Finding My Way #3

I'm still busy Finding My Way through Karen's wonderful workshop over at Big Picture Classes. We moved on to awareness in photo choices. Such an important subject, as it can influence so many other scrapbook decisions on a layout. Here are some of the topics we covered and my personal preference and discoveries.


Photo Size: I prefer 4x6 and smaller; I love to crop photos into squares
Quantity: my preference depends on the story I want to tell and what I have available
Techniques: photos are matted on white cardstock and worked as a smaller grouping before I address the larger page. This might be backwards, but I've discovered I love working smaller to larger. 
Drawing Attention: by layering, stamping, embellishing, borders


Now for some recent examples:

This layout is about my love for lilacs. Basic Grey Kioshi paper. Design is from Shimelle's 4x6 Photo Love for February over at Two Peas.


Photo Size: one 4x6 and one 4" square
Quantity: 2-photos that show different aspects of the same story
Technique: matted on white cardstock, entire grouped matted  
Drawing Attention: embellishments, layering, title overlaps

Here's a page showing my brother in-law and nephew clowning around as they share the same birthday on Thanksgiving Day. Design inspiration from My Mind's Eye sketch challenge, paper from My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose: Mabel

Photo Size: Each photo: 4.5 x 3.5

Quantity: strip of 3, shows progression of the event; views farther away and close up 

Technique: mounted on one piece of white card stock, then patterned paper

Drawing Attention: embellishments overlap onto the photo mat

This two-page layout focuses on the preparation methods for our Thanksgiving turkeys. Last year we had three: one was deep fried, one was roasted and one was smoked.  Design inspiration from Sketch Support, paper from My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose: Hattie

Photo Size: one 4x6 and four 4" squares

Quantity: 5 photos; one focal point photo and four supporting photos. I loved creating a 2-page layout with fewer photos! I'm a fan of white space and using larger sized pictures without crowding the page. I'll definitely be coming back to this format again. 

Technique: mounted on white card stock, two distinct groupings matted on each page

Drawing Attention: lots of embellishments around the focal point photo

Here's a fun look at the cigar smokers in our family, again using paper from My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose: Hattie

Photo Size: one 4x6, two 2x3 that I printed at home. I had these smaller photos already printed 4x6 and tried to crop them, but they were still too big and overpowered my focal point photo. Resized in iPhoto and printed them smaller. This interrupts my process, so I use it as a last resort.

Quantity: 3 photos; one focal point photo and two supporting photos. 

Technique: focal point mounted on white card stock, supporting photos not matted

Drawing Attention: title and journaling right below the focal point photo draws attention to this part of the page

Are you still with me? Here's the last one.....

Isn't she cute? Okay, it's me. But these photos are so old, it's like looking at someone else. I had lots of fun with the journaling and title, but I'll save that aspect for another post.

Photo Size: two 4x3 black and white photos, one 3.5" square color photo 

Quantity: 3 photos showing a common theme: baby in the play pen

Technique: no matting required since these photos already have white edges

Drawing Attention: I placed the color photo in the center of the vertical strip and used raised adhesive and an embellishment to draw attention to it. I like mixing black and white with color photos if I already have them printed. 

I don't think there's anything groundbreaking or earth shattering here, but that's not the point. The idea is to become aware of the choices I tend to make over and over. What do I love, what new things might I try. What photo choices do you prefer?

In case you're interested, here are the links to Finding My Way #1 and Finding My Way #2. Happy weekend, hope yours includes some crafting!

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