How to Create your own Calendar in Photoshop

1. Choose your Theme. The sky, as they say, is the limit here. Perhaps you want to make a calendar that features you and your friends' pets? Kids? Just some of the great times you have had throughout the year? There are no limits here save your imagination. When you're selecting your theme and photos, it never hurts to be as artful as possible. Yes, you can have a calendar that features lots of posed, smile and say cheese photos of friends or family but why? Perhaps you want to start early in the year by resolving to take candid, funny shots, or photos of little things that your audience might otherwise forget. Here is your chance to get creative. If you are feeling stumped, it s a great idea to borrow ideas from some of your favorite photographers.

2. Edit Your Photos. If you have a photo-editing software application such as Photoshop or Picture It, your creativity has just begun. You don't necessarily have to Photoshop people or items into your photos, but by working with color balances, contrast and brightness; you can create some great and artful effects that take your photos out of the realm of the backyard snapshot.

3. Create Calendar. There are a few different software programs that can help you do this, and most make it as easy as dropping your photos into a template. If you are not too fussy, MS Word has some simple templates for calendars, and you should also be able to find a number of them online. Take your time here and find a template that you really like. You can also simply take your photos down to your local print and copy shop and see what they have to offer, though this might take some of the DIY fun out of it.

4. Make it Personal. Here is another opportunity to get creative, or at the very least, to customize your calendar to your audience. You'll want to include the obvious such as holidays, but you can tailor your calendar to mark your loved ones and friends' birthdays and anniversaries as well, and you can even mark historical (or humorous) events that occurred on the birthdays in question. Remember to refer to your overall theme as often as you can.

5. Get it Printed. If you are going to do your own printing, there are a few things that you'll have to keep in mind. Remember, for instance that in general the back of your previous month's photographs will be where you want to place the next month's day grid, so you'll have to put the paper in the printer in a certain way to make it all come out as you intend. Some software programs will walk you through the process, or you can just do some trial and error via test pages if need be.

6. Binding. A lot of calendar makers go for the simple saddle stitch with a couple of staples in the middle, but if you want to take a step up, spiral coil binding is the way to go. Take a look online or go to your print shop to explore your options there.