Making the Most of Your Photographs When Scrapbooking

Posted by Nick Niesen on November 1st, 2010

When choosing which photographs to use for your scrapbooking project, it is best to pick photos of good quality.

Consider choosing only photos that clearly illustrate the theme you desire for your album. Digital pictures, instant photos and even black and white photographs can be used. It is important to be careful that the chemicals within the photos do not interfere with the rest of your scrapbook.

Some chemicals used in photos like lignin and acid in photo paper can lessen the preservation time of your scrapbook album. The safest pictures to use are digital photos simply because they can be easily printed out directly on lignin-free and acid-free paper. Keep in mind though that the pictures you choose to mount will become a permanent feature of your scrapbook. That's why it is best to use copies of your most cherished photos. Just scan each picture on a computer scanner and be sure to print each image on lignin-free and acid-free paper for the best results.

To make your photos especially interesting, try using a photo editing software program to alter the look of your photos. Make that color photo black and white or try sepia for that old-fashioned look.

Cutting and cropping your images adds interest to your scrapbook pages and sends a special message to the viewer to take a closer look.

All in all, the way photographs are arranged and presented can enhance the overall look of your album and turn your project into a professional-looking memory album.