours.

Here are the photos that made it into the book. Tap any of them to see it larger.

Start with what you already have

Think of each day as a short chapter. A beginning, something in the middle, and an ending.

The people you travelled with matter more than the places. Make sure they are in the pictures.

• Pick a fixed day each month
• Include at least one place, not just faces
• Star photos as you take them

Try it this month

Do not wait for a special occasion. The ordinary weeks are the ones people forget, and the ones they most want to see again.

When a month has a big event in it, such as a wedding or a first day at school, let it take over. There is no rule that says every week needs equal space. The book should feel like the month felt.

I thought I needed a better camera. I needed a better window.

Tom Okafor, Paperleaf

One more thing

It helps to know what the book is for before you start. A book for grandparents wants faces and clear captions. A book for yourself can hold the odd corner of the garden, the shadow on the wall and the plate of food that only makes sense to you.

Keep the rejected photos somewhere safe for a while. Tastes change, and a picture you passed over may be the one you want next year.

Reader tip: one family keeps a paper list on the fridge of moments they want in the next book.

When to stop

Think about how the photos sit next to each other. Two busy pictures side by side can fight; a busy one beside a quiet one usually works.

Keep the phone charged and the lens clean on days you expect to matter. It sounds small, but a flat battery or a smudged lens has cost more good pictures than any missing piece of equipment.

• Pick a fixed day each month
• Back up before deleting anything
• Keep one photo per day at most

What to look for

Back up before you delete anything. It takes a minute and removes the fear that stops people from clearing out at all.

Watch the light at different times of day in your own home. Most houses have one window that is lovely for an hour every afternoon.

Picking is a skill. Like any skill, it gets faster.

Priya Nair, Paperleaf print room

A few small rules

A good caption answers the question someone will ask in twenty years. Who is that? Where were we? Why is everyone wet? Write the answer while you still know it, even if it feels too obvious to bother with today.