I promised a little info on how to crop (trim) pictures for your scrapbook. Reminder – you don’t need to buy a lot of equipment. The “tools” we are using today are ones you have in your desk drawer (scissors, ruler, pen) along with your camera. There are TONS of great YouTube videos on taking great pictures and cropping them so I will refer you to some of those for great visuals and advice. Be sure to search for “cropping pictures for scrapbooks” or you will get a LOT about cropping pics on your computer or camera. With all that good advice out there, today I’ll give you a little overview, some good video links, and a few examples from my scrapbooks.
Scrappers crop a LOT of pictures. Even if you are using pocket pages to create your scrapbook, you will still need to crop some pictures. Cropping pictures not only gives you a better look for your scrapbook page, but it also teaches you to take better pictures. Soon you will find that you are “cropping” them in your mind as you frame the picture.
Take Better Pictures ⇒ Less Cropping…and Visa Versa!
If you are using a digital camera or phone, you have the advantage of being able to take a LOT of pictures and immediately see if you got the shots you wanted. I encourage you to do so. While you are focusing on the person or building that you are photographing, it’s easy to miss the unknown person who walked halfway into your shot and messed up the right-hand half of your picture. Or you thought you got the picture, but you accidentally hit the “panorama” or “video” button and didn’t get the shot you thought you did. Here are a few suggestions for getting the shot you meant to get and the great one you didn’t see until you saw the pictures later! Please note: This is not a full list of “best practices” for taking pictures!
Use the “rule of thirds” to frame your picture.
This is NOT an absolute rule but a good guideline to consider. Look at the grid above. If this is your picture, the rule of thirds breaks the picture into three columns and three rows. The rule suggests that the subject or focal point of your picture should fall on one of the lines, rather than in the center of the shot. And it also suggests that the intersection of the lines (the circles) are especially good points to line up your shot. Look at the lighthouse pic below…your eye goes to the lighthouse, but you also have the sense of the vastness of the ocean. Similarly, the hockey player lines up on the right hand line but his position in the photo and the turn of his head give you a sense of action in the photo. Remember, you can turn that grid for a vertical shot…same rules apply!
Want to know more about the rule of thirds? Watch these short videos:
Move it or lose it!
It’s really tempting to stand in one place and take a ton of pictures. But your camera is not doing what your eyes are doing…constantly focusing in and out on different aspects of the scene. Of course, your phone or camera will let you zoom in. But remember that zooming in with a digital camera can make the picture more “grainy,” especially if you later decide to edit or enlarge that picture. See the example below. Another tourist kindly took our picture at Disney Avatar…and they got EVERYTHING in the shot. I like the wide shot but also wanted the picture of the two of us…see what happens when I zoom in. The resolution of the picture decreases and the print will not be as focused and crisp. Fortunately, it was great lighting and an enlargement will probably be ok. And, yes, I really do look that dippy when I go to theme parks, but I have a great time!
When you take pictures, move around. If you take a long range shot to get the landscape, step forward to get one where you can see everyone’s face. And, by the way, you don’t need to get everyone’s shoes or even their belt in every shot. If you want a great pic of your friend or family member, think “portrait” and step in for another great shot, this time focusing on their wonderful faces!
Also, think “up, down, and sideways.” Don’t just take pics standing up. Take the same shot sitting or kneeling, focusing in on closer aspects or getting faces of kids from their level. And sideways? Turn that camera and take the pic vertically rather than all horizontal pictures. Remember…you don’t have to print them all or even keep them all. But take LOTS of pictures from different perspectives. Here are two REALLY good videos/pages to help you take better pictures that are already “cropped” and ready to go!
Learn what your camera will do.
Even the most basic camera or smartphone has an impressive toolbox to allow you to take and edit great pictures. Try out all the options on your camera, watch videos on how to use it, and PLAY with the camera and the resulting pictures. You probably have the option of turning on: a “rule of thirds” grid to help you line up shots and an HDR (High Dynamic Range) option that blends the best of close ups and landscape focusing in one picture. A “burst” option takes many pictures far faster than you can click the button and can help you capture that great shot of your little one or pet. There are MANY more options. You wouldn’t drive a car without knowing how to turn on the lights, windshield wipers, or radio, right? So make a cup of coffee and play with your camera so you know a bit more about how to use it.
In summary…
- Take LOTS of pictures, using different techniques even on the same shot
- Take some pics the rule of thirds, then move the camera slightly to take a couple centering the subject.
- Flip the camera from horizontal to vertical and repeat the steps above.
- Take some at eye level then change your level slightly…sit or kneel to get a different perspective. Get some vertical and horizontal shots.
- Learn to use the features of your camera or smartphone
- You will be glad to have choices when it’s time to print your pictures!
Cropping when you print the pictures
When it comes to printing your pictures, you have a wide range of choices! Online services range from professional photography sites to specialty shops such as Snapfish or Shutterfly to drug and department stores such as Walmart, CVS, or Costco. Which one you use depends on convenience and quality. If you are uploading pictures to these sites, you will have the option to crop and “enhance” your pictures before you print them. I encourage you to take time to do so. Many of the issues discussed above can also be fixed at this point. “Enhancement” tools can brighten a dark shot, fix an odd color tone, give you options for other color tones, and fix “red eyes.” Below is an example of a poor shot of a church in Charleston, SC. I took it from a horse-drawn buggy tour. Mostly we see the tour guide and the dark outline of the buggy. But using CVS cropping software, I got a relatively good shot of the street and church out of a not-so-good picture.
Also, consider whether you want to enlarge a few pictures. I usually print a few great pictures as 5” x 7’s” to use as divider pages (see examples below). If I have an amazing shot, I’ll even spring for an 8” x 10.” When doing an enlargement, the online tools will usually tell you if the resolution (graininess) of the picture will support the enlargement. If not, you get the dreaded yellow triangle warning!
Cropping after you print the pictures
I still do a lot of cropping after I print the pictures. Sometimes you just don’t “see” it until you are laying out a page. I like to use a mix of 4” x 6” and 4” x 4” pics on a page as I showed in my earlier blog. I’m pretty good at eyeballing the place to crop having cropped a few thousand pictures. But, the first time I cropped a picture, I was terrified I would mess up the picture! How do you get started in cropping?
First, use a couple of Post-It notes, or two pieces of plain paper to envision the cut.
When you like what you see, mark the lines and corners with a photo pencil or a ball point pen.
Cut the photo with scissors or a paper cutter. If you use the ball point pen, cut just inside the mark. If you use a photo pencil, cut on the mark and then wipe off the pencil mark with a tissue.
Voila! Your picture is cropped and ready to place on your scrapbook page!
Here are a two very nice videos on cropping your pictures:
When you are ready for an upgrade…
If you decide you like adding pictures to your scrapbook and would like to cut pictures more quickly and easily, here are some great tools that make cropping a breeze.
Creative Memories Personal Trimmer
My first one lasted more than 10 years, with a lot of use during that time. I bought a replacement and it’s still my “go to” for cropping my pictures.
This is my favorite for cropping large pictures and for cutting paper.
Creative Memories 12-in Trimmer
This is a brand new product for CM and I haven’t had a chance to try it yet…they are JUST arriving in stock as I write this blog. Can’t wait to try it out!
As always, if you would like to order one of the Creative Memories products and do not already have a CM Advisor, I would be happy to help you. Please use this link to order from my page.
Marsha's Scrappin' Circle 
