How to Make a Travel Photo Journal: The Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you're traveling alone, with friends, or with family, capturing the moments and documenting your experiences is one of the best parts. A travel photo journal is a way to document cherished memories of your journey and keep them from fading. Yet, catching the right moment can be challenging when on the go.

So, having the right tools is vital to creating quality travel photo journals. The necessary things in your vacation packing list should include your camera, lenses, and other accessories, like spare batteries. But there are some things you also need to add if you plan on trying out picture journals, too.

If this is overwhelming you already, fear not! Here I'll guide you through the process of making a journal that's on point! But more importantly, it'll be a journal to help you record the special trips in your life.

What is a travel photo journal?

A travel photo journal is a great way to document your trip with photos, written descriptions, stickers, and other decorations. It's a keepsake of your journey that you can share with friends, family, and future generations. 

The goal is to create a visual reminder of your experiences that you can return to at any time. Something convenient and aesthetic too!

You can create an online photo journal as well. This way, you can share your experiences with a broader audience and even provide a helpful platform for future travelers looking for advice or tips on travel.

Benefits of creating a travel photo journal

Creating a travel photo journal is about more than just documenting your experiences. It's also to help you remember and relive your trips' incredible and beautiful moments. A well-crafted photo journal can keep your connection to those experiences for years to come.

A physical record of your trip can help you reflect on what you learned, how much fun you had, and the bonds you made with people along the journey. Creating a visual journal can also just be a fun project to take on during your trip. It can give you something to look forward to each day as you start and finish it every night.

Tips on how to make a photo journal

Get organized

Make sure the photos are sorted out chronologically so it's easier to follow the story. You can group photos by days or by places you've visited.

Make sure to take LOTS of pictures

Capture as many moments as possible so you can choose which are most important and meaningful to include in your travel picture journal. Whether that's the most delicious meal you had, cool neon lights you found, or doing the iconic 'follow me to' pose, make sure to take tons of pics!

Include details

Capture the small details like street signs, wall art, or people you meet along your journey. These moments will make your travel photo journal unique and special.

Add captions to photos

Adding a few lines of text to accompany each photo can help tell the story better and add more context for when you return to it.‍

Include souvenirs and other memorable items

Add knick-knacks like ticket stubs, maps, postcards, and other souvenirs that could help map your journey. You can attach these to the pages or leave them loose in the journal.

Add in fun stickers

Put fun stickers or washi tape to make the travel photo journal look more exciting, colorful, and all-around aesthetic.

Bonus tip: share your story

Once you've created your travel photo journal, the best part is sharing it with family and friends. Post them on Instagram, add them to a blog, or create an online travel photo album if you want! 

Take it from me – sharing the stories and memories of your journey can be the most fulfilling part.

A step-by-step guide on how to make a travel photo journal

If you're creative and want to make this even more unique, you should create a physical travel photo journal to keep. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Step 1: Gather the supplies – You'll need supplies such as paper, glue, scissors, markers, and other craft items.

Step 2: Choose or create a cover – You can use scrapbook paper, an old map, or other creative materials.

Step 3: Go for a theme – Deciding on a theme can help create cohesion throughout your journal's pages. Depending on your preference, vintage, romantic, or modern are all great choices.

Step 4: Arrange the photos – Place your pictures on the page and arrange them in an order that makes sense to you. For example, you can organize them by day, place, or even the people you were with.

Step 5: Add captions and text – You can jot down a few lines to explain the photos or add a caption, which will help tell the story and make it even more vivid.

Step 6: Include travel details – If you encountered any unique places or people along your journey, write them in your journal!

Step 7: Embellish – Use stickers, washi tape, and other items to decorate your book and make it look more cohesive on every page.

Step 8: Bind the pages – You can use a binder or scrapbook to bind your pages together.

Step 9: Showcase your work – Share your travel photo journal with family and friends, or post it online for others to enjoy.

• Bonus tip: Use photo journal apps like Photo Diary or Journi to make creating a digital photo journal much easier and more convenient.

Or, if you want something already good to go, you can also get physical books like this SEEHAN leather photo album. Grab this before heading off and easily slot in photos and mementos, write in details, and decorate as you go!

Digital travel journal vs. scrapbook

Deciding between a traditional scrapbook and a travel photo journal can be difficult when documenting your travels. They're both great, so here are the main differences to help you make the best choice for your trip:

• Travel photo journals are generally less time-consuming than creating a scrapbook. You can focus on photos and captions rather than written accounts and stories.
• Scrapbooks are great for creating detailed stories with written journals, maps, and other memorabilia on each page. It can be more creative and visually appealing than a travel photo journal.

Whichever you choose, both methods are sure to keep those cherished memories alive for you to look back on for years.

Happy documenting!

Wherever you are, document your travel and capture the essence of what you experienced. Whether through photos, captions, or detailed stories on scrapbook pages, creating photo journals will help you relive and reminisce on your adventures for years to come. 

Pro-tip: Use Pilot to plan your travel journey, so you won't forget where you went when creating your travel journal.