Hot off the press: make your own magazine with instax™

You heard it here first: magazines are *officially* making a comeback. With many of us cutting back on digital and making more room for the physical, it was only a matter of time before magazines would get their renaissance moment. Always wanted to play editor-in-chief? Now you can. Find out how to make your own DIY magazine with instax™ cameras and printers.

Why DIY mags deserve to have their moment

Pre-2k10, magazines were peak entertainment. They were your train ride BFF. The reason you knew which fringe to cut. The ammo for celebrity crush debates at sleepovers. And the best bit? They were yours to keep, creased covers and all.

Fast forward to now, and we’re craving that physicality again. We want to flip through trends without a single notification. We want pages a little worn from living in our tote. We want stacks on our coffee table that double as conversation starters.

Why is making your own mag with instant snaps even better? Because you’re not just reading the edit. You are the edit. Shoot on an instax™ instant camera or smartphone, print out your life, scribble captions in your own voice, and collage all the chaos. Whether it’s a gift for your BFF or a ‘just for me’ project, it’s your world, captured, with no creative limits.

Make it your own: curating the mood

Making a mag means picking a theme. Here are some easy ideas to get you started:

Fashion mags your thing? Grab instant shots of your go-to fits, besties’ street style looks, or the hottest accessories in your wardrobe. Add swatches of material, cool fonts, and fun captions. You could even rate each other’s looks. Just maybe skip the savage takedowns… (some trends are best left in the noughties).

More into a nostalgic mood? Go for an old-school scrapbook vibe. Grab a load of instax™ shots from the past month, year, or a specific trip. Add ticket stubs, handwritten notes, restaurant receipts, and other small mementos to bring memories flooding back.

If it’s a gift, how about a gratitude mood? Create a zine to showcase memories spent with your BFF. Capture shots of all your Sunday hangs, ridiculous inside jokes, and memorable night out moments. Then, shout about why you're grateful for them. It’ll be a cute way to show your bestie you care.

Prefer to mix things up? Plan a few themes, make them their own sections, and decide on an order. Just check you’ve got enough material so you don’t have to stress about filler content.

Capture and print with instax™ cameras and printers

An instax™ camera or printer is essential for your DIY magazine. Here’s a quick equipment breakdown so you can find the best kit for the job: 

For when you want your pics to feel editorial: Our instax SQUARE Link™ smartphone printer prints in a chic square format straight from your phone, so you can pull shots from your camera roll, experiment with colour modes, add playful stickers, and print on the spot. Perfect for mood‑board pages, cover shots, or anything that needs that clean, balanced layout.

For when you want to ‘go big or go home’: Our instax Link WIDE™ smartphone printer gives you more room for detail. Think group outfit shots, impactful landscape spreads, and playful party scenes. Again, this one prints straight from your phone, so you can mix in snaps from nights out, trips abroad, or even old archives you’ve been meaning to print.

For fun, candid, ‘in the moment’ shots: The instax mini 12™ instant camera is your go‑to for spontaneous snaps. Lightweight, super simple to operate, and great for close-ups, it prints vivid mini snaps instantly. Use it to grab shots for collaging, layering, or adding as mini features between bigger spreads. It’s ideal for close-up b-roll shots, silly selfies, or city street‑style spotting.

For BTS fashion and beauty: The instax mini 41™ instant camera keeps things simple and style-focused. With auto-exposure and fuss-free operation, it’s perfect for quick outfit shots, street-style moments, or behind-the-scenes beauty snaps. Its sleek, pared-back design means it goes with everything, so your camera’s never stealing the spotlight. Just point, shoot, print, and add to your mag. Instant editor vibes.

Your magazine materials checklist

Now you’re ready for the best bit: making your mag. Here are some materials you’ll need:

• A selection of instax™ prints
• A notebook for planning 
• A scrapbook, blank exercise book, or booklet
• A selection of old newspapers or magazines (for cutting out text)
• Printed captions to go with your snaps (optional)
• Scissors
• A glue stick, PVA, or double-sided tape
• Fun decorations or keepsakes
• Colourful pens for doodles or notes

Bringing everything together: time to make the mag

You’ve picked a theme, gathered supplies, and selected your shots. Now it's time to turn your vision into pages. Even the most chaotic collage needs structure. So, before diving straight in, grab your notebook and get sketching your layouts. Use these ideas for inspo:

The cover

• Go classic: add one square print in the centre, a title above, and a tagline below – clean and editorial.

• Go collage: layer mini prints around a central WIDE or square shot and add a title at the bottom for an annual/scrapbook feel.

The feature pages

• Go for a WIDE print as the hero image with mini prints scattered around the page to support (think fashion spread or travel diary).
• Try a grid-style layout for a double-page spread with square prints, perfect for mood boards, trend roundups, or themed sections.

• Create a ‘photo strip’ effect with a vertical line of mini prints and handwritten captions beside each. Ideal for silly selfies to accompany a ‘BFF Q&A’. 

The back

• Go for one WIDE print with a handwritten note underneath – this will wrap things up with a personal touch.
• Consider a collage full of bloopers, outtakes, or behind-the-scenes mini prints for something messy, fun, and totally you.

Top tip when planning your layout

With magazine clippings, doodles, and other paper keepsakes, you can snip away to your heart’s content. But be mindful with instax™ film, as it isn’t safe to cut. Start with the film first, then figure out where the rest will go.

Easy upgrades

Gifting your mag to a friend? Make it ultra-memorable with these easy upgrades:

• Add a DIY barcode to the back for that ‘real’ mag feel. Draw one by hand, print a fake one online, or turn it into a cheeky inside joke like ‘Issue #001: For Your Eyes Only’.
• Use patterned instax™ film to add flair to your prints. Go for starry sparkles, pastel gradients, or retro borders to instantly elevate your layout. Perfect for highlighting standout moments or making your cover pop without extra decoration.
• Include a ‘free gift’ pouch on the front. Who doesn’t love a free gift with a magazine? Attach a small clear pouch to the front with a mini instant photo album or flip book inside. Even if it’s for pure novelty value, any magazine-loving bestie is bound to be completely *obsessed*. 

Make your mag the start of your stack

One issue down. How about a whole volume? Create a living archive of your style, your people, your places, and your stories, all in print. With instax™ cameras and printers, every moment becomes a feature.