Scrapbooks are a great way to record and save special memories. Photographs are an important part of scrapbooking as they offer a visual record. Photos can be incorporated in scrapbook projects in a variety of ways. They can form the main focal point of a page or simply be used to illustrate a few written words or other keepsakes. If you are going to incorporate photographs into your scrapbook pages then there are a few things to consider.
Use Copies of Photos in Scrapbook Projects
It is important to use copies of your photos in scrapbook projects. There are many reasons for this. If, for instance, you are using important heirloom photos that are irreplaceable, then using a copy in your scrapbook pages and keeping the original safe means that you will always have the photo regardless of what happens to your scrapbook page. Taking a copy also means that you can reproduce the photo to share with family and friends. There are many ways to take copies of your photographs including scanning the photo on a home scanner or using a professional service. If you don't have access to a scanner at home, many libraries offer a low cost scanning service.
Use Acid Free Supplies
The acid in paper, adhesives and other scrapbooking supplies can reduce the quality of your photos over time. The acid can cause the colour to fade from the photographs which means that your scrapbook will not be suitable for recording memories to be passed through the generations. Most scrapbook suppliers offer a range of acid free scrapbooking supplies and these are important to use for your heirloom scrapbooking projects.
Filing Photos
Whether you are using photographs that have been taken with a digital camera or photographs that have been taken on film and scanned into your computer, the chances are that the photographs that you are using for your scrapbook projects are stored digitally. If this is the case then it is important to store your photos carefully so you can find them when required. One important thing to remember is to give your photos file names that are meaningful. Many cameras give photos numeric file names, however you may wish to change the name when you upload the photos onto your computer.
Backing Up Photos
With so many special memories stored digitally on your computer, it makes sense to back your photos up so that you do not lose everything should you have a problem with your computer. A separate hard drive is one way to back up your computer, or you may consider an off site back up service. These services allow you to back files up to a remote server and the cost depends on the volume of storage you require. Some services are free to home users.
Taking copies of your photos and ensuring that they are stored well will ensure that you have photos available for use now as well as in the future.
Kate Pullen - Kate Pullen is a freelance writer specializing in arts and crafts , and is an accomplished craftsperson. As well as being a designer / ...
