Getting the right photo album to store your photos is not so simple as just picking up one that looks nice. When you store photos, you want them to last, so it is important to get what is called "archival" quality. Only with the best photo albums will your photos last a very long time. There are also electronic photo albums, but many people still enjoy paper pictures and want to have a nice album in which these memories can be preserved for decades without damage. Although there are many to choose from, there are some leading manufacturers, and the top stores generally carry those. B&H Photo, Wayfair and Walmart have the best available photo albums regardless of brand. Before shopping for your new photo album, check out the following questions and answers, so you can make the best choice for your needs.
Many industry analysts and scrapbookers view Pioneer Photo Albums as the best overall brand. That's in large part because this brand produces archival photo albums capable of keeping photos in pristine condition for decades. They are made of materials that will not cause your photos to fade. Pioneer albums also have easy to install pages that give you a lot of options when putting an album together.
B&H Photo has a Pioneer MP-46 album that will hold 300 4x6 pictures in 25 pages. You may also add pages to store more photos. This is a simple album that goes for $12.85 from B&H. The pages are plastic, and have no harmful chemicals that could damage your photos. These are among the most affordable photo albums you will find without sacrificing too much quality.
The Pioneer High Capacity album will hold 600 photos and retails at Walmart for just under $25. This album is 12x12 and also has plastic pages that will hold your photos. There is also memo space beside each picture, so you can label the photo without writing on the photo.
Wayfair also has archival quality pages, but they add a nice touch to their albums. You can get leather or suede covers, as well as traditional cardboard The suede album goes for $18 at Wayfair. This album has 12x12 pages made of plastic and you may adjust the number of pictures each page will hold. Wayfair is also a great source for finding photo album deals and discounts.
Some albums have pages stitched in and you are limited to that number of pages. Other albums give you the flexibility to add pages. Ordering an expandable photo album could be important as your collection of prints grows. A binder type is the easiest to expand, but there are some other options.
This can also be a consideration if you may want to add photos in the middle of the album. With a binder type you can insert pages wherever you want.
Consider where you will keep the album. How will it fit on your shelf and how will it look. The size of your shelf might affect how big of an album you get, but keep in mind some of the best photo albums are available in several different sizes. if you want to keep your album out in the living areas, such as on a coffee table, you might want a smaller album that will be easier to handle.
Many of the best photo albums come with sleeves that you slide photos into and you are done. There are however, pages available that will allow you get creative. Just make sure the materials are all archival quality.