Photographs are the foundation of many themed scrapbooks, as they are one of the best ways to remember a special event. Gone are the days of 4 x 6 inch black and white photography. Digital photography allows people to make copies of their photos and make them any size for their scrapbooks. If you already have a computer, a printer and a digital camera, you are one step ahead of other scrappers who do everything by hand.
If you have digital photos, choose the photo you want to use as the main object on your scrapbook page. The size and shape of this element will determine the layout of your page. Since this photo is the main focus of the page, it should be chosen first as everything else on the page will be determined by the size and shape of the photo.
Once you’ve chosen a photo for your album, print it out any size you want. Most people use computer paper, computer programs, and specialized ink to make the copies they want for their scrapbook. Look at your favorite computer store for software, paper, ink, and printers that are suitable for high-quality photographic prints. If you do not want to make your own copies of the photos, you can upload them to photo printing shops on the Internet. These stores will make prints to your exact specifications and mail them to you.
After you’ve chosen your scrapbook page focus, you may want to choose a mat to add emphasis to your page’s theme and photo. A mat works as a mini frame to add depth to your scrapbook page. You may already have some rugs around the house. You may need specialized cardstock or another type of sturdy paper to make a mat for the photo you’ve chosen, so just cut it to size. Or you may want to use a mat you already have and print a photo to fit the size of the existing mat. There are many types of rugs available to buy if you don’t have anything to use. Choose a matte color that adds to the colors in the photo that you are placing on your scrapbook page. But don’t go for a flashy or overpowering mat that deviates the topic from the page.
Adobe Photoshop is a wonderful scrapper software program. It is reasonably priced and easy to use once you get the hang of it. Allows a scrapper to electronically add captions to photos. Do you need to make major changes to your photo? Photoshop can do that too. Many of Photoshop’s functions are point-and-click, and most of the basic functions are available from the toolbar.
One of the most popular features in Photoshop is cropping. You can crop an image or photo with hand scissors or with a computer program that will crop the photo for you. Cropping is used to shape a photo or remove parts of the photo. When you crop a photo on your computer, you can change the shape and size of the photo you are copying and printing. Follow the program’s instructions to point and click your photo to the shape and size you want. Cropping and other functions of the photo program can also be used to remove unwanted items or people from your photos.
With a little practice and patience, you will soon learn to use a computer to aid your scrapbooking efforts. And if you are lucky enough to be a student or have a student at home, you can buy your software at a much cheaper price.