Keeping in mind a few basic photography tips for scrapbookers can make it easier to get the photos you need for your layouts.
Essential Photography Tips for Scrapbookers
While patterned papers and embellishments are certainly an important part of scrapbooking, most layouts are designed to allow the photos to take center stage. This means an avid scrapbooker should always be searching for ways to improve her photography skills. If you're interested in learning how to take better pictures, here are a few tips that can help:
- Read your camera's instruction manual carefully. Even though a point and shoot camera is fairly easy to operate, you still need to know what all the settings on your camera are intended to do.
- When in doubt, take the shot. A photographer's skills improve with practice. The more pictures you take, the better you'll become at learning how to compose an outstanding shot.
- Use the highest resolution possible. It may require the purchase of a larger memory card, but you'll have more size options available when you go to create your scrapbook layout.
- Keep a small notebook in your camera bag and use it to jot down photography tips for scrapbookers as you're experimenting with different techniques. Then, when you take a shot that you're especially proud of, you'll be able to remember what settings you used to get that particular effect.
Easy Ways to Improve Your Photos
Look for a Fresh Perspective
The natural instinct for many people is to take pictures while holding the camera horizontally and standing roughly at the subject's eye level. However, altering this standard perspective is a great way to change the mood of your photos. Here are a few tricks to try:
- Try shooting from below the subject to create a sense of height.
- Shoot from above the subject to draw attention to his or her face.
- Tilt the camera slightly for a more whimsical feel.
- Look for ways to visually "frame" your subject in the surrounding area, such as taking a portrait of your daughter posing against the opening of a slide on the playground.
Shoot in Black and White
Although color photography may seem like the natural choice, don't overlook the benefits of experimenting with black and white images on your scrapbook projects.
- Black and white photography lends a timeless, elegant, and romantic look to your images. This makes it a wonderful choice for wedding, anniversary, or prom pages.
- Black and white is very flattering for portraits, since it makes wrinkles, blemishes, and other skin imperfections less visible.
- Technical flaws in the composition of a photo tend to be minimized in black and white.
- With black and white photos, you're free to use whatever color scheme you wish for your patterned papers and embellishments.
Buy a Tripod
While the majority of photos you take as a scrapbooker are probably images of your family and friends, it's a good idea to take pictures of your surroundings as well. Landscape photos and still life compositions of the objects that are a part of your day can make interesting additions to your scrapbooking projects. For these types of shots, a tripod is a necessity. A tripod helps eliminate the blur caused by the shaking of your hands as you're working the camera. There are many different sizes and styles of tripods available, but even an inexpensive one will vastly improve your photos.If you seldom make an appearance in your scrapbook layouts, a tripod also offers the benefit of making it much easier to take a self-portrait. Simply place the camera on the tripod, set the timer, and get ready to strike a pose!
Additional LoveToKnow Resources
If you'd like to learn to take better pictures, turn to LoveToKnow Photography for tips on everything from choosing a camera to how to take the best sports photos.
Some of the many articles featuring photography tips for scrapbookers include:
