Quoc Doan, Shutterfly’s Senior User Experience Designer, shares his professional approach for managing photo collections. The secret? Rating and reducing. I’m definitely going to give this method a try, because I spend way too much time deciding which photos are best, and I often end up making sloppy choices despite all that work. Thanks for the advice, Quoc!

Shutterfly Gallery Guru Jessi W. loves being a mom, and has a great passion for photography, which inspired her to start her own business, Everyday Studios. Her camera? A Canon. Her photography advice? Always use natural light.
In this article, Jessi tells us how she not only got her boys to enjoy bath time, but ended up with a great photo book as well. Read her advice on how you can create your own bath time photo book. All you need is a $10 plastic tub, some water, and a camera.

Shutterfly Gallery Guru Barbara K. took our question, “Why do you make photo books?” very seriously. In fact, she gave us ten reasons. My favorite on Barbara’s list is number eight, photo book making as a “stress reliever”. She’s right. When you get creative with your photos, those worries fly out the window. All you think about is how to make those pictures tell your story. Take a look at Barbara’s list - and feel free to add your own by commenting on this blog.

”Why do you make photo books?” To express your creativity? Capture memories? Showcase events? Tell a story? Let us know by commenting on this blog. And if you need some examples to get you started, read what several of our Gallery Guru volunteers have to say. Then add your inspiration to the mix!

In this article, Shutterfly Gallery Guru Henry Barbe shares his passion for photographing flowers and gives us some useful tips on getting the most dramatic shots. His techniques? Decide if you want to focus on one or many, play with the light source, and pay attention to the background. I am amazed at the examples he shows us, and will definitely try his tips, especially now that it’s flower season. Thanks Henry!

Deborah Harkins, Shutterfly’s Creative Lead, tells us how to capture summer fun by focusing on the details, choosing activities that encourage your younger subjects to stay still (like scooping ice cream!), and doubling up on photographers to make sure you don’t miss any of those special moments. She also shares some great technical tips to help you get the highest quality images.