Kit 'n Kaboodles Scrapbook Cafe

[Amy]

Tip #1 -- Take the photo during the daytime. No matter how much you want to take the picture right after you finished your layout or project at midnight... DON'T DO IT. The colors won't look right, even with a flash. You have to have some natural daylight.

Tip #2 -- Take the photo from as straight a vantage point as you can. Some people put the project on the floor and take the pic from straight above... I have tried this and have a hard time with it due to shadows and flash glares. A small easel works well, a plate stand or a recipe-book stand will also work, though you will have the bottom part of the stand covering part of your layout. Some care about this, some don't. I personally don't think it's that big of a deal. I use the music stand on my piano for almost every photo.

Tip #3 -- Pay attention to the image in the viewer-window on your camera. Look at the image. Does it look square? Do the sides of your layout look angled in? If so, lift your camera higher and then angle the lens downward. Does it look square now? Is it centered? Also, are there any shadows on your project?

Tip #4 -- Stand back and zoom in. If you don't, your flash (and I almost always recommend using a flash) will make white glare spots on your photos (assuming you use glossy photo paper, and generally speaking, most do). You don't want this! The photos are the main focus of your layout, and we want to see them!

Tip #5 -- Take several shots. Then pick the best one when you go to view them on your computer. Many times you can't tell if a photo is blurry until you download it and see it bigger. Also, if you aren't sure if the flash is the way to go (such as when you have used a transparency -- these are very difficult to photograph with a flash), take some with, and some without, just to be sure. If you decide NOT to use a flash, get as close as you can to your project.

Tip #6 -- Use your photo-editing software. Most have a "Auto-fix" function. Try it! More often than not, it will balance your highlights and shadows, as well as intensify colors that may have been washed out a little from the flash. And you will almost always want to crop the extra stuff out of your photo. Extra space and objects showing around your layout can be distracting, and take away from what you are trying to showcase, your beautiful work! You should have a "Manual" crop function (as opposed to preset sizes like 4x6 or 5x7) that will make this very easy to do.

I think that just about covers it!! If you have any questions, just ask Now, go take photos of your projects!
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~AMY~

http://scrappymenagerie.blogspot.com/

[chris]

any hints when there is snow on the ground.. and I am one that lately always ends up with flash marks or my shadow on the photos....
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Chris


ole682000.blogspot.com...

[Amy]

[Amy]