Creative Anniversary Gifts with Photographs

Do you really want to give your spouse wool or copper to celebrate seven years of wedded bliss? Are you really going to pick out another tie or another box of chocolate for that special day? How about making a more creative anniversary present with your photographs. Here are four ideas for romantic anniversary gifts for photographers.

After several years of marriage, you have surely had adventures — either around the world or around the city. Download or scan a map of a city, state, country or the globe. Paste in pictures of yourselves in the locations where the photos were taken. For example, if you have photos from various restaurants, parks and theaters around the city, stick the photos over a city map at each venue. For world travelers, the same principle could apply to vacation spots. Once you've done this, there are various ways you can display your photo map.

A treasure hunt is always a creative anniversary present. It can be a trip down memory lane and a really fun game. You can base a hunt on photos. Start with a photo of a place (or a photo that will make your spouse think of that place), then go to that place. When you arrive there, you will have planted another photo of another place. Smile and repeat.

Here's an old-fashioned romantic anniversary gift that might remind you of childhood. Set up a tripod or place your camera on a steady location. Use the timer to take pictures of yourself performing some action in slow motion. It could be moving toward the camera with flowers — "giving" your spouse the flowers; holding up a sign that says "I Love You"; or perhaps something more risqué. Whatever suits your marriage and lifestyle. Print the photos and bind them together with staples or a ribbon. The rule of thumb is eight images per second, so make sure your movements are really slow but steady. One advantage to digital images is that clicking through the photo gallery should offer a good estimation of how the flip book will look.

Much like the photo map, scrapbooks can be a personalized and romantic anniversary gifts full of great memories. Place photos of yourselves in the book with movie ticket stubs, postcards, business cards or takeout menus from restaurants, and other items that are meaningful to both of you. Of course, this might take a year of planning and organization to collect movie ticket stubs and gather business cards, etc. But your spouse is worth the effort, right?

Digital scrapbooking is another option.