Photo gifts make wonderful, personalised gifts, but if you want to make sure that the recipients really enjoy them, then you need to pick the right photo. That can be difficult. Most of us now have thousands of images to choose from. Now that we've gone digital, we're not nearly as selective with what we photograph, and we probably don't remember to delete the duds.

So, what kind of photo is right for photo gifts? Before thinking about the photos, you should start by thinking about the gifts themselves, as the shape of the gift will help you decide what photo to use. These days photo gifts are available in all shapes and sizes and for every room in the house. If you are giving a pet mat or photo canvas, then almost any photo will do. If you are having the photo printed on a small fridge magnet, then it's best to think about the qualities of the image. An action shot with lots going on might not be the best choice. Instead, a single close up image can help you make that particular photo gift memorable.

Photographers often talk about composition and that's a key issue when selecting the right photo for your photo gifts. Composition is all about what's in the photo and how it is placed. For example, a photo where the person is off centre may look slightly wrong if that is where you want the eye to focus. In contrast, a photo where the subject is in the centre and the background IS in the background will look much better. It's something to be aware of when selecting your photo.

Focus On Colour

Another consideration might be how the colours in the photo will blend in with your chosen gift, or how they will fit in the location. If your colour scheme at home is cream or magnolia, hanging a photo canvas which is ultra bright might clash, while hanging a canvas in similar colours might make it unnoticeable. It's also worth considering whether your photo really looks good on the side of a tote bag, or whether it's more suited to a photo cushion.

Don't forget to think about shape. Photos are generally portrait or landscape (tall or wide) in orientation. However, photo gifts come in all shapes and sizes so it's best to choose the one that fits the shape of your gift. A wide photo might be best for a photo pet mat, while you might prefer a tall photo for some photo canvases. If you're choosing a photo for a mug, the right shape may depend on whether your photo will be stuck on each side or wrapped around the whole mug.

Giving photo gifts is a wonderful way to show that you care with a present of something unique, but there's more to it than clicking on the first photo you find. Don't forget to think about shape, size, orientation and composition when choosing this wonderful gift.

Mark Beevers has been involved in making high quality FUNKY Photo Gifts, Photo Canvas, Personalised Gifts To Amaze your friends for 8 years. There is very little he doesn't know about personalised gifts, photo bags, photo mugs mouse mats and photo calendars all available at www.photostuffdirect.co.uk