The best photo gifts in 2021: Create a personalized photo gift

The best photo gifts are the perfect present for the loved one who has everything.

Whether you're looking for a unique birthday present or a thoughtful gift to commemorate a special occasion, the best photo gifts are a great way to show the recipient just how much you care. Whether you decide to go for one of the best photo books, a photo jigsaw puzzle or even just a funny photo mug, there's nothing better to show how much you care than putting the time and effort into creating something truly unique. 

One of the very best photo gifts is a beautifully put-together photo book that showcases all of the recipients favorite memories. This is a particularly special present when celebrating a wedding, an anniversary or the arrival of a new child into the world. However, there are also plenty of other products that make up our best photo gifts list. 

To ensure the best results from your photo gift, make sure you use an image that isn't too dark or small. Dark photos might not translate very well in print – and smaller file sizes could cause your best photo gift to appear pixellated or blurry. However, most photo gift websites will warn you if the image you're using isn't suitable.

The best photo gifts

Mixbook is one of the most popular photo book retailers – and with good reason. A photobook allows you to compile shots from an event such as a party or holiday – and create a personalized album that makes a perfect gift.

A Mixbook photo book offers good quality printing for an affordable price. There are a wide range of design and layout options for users to choose from, which means you can customize your photo gift as much as you want. 

The Mixbook software is incredibly easy to use - you don't have to download anything, as it's all done in your internet browser. There are nearly 400 fully customizable templates, backgrounds and stickers to choose from, which enables you to create a perfectly polished photo book that will impress anyone who sees it. 

A canvas print is one of the best photo gifts you can get. Choosing a sentimental image (whether it's an engagement photo, a newborn snap or even a landscape shot of a meaningful location) to be the star of the show on a canvas print is a fantastic present – and CanvasPop is one of the best canvas print services available.

The clue being very much in the title, CanvasPop specializes in canvas prints, and are one of the best services in terms of ease of use, print quality, speed and cost. You can upload directly from image folders or Instagram and Facebook, with low resolution warnings in place for unsuitable imagery. CanvasPop may initially seem quite expensive, but the company offers regular deals of up to 50 per cent off, making for a significantly good cost-to-quality ratio. 

If you're looking for a photo gift that doesn't take itself too seriously, why not consider a photo puzzle? This is a great potential present that will ensure happy faced all round when opened. Costing $29.99, this Snapfish photo puzzle is made up of 252 pieces and comes in a gift box with a clear top so that the recipient can see exactly what they've got as soon as they open it. If you are looking for something more taxing, then there is a 500-piece option too for $39.99.

To help with putting the puzzle together, there's a reference print included as well. Snapfish often run discounts on their products, so make sure to check out the site via the link below to see what kind of deal the website might currently be offering.

There are plenty of the best photo gifts around, but a photo candle is definitely a new and interesting one from Shutterfly! Complete with pictures of the family children, this would make the perfect gift for a mom or grandma. This 15oz candle comes in either an unscented version, a 'Lavender Flower' scent or a 'Driftwood Indigo' scent. The RRP is $44.99, but the site has regular discounts.

There are also plenty of stylish designs to choose from - but we love this Gallery of Three option that allows you to use three photographs to create that ever special photo gift. Alternatively, if you're an InDesign whiz, you can also design your own version and upload it onto the site. 

Read more

• Best photo books in 2021
• Best photo printing online: top services from around the web
• Best canvas print services in 2021
• Best photo albums in 2021
• The best digital photo frames