Looking for a creative way to preserve memories or showcase your brand? Whether you’re crafting a thoughtful gift for a loved one (or yourself!) or creating a practical tool for your business, a custom calendar is a perfect choice for either occasion.
This guide will walk you through how to create a photo calendar, from choosing the right format and photos to customizing the theme.
- To create a custom photo calendar, choose a theme, gather photos, design the layout and customize colors and text.
- Popular themes for custom photo calendars include family or company milestones, travel, love stories and business products.
- When choosing photos, focus on high resolution, consistent lighting and matching them to your theme.
- Photo calendar formats include wall, desk, poster and magnetic calendars, each coming in different sizes and paper options.
- Tips for creating a photo calendar include high resolution, color balance, intentional typography, consistent filters and meaningful captions.
Photo calendar formats
Choosing the right photo calendar format might seem like a simple decision, but it’s more than just picking your favorite look. It influences where your photo calendar is displayed and how much space you have for captions. Nail this first step, and you’re already on your way to creating a photo calendar that’s both functional and memorable.
Here are the four most popular formats, their sizes, use cases and what makes them stand out—so that you know how to create a photo calendar that works for you!
Wall calendars
Photo wall calendars are the go-to format for those looking to showcase their photos in an impactful way. This calendar format is designed to be hung on a wall, with each month displayed on a separate page. The bigger size allows for creativity with the layout, whether you’re featuring landscapes, family snapshots or furry friends.
Wall calendars come in different sizes and configurations to suit different spaces. VistaPrint offers the following options:
- Classic with middle binding: 17″ x 11″ (8.5″ x 11″ when closed)
- Large with middle binding: 22.5″ x 14.5″ (11.25″ x 14.5″ when closed)
- Classic with top binding: 17″ x 11″
- Small with top binding: 11.5″ x 8″
Middle binding means the pages are bound along the center, providing a horizontal orientation, which is best for landscape photos appearing on their own page, with the page underneath used for calendar dates.
Top binding means the pages are bound at the top, which means the photo and dates are on the same page, perfect for those who want a more integrated calendar design.
Classic with middle binding
Large with middle binding
Classic with top binding
Small with top binding
Wall calendars are perfect for family homes, where everyone can enjoy the images each month, and make thoughtful gifts for friends or coworkers.
Wall calendars are a great choice for a few reasons:
- Large display area: Perfect for displaying large images and captions.
- Great for storytelling: Showcase monthly stories with photos and captions.
- Easy to read: Ideal for spaces like kitchens, living rooms and offices.
- Versatile design: Choose between middle or top binding to suit your layout and display.
Desk calendars
Custom desk calendars are a more compact and practical choice. Unlike larger wall calendars, desk calendars are designed to sit on desks, perfect for offices or home workspaces. The smaller size means they don’t take up much space, while still offering room for creativity and customization.
VistaPrint offers rectangular: 4″ x 8″ (1-sided printing) and square: 8″ x 8″ (2-sided printing) desk calendar options.
Desk calendars come with a built-in stand and spiral binding, making it easy to flip through pages and keep them upright on a desk. They’re compact and practical, perfect for small spaces and ideal for keeping desks looking neat while bringing a bit of joy to the workday.
This calendar format is a particularly popular choice for corporate gifts and employee appreciation gifts. Whether you’re gifting them to employees, customers or remote teams, desk calendars offer a professional touch while keeping your brand visible every day. They’re great for branding, with ample space for your logo, images or messaging.
Poster calendars
Personalized poster calendars offer a bold yet simple look. The one-page design provides a large canvas to print a single image or a photo collage, perfect for minimalist layouts or an eclectic trip down memory lane.
Whether you’re displaying photography, artwork or graphic design, this poster format in the standard 11.25” x 17.30” size allows your visuals to shine without any distractions.
Poster calendars are also budget-friendly, especially when ordered in bulk. As an affordable option, this calendar format is great for personalized gifts or giveaways.
Magnetic calendars
A custom magnetic photo calendar has a magnet on the back, so you can stick it to metal surfaces like a fridge or filing cabinet. This type of calendar is compact and means you’ll never miss an important date again.
VistaPrint’s magnetic calendars are 5.47″ x 4.21″ in size and come in two thickness options: 0.4 mm standard and 0.6 mm premium, which offers extra durability. Plus, they’re water-resistant.
How to create a photo calendar in 5 simple steps
Custom photo calendars make some of the best unique gift ideas, and with modern printing services, creating one is simple. The hardest part is often choosing a theme and selecting the right photos. Once that’s done, it’s smooth sailing.
Step 1: Pick a theme for your calendar
Before selecting photos, start with a theme. A strong concept or story will give your calendar a cohesive feel and guide your photo choices. Here’s how to approach choosing a theme:
- Consider the recipient: Think about who the calendar is for and what would resonate with them. Whether it’s a family member, friend or colleague, consider their interests, hobbies and moments that matter most to them. A photo calendar as a gift for mom might highlight family milestones, while one for a friend could focus on fun adventures or inside jokes.
- Choose a story to tell: The best custom photo calendars tell a story as the year progresses. Decide on the theme or event you want the photo calendar to capture. Is it a year of memories, a vacation or a special occasion? Clear storytelling gives the calendar direction and makes it even more personal.
- Match the mood: Consider the tone you want to set—playful, elegant or adventurous. The mood will influence everything from photo selection to layout, fonts and design style, creating a cohesive feel.
- Tie it to an occasion or season: If the photo calendar is a gift, align the theme with a specific event or season. Festive-themed calendars make great personalized holiday gifts, while a birthday calendar can showcase personal milestones throughout the years.
With a clear theme in place, you’ll have a stronger direction as you move forward with the design and photo selection. If you need some inspiration, we’ll dive into some theme ideas below.
Step 2: Gather photos
After deciding on your theme, it’s time to gather the photos that will bring your calendar to life by choosing images that align with your theme.
Narrow down your selection by picking the photos that best represent the story you want to tell. If you’re short on images, use stock photography or art prints.
Here are more tips to ensure your photos shine:
- Use high-resolution images (at least 300 dpi) to ensure they look sharp and clear when printed.
- Look for photos with consistent lighting, or edit them to match in tone and brightness for a uniform look across the calendar.
- Stay organized by creating folders or albums to keep track of the images you plan to use (this will make your life easier when selecting the final shots).
Step 3: Design your custom photo calendar layout
Designing your custom photo calendar layout is where the fun begins. This is your chance to get creative and make the calendar unique.
You have a few options here… You can use graphic design software, such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, or a simpler tool like Word. But VistaPrint’s editor is often the easiest and most efficient method. Its user-friendly tools mean anyone can create a beautiful calendar without design experience.
You can either customize a ready-made template, build or upload a unique design from scratch. Whether you want to keep it simple or get creative, the choice is yours.
Choose a layout style
The layout is crucial to how your photos are displayed. Here are key options to consider:
- Full-page photo or collage grid: A full-page photo showcases a single image, while a collage grid allows you to display multiple images on one page, perfect for telling a visual story.
- Horizontal vs vertical orientation: Vertical orientation works well for portraits or close-ups, while horizontal is ideal for landscapes or group shots.
- Image-only vs image and note space: Choose between a clean, image-only design or one with space for notes or personal messages each month.
Customize the layout
The VistaPrint design editor makes it easy to customize your layout. You can select layouts with different amounts of images per page, or design your layout by adding photos wherever you like.
Once you’ve chosen your layout, our editor gives you a range of tools to fine-tune your design:
- Adjust outer spacing: Control the space around your images to create the perfect balance between photos and calendar dates.
- Add frames and masks: Choose from a variety of frames to enhance your photos or use masks for a polished effect.
- Add stickers: Customize your calendar design with fun stickers that match your theme, adding an extra touch of personality.
- Change the background: Choose from professionally-designed backgrounds or select a solid color that complements your photos.
Step 4: Customize the text
When customizing your photo calendar, adding text makes it feel personal or on-brand. Whether it’s a thoughtful gift or a business tool, adding captions, important dates, quotes or even location notes gives it meaning.
Mark special dates like birthdays, anniversaries, business events or product launches to make the calendar even more useful or personal.
Design tips for a polished, professional look:
- Stick to one or two filters for a consistent visual tone throughout the calendar.
- Use contrasting colors for text and backgrounds to ensure readability.
- Avoid clutter and keep the design clean by using whitespace.
- Keep fonts clear and on-brand, using elegant typography for personal gifts and brand fonts for business calendars.
Step 5: Review and print your custom photo calendar
Once you’re happy with the design of your custom photo calendar, preview each month by checking for any spelling errors and double-checking photo resolution in the print preview to ensure sharp quality.
Then choose your paper stock—glossy or matte—for the desired finish, select the quantity you need, order and print!
Theme ideas for custom photo calendars
A photo calendar is a personal gift, so trust your instincts when choosing the theme. That said, there are a few popular themes that nearly always resonate when deciding how to create your photo calendar.
Personal and family photo calendar themes
Creating a personalized family calendar is a great way to capture memories and milestones. Here are some theme ideas to inspire you:
- A year of firsts: Document a baby’s first smile, first steps or first holiday. Each month can showcase another “first,” turning the calendar into a beautiful record of growth and milestones.
- Family recipes: Feature family favorite dishes with photos and a handwritten recipe. You can also add a short description or personal story behind the dish, making it a meaningful way to carry on family recipes.
- Love story timeline: Highlight key moments in your relationship, from your first date and trips together to the engagement, wedding and anniversaries.
- Family milestones: Use each month to feature a special family event—birthdays, anniversaries and important achievements. For example, dedicate one month to Grandma’s birthday and another to a family reunion.
- Around the world in 12 photos: One of the best gifts for travelers, this photo calendar theme features a different place visited for each month, using their travel photos.
- Poetry and pictures: For each month, print a short, meaningful poem. Whether personal favorites or poems that match the photo, this calendar theme is one of the best gifts for book lovers.
Business photo calendar themes
A business photo calendar is a great way to showcase your company’s culture, products and achievements. Here are a few ideas:
- Team spotlight calendar: Feature a different employee each month, highlighting their role and contributions to the company. This is a great way to recognize your team’s efforts.
- Product of the month: Dedicate each month to a different product or service. Include high-quality photos and highlight its features or unique selling points. This can be an effective marketing tool for showcasing your offerings.
- Client or customer stories: Share a testimonial or success story each month, paired with a photo of the client using your product, highlighting your business impact.
- Event highlights from the previous year: Feature photos from key events like trade shows or company celebrations, celebrating milestones and achievements.
These business calendar ideas can enhance brand visibility and build a deeper connection with employees and customers.
Bring your photo calendar idea to life
Creating a custom photo calendar has never been easier. With VistaPrint’s intuitive design tools, you can go from concept to finished product in just a few steps. The process is simple and stress-free, allowing you to focus on what matters—choosing the perfect photos and designing a unique photo calendar.
