Using Imperfect Photos
Do you sometimes wish you could find a way of using your imperfect photos for a layout but have no idea how to make them work for you? Don’t get rid of them. Don’t give up. Don’t waste those blurry, or old photos. Here are a few ideas for using them effectively in your scrapbooking layouts. You just to need to think a little outside the box a little!
Blurry Photos:
We’ve all come across those slightly blurry and out of focus photos and wish we could use them anyway. Well, there is a way. Try printing them on vellum to create a soft background image as a scrapbooking embellishment for your layout. It will look like you intended the washed out effect! Then use your better photos in the foreground!
Busy Photos:
What about those photos containing all kinds of elements which distract from the subject you want to scrapbook? First you may want to create a copy and preserve the original. Then, using the copy, proceed to crop out the unwanted areas. Want to be a little more creative? Try enlarging the area you want to focus on, then crop out areas close to your subject. It will give a more visually alluring effect.
Old black and white Photos:
Want to spruce up those old black and whites? Once again, use copies and preserve the one-of-a-kind originals. Then apply colorants to the copies to liven them up. You may enjoy coloring only selected areas to make that area stand out. There are many colorants to be used – chalks, watercolour paints, metallic rub ons, coloured pencils, or acrylics. Experimenting can create some real surprises. So have fun!
And remember – these less than perfect photos present another great opportunity for you to expand your style and create something unique.
