Digital Photo managment

Digital Photo management is my first step in creating a Digital Scrapbook or Storybook.

I begin by downloading my photos in Memory Manager 3.0.  I look at each photo closely and delete, edit, crop, retouch, & clean-up each photo as needed.  After I'm satisifed with each photo, I move the photos into sort boxes.  I have sort boxes for each of my family members, vacations, sporting events, special occasions, etc. I can store a picture in one box or several boxes.  For example, I may want to add a photo of my daughter at Christmas in her sort box and in the Christmas 09 sort box.  This way when I create my scrapbook, that picture will be in both sort boxes to use in two different scrapbooks.

After I've completed the editing, I export my photos to my digital scrapbook software. I use a software program called Storybook Creator Plus.

In this program I have all of the elements and embellishments that I have discovered in many different digital websites & blogs. plus the elements and embellishments that came with the program. You can search for free digital embellishments, paper, and elements using Google or Bing. I also have many paper choices to use through out my book. The program I use comes with several paper packages and I also download papers I see on the internet into my software program.

First, I decide what size I want my book to be, I have several choices, 8x8, 12x12, etc. Then I name my storybook (scrapbook). And off I go. Its as simple as drag and drop your photos onto the page and arrange them or be more creative. I like the creative side. I always start my books from the beginning of the story, I like my layout to be in the order of the event.

I choose my paper from the wide variety of paper that I have downloaded into the program. I then add my photos. I may make one page with a large photo on top and three photos cut out in circles across the bottom. I usually frame each picture with a color that is in the picture. By doing this I simply go to choose a frame, from a drop down box, I have a screen of colors and a little dropper - I use the dropper and choose a color from within the photo to frame it with. Other photos I may soften the edges or use other edging tools available. I can also crop my photos in this program too. I also use photos as my background paper. For example, I used a photo of the ocean in Maui as a background and then added some fun Maui vacation pictures to the page.

Adding Text

I use a lot of text in my books, I'm telling a story about our vacation or soccer season! I want the reader of my book to see the pictures and read the story. Adding text is simple. I choose the text box, move it onto the page where I want it, size it, and type in my text. I then choose the font and color I want to use. The program I use comes with a lot of quotes and text that I use to highlight pages. I often want to pop out my text, so I will choose paper that matches the page I'm using, cut it out & back the text with the cut out.

Adding Overlays

Overlays are great. I usually use overlays and underlays. I choose from the many different overlay patterns (hearts, flowers, zig zags or squiggle lines) that I have and add them to my page. I then crop them down to fit the size of my page & move the overlay to the "back" of the page.

Who can do this?

Anyone can do this. Its so easy. A good example, my daughter's graduation party was fast approaching and she hadn't finished her senior scrapbook using the traditional scrapbook method. I suggested going digital. In less than 24 hours, she used 400 photos and created a 51 page book and it made it here just in time for the party!

My 13 year old son does it too. I love seeing his creativity. His books are so much different than what I would create...his books are unique to him.

What's next?

After my book is finished I upload the completed book to have it hard cover bound and printed. I usually receive my completed books within a week.

Would you like to get started?

Its easy & fun. Find a program that works for you. My first rule of thumb is to always edit your photos first. My second rule of thumb is to have fun with it, make it your own. It will last a lifetime and can be passed down through the generations. Your book will really look like a coffee table book, full of photos and stories of your adventures, friends, family, clubs or organization, holidays & vacations. Please, don't be intimidated by the many websites out there showing their digital layouts - you can do it - be unique and caring and your creativity will show through!

Here is one of the pages I designed. The pictures are simplistic and beautiful to me, so I did not use any embellishments on the page. My Lace is one of my favorite photo subjects & she is so photogenic!

Steps to the design.

1. Add photo as my background

2. Added three photos of the dog as she is jumping off the dock in sequence.

3. Cut out each of the sequenced photos in a circle.

4. Edged each sequenced photo in "bubble" edging.

5. Created a text box & added the heading. To pop the text out, I used a piece of blue paper with dog bones on it, cut it & decreased the opacity so the lake would show through the paper.

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