If you bought a camcorder in the ’80s or ’90s and filmed every birthday, graduation, school events, and random family event in between, you probably have a big box of VHS tapes you haven’t watched in years. Also, you might not even have a video player any more!

Your videotapes, movie film, and slides are fading over time. Instead of letting your memories fade away, have them transferred to DVDs, where they are easier to watch and more fun to share!

So with that on my mind, a few months ago I started to focus on getting my family videos turned into digital media and putting these old home movies on DVDs and giving copies to my children.  I was afraid if I didn’t hurry and get the family movies converted to digital that it would be lost forever as video is a dinosaur technology and not only is it hard to find a video player, but the video it’s self was fading and breaking.

If you are like me and want to preserve these family treasures by getting them converted to digital media, here are some ideas that might save you time.

Conversion Resources:

Do it yourself:
like… Sony DVDirect Compact Burner

I am sure there are other transferring machines or software, but I was able to transfer lots of my home family video movies with the Sony DVDirect Compact Burner.

Here is a general description of this product: Transfer home movies and digital pictures to DVD, quickly and easily without a PC. Connect with virtually any camcorder, VCR, even DVR for recording video DVDs playable in standard DVD players. Built in slots accept the 5 most common memory cards for recording digital pictures to DVD as a slideshow or for photo storage. Record high definition AVCHD video from Sony HDD or Memory Stick Handycam camcorders to DVD playable in Blu-ray Disc compatible devices. Sales for around $199

I found this burner made taking my home video and transferring it very easy and straightforward. I was able to make copies for all my children so they could have their baby, toddler and young children home movies – it made a nice gift for them!

Take in to a local store to have them convert them:
like… Costco

If you don’t want to convert your video then you can get some help and have someone else do it.

One place that does it is Costco, so if you have one in your area you can take your videos, movie film and even slides to have them converted and transferred to DVD.

Here is some information about their conversion service:

• Your memories will be transferred onto archive-quality gold DVDs.
• Pricing starts at $17.99. A 2nd DVD copy is included with every transfer order.
• Customize your DVD with a title, menu theme and music background.
• Just bring in your tapes, reels and slides to Costco 1-Hour Photo. Pick up your DVDs in about 3 weeks.

Make the converted video available online:
like… Pixorial

Seeing all those old tapes, the contents of which I had mostly forgotten, all in one place on my computer or played in by DVD player on my TV was fabulous. But how would you like to share your video online with your family too?!

For example you can send old home videos to Pixorial, a new online service that will digitize your old VHS, Mini-DV, 8mm, and BetaMax tapes; safely archive the footage on its servers; and allow you to edit and share your videos instantly. Often, within two weeks of mailing video tapes, (with a kit Pixorial provides), you can receive an e-mail saying your videos are online and ready for viewing. You can easily share with family and friends, and you can also connect to many social network sites too!

Many companies offer conversion only to DVD but Pixorial’s service includes digital transfer to online files instead.

This option really brings old family movies into the newest type of media – online and digital!

Here is some information about their services:

With Pixorial, you can do more than ever before possible with video, including:

• Archive your entire video library on secure servers
• Edit, create and share video content online
• Collaborate with others through video, using video
• Broadcast easily through social networks
• Create unique, personalized video products (e.g. DVDs and video e-books and e-cards)

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Hopefully this article gives you lots of choices to pick the right one for saving your precious video memories!

Good luck!

Cheri

Ps. If you want to get old photos changed to digital photos – then read this article: Getting Old Photos Changed to Digital Photos

About two years later, in third grade, I rediscovered the journal in my room and read the last entry- the one I wrote. I found it so difficult to read (it was filled with 1^st grade spelling mistakes) that I translated that entry and then wrote a new one on the next page!

Every few years I would stumble upon this special journal and write a new update of my ever-changing life. And while I actually used to be an avid, almost every day “journaler” in my teens, I always seemed to lose this one particular journal and find it somewhere completely unexpected years later. I think that was what was so special about it. With just a turn of the page, I could see how much my handwriting improved, how my vocabulary advanced, and how my thoughts, feelings, and life evolved.

Some entries were long, others were really short, but in the end- it was just exciting that a new entry was there. Some years were good years, other years were hard, but again, it was great to see that as bad as things can get, a page later, life had a way of working itself out and I was happier than ever.

As much as I don’t tend to live in the moment, I do feel sometimes that I live day by day and forget the big picture of what a year can bring. I think may of us do this. But a journal like this can remind you of the big picture: that no matter what the ups and downs of life in a year may be, we all grow and change and can become better as people.

I think everyone should keep a similar journal, where there’s no obligation to write every day, but perhaps check in once a year to write a new entry (I think anyone can commit to that!). A simple update on how you’ve grown and changed, new experiences or challenges you’ve faced, and an overview of a good, bad, or average year. Nothing has to be “deep,” poetic, or perfect- just a simple reflection of what has happened and who you are every year.

As we approach the end of 2009, it’s time to take a minute to tell your story and say what this year has been for you. Digital Scrapbooking is a great way to journal your “2009 Journal Entry.” Try these ideas for your end-of-the-year digital scrapbooking reflections:

· Create a two page digital scrapbooking journal entry. Make one page all text: write about what this year has taught you, goals you’ve accomplished, and just an overview of your year. You may even want to include new goals, hopes, and dreams for the year ahead. On the second page, scrap a digital scrapbooking page with photos of favorite or meaningful moments throughout the year: a special birthday, a meaningful reunion, or a happy, simple day of doing absolutely nothing with friends and family. Add captions with dates, times, places, and people in the photos, or even include mini-stories explaining certain photos.

Like this scrap page? Get the Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Happy New Year Kit and make your own end-of-the-year digi-masterpieces!

· Make a one-page digital scrapbooking page with photos (real photos of you & events throughout the year, or perhaps photos/paintings/pictures of things that represent the year and what it means to you). Add meaningful quotes by a favorite poet or person, inspirational sayings, or other captions that represent the completed year and what it has been like for you.

· A quick way to remember the previous year in the year after is to digitally scrap the new year’s calendar with photos from the previous year. Fill the digital calendar with special pics, phrases, and memories from each month of last year to remind you of the wonderful moments made the year before. Do this every year with your yearly calendar and reflect on happy times each month from a previous year well-done!

You can make digital calendars fast too, just by using Quick Pages. Quick Pages are basically pre-designed digital scrapbooking pages. All you have to do is add your photos (and perhaps a little text, if you want) and you’re done! Use Digital Scrapbooks and More’s 12 Month Calendar Quick Pages to make your own super-fast 2010 calendar! Just add your best 2009 photos each month, and within minutes, you’re done and ready to print!

It really doesn’t take long to create an end-of-the-year digital scrapbooking reflection entry or calendar. An hour or two (though with Quick Pages it can take a few mere minutes!), and you have a priceless masterpiece that sums up an entire year of your life.

A journal like this is a treasure- for yourself or maybe even for a special little first grader somewhere down the line…

Happy 2009 and Best Wishes for 2010!

-Jennifer

Ps. If you want to begin Digital Scrapbooking in order to digitally scrap moments from 2009 and new adventures in 2010, get Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Getting Started Series for digital scrapbooking training for beginner’s!

Also, you might try some digital scrapbooking pages designed for Journaling like the Journaling Pages Digital Scrapbooking Kit

This kit is the perfect outlet for journaling your thoughts, feelings, activities, or adventures-digitally! This kit was specifically designed for large amounts of text, providing a wonderful outlet for you to include stories or memories of important moments within your digital scrapbooking projects. This kit comes with 12×12″ digital papers and several digital embellishments!

Add text and coordinating digital photos to this pastel and polka-dotted themed digital scrapbooking kit, and you have gorgeous, finished digital scrapbooking pages! The Journaling Pages Digital Scrapbooking Kit is a perfect kit to start creating your very own digital diary, with its large, designated spaces! Made just for journaling!

This kit is also designed so that you can have the pages face each other for a more continuous feel, if you are going to turn the digital scrapbooking pages into an album or book! This Digital Scrapbooking Page can hold a very lengthy story. Sometimes a scrapbooking pages need more than just photos …they need WORDS too!

Enjoy!

However, traveling recently, I  again realized how much you can do on the go! And how much you can learn in the few moments here and there!

For example: at the airport waiting for my fight I could look at Photoshop or Photoshop Elements training that I had on my computer! I could also practice techniques that I learned on my computer either while I was waiting for my plane or even on my plane! All I needed was my laptop – and the software programs like Photoshop Elements or Photoshop on my computer, and the training on that computer too!

It is hard to find a block of time to really set aside for learning new things if you are busy. But one great thing about the Getting Started training in Digital Scrapbooking is that most video tutorials are around 10 minutes, this great to fit into the small spaces of time.

I notice I have lots of 10 minute time openings when I am on the run. Like when I am meeting a friend, waiting for a sports game to start, picking up a child from school, a husband from work, picking up or taking a parent to the doctors, etc…

All of these small spaces of time can be used for learning if I just do a few things to prepare ahead!

Here are Six tips to get the most out of Learning on Go!

Tip 1: Always throw a laptop computer into the car or take one wherever you are going. If you have a computer with you then in those moments that you find yourself waiting with nothing to do,  then take a quick lesson from Digital Scrapbooks and More, which can really develop your skills in no time at all. This method is especially nice as you will be surprised how quickly you learn and in times that don’t seem to be missed at all!

Tip 2: Get a very small travel computer. If possible get a very small travel computer that can make it a breeze to take everywhere so you can learn in unexpected available moments  that would be wasted otherwise! Like a VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC, “the world’s lightest 8-inch notebook! It can fit in a small handbag! HP and Acer also make very small computers too. When you have a small computer it is easy to take it every where and learn in those moments that would be wasted. I still keep my big desktop computer with the big monitor for most my regular computer needs but have a smaller travel computer for taking everywhere too!

Tip 3: Get your training on your laptop and ready to use. I like to have a special file on my laptop that I put the training in so that when I want to learn I can just go to that file and click on the training that I want to start. How easy!  Then when I find myself waiting for few moments or so – I quickly learn something new! You can learn basic Digital Scrapbooking, or Photo Editing or even learn Intermediate and Advance training. Just load you computer with the training and have it somewhere you can find it easily! With Digital Scrapbooks and More’s tutorials you can buy them, download them directly to your laptop, and organize them so you can find them quickly to start learning on the go.

And if you have a little more time while waiting, then even turn on Elements or Photoshop and try the new technique that you just learned in the training!

Tip 4: Install a copy of your software on your travel laptop. Most software programs let you install a copy on both your Desktop and Laptop computer. If you have the program on your travel laptop then you can follow along with your training and practice the skills if time permits. And if you find that you are waiting a bit you might even have time to create digital scrapbooking projects and pages too! Just think of all the things you can get done on the go!

Tip 4: Take headphones with you. In some locations you might be on the go to, like the doctors waiting room, on the bleachers at sporting events, or other places that the sound from the training might be disturbing to others. So just packing headphones to plug into your computer solves that problem.

Also, headphones help you drown out distraction sounds while you are learning too!

Tip 5: Plan for on the go moments. If you think ahead about your day, then you might realize that you might have up to an hour of waiting on the run. If you can guess that you will have 10 minutes then plan for one or two training lessons. Make sure you have as many training videos or maybe even a few extras for the amount of time you will have available.

If you believe you might have an hour then make sure your computer battery is fully charged, or know where to sit (by wall plugs – for electricity), have a extra computer battery, or even a car charger for learning in your car!

Tip 6: Have some digital scrapbooking supplies and photos on your travel laptop. If you have time on the go, then you might want to practice what you have learned and having some digital photos and supplies to work with while you wait reinforces the lesson you learn! Also you might get some of your digital scrapbooking projects done on the run too!

Getting Good Training for Learning on the Go:

Learn Digital Scrapbooking. If you haven’t already got the Getting  Started Series, then get it and learn Digital Scrapbooking so you can preserve all your special memories!

Once you’ve completed your Beginner’s Digital Scrapbooking Training, your ready to improve your photos with the Digi Makeover Training.

Next go to Intermediate Tutorials or Advanced Digital Scrapbooking Training to take your digital scrapbooking to the next level!

So, what are you waiting for? The next time you are on the go, then start learning while you wait!

Happy Scrapping!

Cheri

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Do you have great learning on the go tips you would like to share with us?

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Perhaps you are working on a Photo Editing task or creating a Digital Scrapbooking page and want to know what some  information on the extra setting on a specific tool?

Did you know that you can get a good user guide for Photoshop or Photoshop Elements online for FREE? It is basically a user manual that Adobe provides with their products! Even though this is the product user guide sometimes people don’t know about these free resources. So let me give you the information in one handy place!

Photoshop Help:

For Photoshop you can get the online user guide at: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Photoshop/11.0/index.html?trackingid=DYNQE  or you can get the PDF version at: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Photoshop/11.0/photoshop_cs4_help.pdf  This version is great because you can save it to your computer then print out, or better yet put on a eReader (like a Amazon Kindle reader) and save some paper and ink! (See more about the Kindle below!)

Also, another trick to get these online guides or PDF documents is  to open up Photoshop and go directly to the Help tab menu at the top.

Then the drop down menu appears,  go to Photoshop Help or shortcut key F1. If you have an internet connection then this will take you to the online user guide and you can look on that page for the PDF version or link to other versions too.

Photoshop Elements Help:

For Photoshop Elements you can get the online user guide at: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PhotoshopElements/7.0_Win/index.html

Or you might want to try the PDF version by saving to your computer, printing out or using on Amazon eReader! (See more about the Kindle below!)

Get this Elements 7 PDF version at: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PhotoshopElements/7.0_Win/photoshopelements_7.0_help.pdf

If you need the Mac Elements 6 Version, then see: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PhotoshopElements/6.0_Mac/index.html

Also, when you open Photoshop Elements you can get to these online guides or PDF documents. First, open up Photoshop and go directly to the Help tab menu at the top.

Then the drop down menu appears,  go to Photoshop Help or shortcut key F1. If you have an internet connection then this will take you to the online user guide and you can look on that page for the PDF version or link to other versions too.

Get More Help:

While these user guides are great to get the specific details about tools or settings, and are great for supplemental information after one understands the basics. However, they don’t explain how to do Digital Scrapbooking at all! And  even the information on how to Edit Photos isn’t the best resource. So while I think these are great supplemental resources if you want more help than this get good training too!

Get this Training to Learn Digital Scrapbooking:

The Getting Started Series in Digital Scrapbooking using Photoshop Elements 7 is the ultimate training! CD-set includes: tutorial videos, training guides for ALL Lessons (1-6) and lots of freebies too!

You can also buy this training lesson by lesson in a downloadable version too!

Do you need Photoshop Training? Then get the Complete Photoshop CD training or Downloadable Individual Lessons too!

Learn Photo Editing:

The Digi MakeOver Madness Tutorials are perfect for Intermediate Photoshop or Elements Users. Edit your Digital Photos and make them look fabulous, using our Digi MakeOver Madness Training!

You might also want to check out the Baby Photo Editing training too! Baby Photo Editing or Digital Scrapbooking Tutorials are great to edit baby photos and create baby themed Digital Scrapbooking pages using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

Resources that help with Digital Scrapbooking and Photo Editing Tasks:

Take a look at these resources such as training or the FREE users guides and you will be surprised how your digital scrapbooking and photo editing skills improve.

Enjoy these helpful resources —- have a very nice day!

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More information about PDFs and the Kindle eReader:

Save a tree and instead of printing out PDF manuals, or pages put them on a Amazon Kindle eReader! It is hard sometimes to read PDFs on the computer, and it is expensive to print them out especially if they are user manuals with hundreds of pages! Instead sit in a comfortable chair or have your eReader next to your computer as you try the tasks!

You can even get the eReader to load the Step-by-Step training or Cheat Sheet guides from the Tutorials we sell, put the training guides into the Kindle to read them there instead of printing out or reading on the computer!

Don’t know what a Kindle is? Then check it out here!

Here are some articles that will tell you more about the Kindle eReader and how you can use it!

Then take a look at these Blogs about the Kindle, and reading Digital Scrapbooks and More’s blog, training, news and MORE on the Kindle!

Read These Blog Articles for More Information:

Blog: Use the Amazon Kindle for A More Green Digital Scrapbooking Experience!
Blog: Helping Digital Scrapbookers read Digital Scrapbooking Blogs, Articles, & Training on the Amazon Kindle DX eBook Reader!
Blog: How to Make and Add a Digital Scrapbooking Page or Album to your Kindle Reader!

You can even read our blog on the Kindle eReader!

Kindle blogs are fully downloaded onto your Kindle so you can read them even when you’re not wirelessly connected. And unlike RSS readers which often only provide headlines, blogs on Kindle give you full text content and images, and are updated wirelessly throughout the day.

Sign up for the Digital Scrapbooks and More Blog (Kindle Edition)!

Here are some of the reasons to add the Digital Scrapbooks and More Blog to the Kindle:

· Automatically delivered to your Kindle so that you can stay comfortable and enjoy it within your favorite reading chair, at the pool, in the park (wherever you can get Amazon’s direct connection service).

· Amazon takes our blog and makes it formatted to work with the Kindle, so the reading experience will be best adapted to the Kindle.

· You can try out the blog for 14 days absolutely FREE!

· The cost of the Digital Scrapbooks and More Blog is only .99 cents a month- that’s less than the cost of one cup of coffee!

To sign up and get the Digital Scrapbooks and More blog on your Kindle, go to this web link where you can buy a subscription to our blog.

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Do you have great  tips you would like to share with us?

If so, please sign in and submit your comment to this blog post.

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This weekend we are going to review Photography Tips!

Sometimes it is nice to have all the blogs on a certain topic pulled together in one place so you can more easily get the information that you have been looking for!

Check out these blog articles that give good photography tips:

Blog Article 1: How to Become More Photogenic: 5 Tips for Improving Your Digital Photos

Blog Article 2:  Take a Great Candid Photo ~ 3 Tips!

Blog Article 3: Posed Portrait Tips for Improving the Photo!

Blog Article 4: 3 Photography Tips to Convert Flower Pics into Digital Scrapbooking Supplies!

Blog Article 5: Take Gorgeous Flower Photos: 4 Anytime Tips for Pretty Floral Pics

Blog Article 6: Tips for Great Digital Photos

Take some time and check out these Photography blogs and see what you can do with your digital photos!!!

Enjoy!

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Want to get training in Photo Editing? If so check out the tutorials in the Scrap Shop!

Edit your Digital Photos and make them look fabulous using Photo Editing Training! Tutorials for Photoshop or Photoshop Elements Users!

Also, check the Digi MakeOver Madness Tutorials that are perfect for giving your photos a digital makeover!

Learn about Baby Photo Editing to edit baby photos and create baby themed Digital Scrapbooking pages using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

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Do you have great Photography tips you would like to share with us?

If so, please sign in and submit your comment to this blog post.

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If so, I hope you now think of junk email in a new light. Just imagine how many ways you can use junk email in digital scrapbooking design!

So, today we are going to show you how to make one of the digital scrapbooking pages we showed in yesterday’s blog article that was inspired by junk email!

Here are the 5 Steps to make this digital page:

Step 1: Get Digital Scrapbooking Layout Inspiration from Junk Emails!

I received a ‘junk email’ the other day that sparked our Digital Scrapbooking creativity!

This particular ‘junk email’ had a fantastic design; one I could easily use as inspiration for my own Digital Scrapbooking layouts!

I decide that I was going to try to make a digital scrapbooking page based of this bit of inspiration!

Step 2: Create a New Document and Add Interesting Digital Paper

In order to create a Digital Scrapbooking Page with a similar-look as our junk email layout, I start by creating a New Document in Photoshop Elements, then added an interesting light beige paper, and added a black border a round the outer edge. (Note: I could have used Photoshop, it would have work for this project too!)

For more information about creating a New Document or adding Digital Paper to a New Document, please see our Beginner’s Digital Scrapbooking Training: the Getting Started Series for Photoshop or the Getting Started Series for Photoshop Elements.

Like the paper used in this example? For this project, I used the Goals and Resolutions Kit.

Step 3: Crop Digital Photos and Convert to Black & White

Next crop your digital photos and convert regular, colored photos to black and white

For more information about cropping photos,
please see our Beginner’s Digital Scrapbooking Training: The Getting Started Series for Photoshop or The Getting Started Series for Photoshop Elements

(For more information on converting photos to black and white, please see the Digi MakeOver Madness Black and White Tutorial )

Step 4: Add Cropped Photos to Page

Add your cropped, black and white photos to the digital scrapbooking page, and arrange.

Repeat for each of the photos you have. Align them on the page so they are spaced evenly.

Step 5: Add Custom Shapes

The next step is to create a  black oval, with the oval custom shape tool.

Place the Oval in the middle of the digital scrapbooking page on the layer above the photos.

Next lower the opacity so that the photos can be seen through the oval shape.

(For more information about creating custom shapes, lower opacity, or cropping please see our Beginner’s Digital Scrapbooking Training.)

Step 6: Add Text and Apply Interesting Effects

Add text to the custom shape oval. Make sure it is on the top layer.

Next, add text on the top and bottom of the page. Use a different font and color.

(For more information about adding interesting effects to photos and text,
please see our Beginner’s Digital Scrapbooking Training: The Getting Started Series for Photoshop or The Getting Started Series for Photoshop Elements.)

These are the steps for making a digital scrapbooking page from a junk email inspiration! Make sure you give your junk emails a chance before you delete them! They might spark new Digital Scrapbooking layout ideas for you too!

Happy Scrapping,

Jennifer

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I love this website, and I can definitely relate, especially when I think back to some of my old middle and high school photos. In my experience, it seemed as though the entire “Picture Day” process always ended up being such enormous disaster!

I remember, what seems like so long ago, waiting in a ridiculously huge line, outside in the summer heat waiting to get inside the autotorium (yeah… pretty much any makeup I had on had melted away, and my hair had gone flat too), only to finally reach the camera, and only get one shot to get a picture-perfect smile for that year’s school photo.

“Tilt your head, hunny. Lift your chin. Smile big, hold it… hold it… one, two…” Snap!

Frantically, I’d say, “Wait! I think I closed my eyes. Maybe we can try it again?”

But it was always the same response, “No, hunny. You looked fine. …NEXT!!!”

Of course you had to buy the picture packages in advance, before ever seeing the final photo… I’d beg my mom to get the largest package (who knows, maybe this was my year?), and she’d talk me down to something much smaller. Each photo practically cost several dollars each, and it was incredibly expensive to buy any of these pics at all!

And, like every year before it, when the photos had been developed and finally arrived, I was always absolutely horrified by the results. Whether I was giving a half smile or the fact that you could see every single blemish on my face, I always hated my school pics. I wasn’t the only one either. I kid you not, there was always some poor kid who happily picked up their photo package only to realize that their one and only shot for the yearbook had caught them with their eyes closed. Now, that was awful. I would always wonder if these unfortunate kids with closed eyed pics also asked for a second shot, just to be told, “No, hunny. You looked great.” Liar.

With today’s high-end digital cameras, I doubt that school photos are ever taken (and printed) with closed eyes, but these school photo packages are never really ideal for many reasons: They’re usually very expensive, you only get one or two chances for taking your photo (instead of taking the time to take the best shot possible), and the photos are never edited (and show every last pimple, blemish, etc). So, why do we keep investing in these overpriced pics?

I say, don’t! This year, don’t buy buy the unnecessary school photos, or at the very least, just buy less! Instead, take your own school photos- photos that your child will be proud to hand out to their friends. It’s not very difficult to take good pics, just follow the 6 school photo tips below and your child may be very pleased with the results- and not  traumatized- like I was!

1. Hair, Makeup, & Clothes. Visit the Awkward Family Photos website I mentioned and you will get a very good idea as to why hair, makeup, and clothing is so very important. Your best bet is to choose items or products that won’t lock your child into an era. Try to go for pretty, classic hairstyles, and always make makeup look natural. If your child is young, they obviously won’t need any makeup, but if you have an older daughter, keep in mind that for photos, you typically have to apply more than you would wear on a regular day (to cover blemishes), but you always want your skin and makeup to appear pretty, simple, and natural-looking.

Same for clothing. Always go simple and classic. Avoid white in photographs, and choose long sleeves and 3/4th sleeve shirts or cardigans which look better in photos than short sleeves or tank tops. For example, a solid colored, clean-looking blouse or a long sleeved collared shirt, with little in the way of stripes or design, is a great option.

2. Be Choosy About Backgrounds.             Of course you want these school photos to be as professional looking as possible, so be extra cautious of busy-backgrounds! Even if the background is pretty, such as a plants and greenery, you want this to look like a school photo, so stay indoors, and find a solid background. You may even want to use a pretty patterned drape or curtain and use it as a backdrop. Hang it on the window or attach it to a wall, and use it to create a traditional-looking school photo background.

3. Set Camera Settings for High Resolution. Make sure that your camera is set to the highest resolution picture-taking settings as possible. You want the best, clearest photos to come out of this project, and while you can always lower the resolution and file size within photo editing software, you want to work with the highest resolution possible first.

4. Super Shutter Camera. Investing in a digital camera with a super-fast shutter is absolutely worth the big price. Ever wonder why so many photos end up blurry? It’s typically because we click on the button to take a picture, expect the photo to be shot, and our subjects move (even if it’s ever-so-slightly) or we move our camera (thinking the picture is finished). The picture actually then takes (obviously delayed, and taking it’s sweet time), and the result is blurred photos. Save your beautiful portrait shots and create “more-photogenic” school photos by either using a faster-shutter digital camera, or taking your time with a slower-shutter camera. Your child needs to stay completely still for three seconds after clicking the camera button- and same goes for you, the photographer. Three seconds may seem like a lifetime, but you can do it, and it’s more than worth it!

BONUS TIP: When taking your school photos, try using the “Portrait Mode” setting on your camera.

5. Edit School Photos. No matter how much you use the tools on your camera, adjust the lighting, and try to perfectly frame a shot, it’s not uncommon to take digital photos and still feel disappointed by the results… no matter how talented you are! Digital photos often times have flaws. But what’s great is that you can digitally fix them easily with Photo Editing software! Simple edits in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements can enhance your photos and restore them to the way you intended them to look!

Oh, and remember how awkward school photos can be? They don’t have to be unfortunate anymore, thanks to the wonders of photo editing! Remove distracting pimples and blemishes from young adult skin- even airbrush skin for an ultra-professional-looking photo! You may even want to remove a few wrinkles and perhaps even try digi-tanning! Why not give it a try? These are important photos!

Take the Digi MakeOver Madness Tutorials to learn photo editing secrets within Photoshop Elements and make your kids’ school photos look great! Get rid of digital flaws and make good photos even better! Brilliant school photos really are just one click and tutorial away!

6. Print Picture Package on Printer. In order to save some hardcore cash (and use it on something like back-to-school clothes or text books), print your own school photos!

Take the Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Saving and Printing tutorial within Photoshop or the Saving and Printing tutorial within Photoshop Elements and learn how you can print a picture-package- right off your very own home printer!

Remember, make sure you invest in high-quality photo paper so that photos look as professional as possible when printing at home!

Get more Brush Info Here:

If you haven’t read the recent Digital Scrapbooks and More blogs all about Custom Brushes, then make sure to check them out because they will help you get more information on new Custom Brush tips!

Check out these resources to get more information about how to use custom brushes!

First, did you know that you can turn your digital scrapbooking custom brushes into your very own coloring pages for your kids? It’s easy, it saves money, and you can do it quickly with Custom Brushes! Learn more about doing this by reading these Custom Brush blog articles:

Blog Article: Coloring Pages with Digital Scrapbooking Custom Brushes!

Blog Article: Creating a Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Holiday with Photoshop Brushes!

Using Custom Brushes as Digital “Stamps”

The free information doesn’t stop there either. There’s much more we have covered when it comes to Custom Brushes- like how to use custom brushes as digital “stamps”!

Read this Blog Article: Conversation Hearts and Digital Scrapbooking – it shows how a Custom Brush can be "stamped" onto a digital Tag!

Tradition scrapbookers use a rubber stamp by applying colored ink to the stamp, then applying it to a piece a paper. Well, Custom Brushes are similar to this- only a digital version!

Custom Brushes can give the look and feel of traditional scrapbooking, yet still keep it digital!

Another example is this blog article: Fourth of July Digital Scrapbooking Ideas and Must-Do’s!It shows examples of adding digital scrapbooking supplies together into a digital scrapbooking page and taking Custom Brush sets to "stamp” design onto digital tags!

This example is nice to look at because it shows the exact digital scrapbooking supplies and custom brushes that made this digital scrapbooking page.

Plus it shows several examples of the “stamped” brush technique that is so popular for those who want their digital scrapbooking projects and pages to look like they used a rubber stamp!

This is one of the easiest ways to get started in using digital scrapbooking Custom Brushes.

All you have to do is buy a Custom Brush set, install your brushes, pick your brush, choose a color, and then start "stamping" away!

Not sure how to get started using, installing, or “stamping” brushes? Then check out Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Brush Tutorials. Custom brush tutorials that are sold in the Scrap Shop for either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

Not sure where to get digital scrapbooking custom brush sets? No problem, the Scrap Shop sells custom brush sets too!

If you would like to see another example of how a custom brush might be applied to a digital scrapbooking page and made into cards, then check out this blog with lots of picture examples! Blog Article: Make Something Priceless Without Spending a Lot of Cash

Using Custom Brushes as a "Punch Out" Tool!

One tool that traditional scrapbookers love is the "punch out" tool. If you go to a scrapbooking store, you’ll find them everywhere! So, in the land of digital scrapbooking, we can use our Custom Brushes to achieve a similar effect!

If you would like to know more about this, then check out this Blog Article: Spooky Halloween Brushes for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements and remember: get training too! The Digital Scrapbooks and More Custom Brush tutorials are sold in the Scrap Shop.

Using Custom Brushes as Embellishments- by Colorizing them!

Another way to take your Custom Brush design up a notch, is to colorize them! Once you add a little color to your black and white Custom Brushes, you can convert them into personalized Digital Scrapbooking Embellishments!

A Custom Brush might look boring until you add a little color! But once you do, it’s amazing how interesting they can become!

Find out more about Colorizing Custom Brush Images — by reading this Blog Article: Colorizing Custom Brushes! A Great Digital Scrapbooking Trick!

Also, another way to find out more about brush tips and tricks is to check back with some of our featured blog columns, like the free tips from Ms. Digi Know.

Find out more about tips and tricks with our sassy digital expert, Ms. Digi Know:

Check out all of her latest tips on Custom Brushes, with a featured question by one of our readers! See Blog Article:  Ms. Digi Know Helps: Custom Brush Questions

Also, keep tuned with the Digital Scrapbooks and More Blog for more Custom Brush help and tips throughout the year. Even with all of these resources in today’s blog, there is so much more to Custom Brushes!

Have a nice day!

Cheri

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Do you have Custom Brush and digital scrapbooking tips you would like to share with us?

If so, please sign in and submit your comment to this blog post.

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Want photo editing training or digital scrapbooking tutorialsfor either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements then check our Scrap Shop for all our Tutorials and Training!

Also check out our Great Digital Scrapbooking Supplies at the Scrap Shop too!

It can happen to anyone. You’re just living a normal life, minding your own business, editing photos and digital scrapbooking your pages within Photoshop Elements… when, BAM! You realize that your hundreds of photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking pages are all over the place, everything is super-messy, and your digital world is just seriously out of control! It’s only then that you make the tough-decision: it’s time to clean up your act and get organized!

If you are using Photoshop Elements on a PC computer, then you can begin organizing your photos and digital supplies using your new best “clean-freak” friend: The Organizer- a handy-dandy feature that’s right inside the program!

Here are Six Reasons why you should use the Photoshop Elements Organizer:

Reason 1: The Catalog. When you bring photo files into the Organizer, the program adds them to what’s called a catalog. Each item (photos, images, supplies, etc) are automatically cataloged by date when you use the Organizer.

You can keep all of your photos in one catalog, or you can store them in separate catalogs. For example, one good use for separate catalogs would be to have one catalog dedicated to photos, another one for digital scrapbooking supplies, and yet another catalog for finished digital scrapbooking pages. If you want to group your images even further, you can place them into similar albums, another example: an album that only included photos of your “summer vacation”.

One of the nice things about your catalog is it doesn’t have to be a lot of work and it doesn’t have to be complicated if you don’t want it to be! But of course, if organizing by date isn’t enough organization for you, you can always make your catalogs more detailed or specific, by making more catalogs or specific albums!

Reason 2: Keyword Tags. For specific organization, use keywords with your images. Keyword tags can help you sort your stuff with better precision. For example, adding a keyword tag of the word “bow” to all your digital scrapbooking bow embellishments would help you sort your digital supplies by a specific type. If you ever were digital scrapbooking later and wanted to use some kind of a digital scrapbooking bow embellishment, you could search within the Organizer, and have all your bow supplies at your fingertips! No more hunting in every folder on your computer to find bow supplies! Or even further, you could use keywords “blue bows”! Adding additional keyword tags only makes your searches even more helpful when it comes time to needing certain supplies, pics, or pages!

Reason 3. Virtual Browser.  The Organizer acts very much like a virtual browser as it shows you thumbnail pictures each item within the Organizer. The thumbnails you see in the Organizer are merely “pointers” to the original locations of the actual items.  In other  words, if I searched for “blue bows,” it might bring up 15 different blue bows thumbnail pictures. Each different bow thumbnail would take you to the original location of that bow supply- whether you made the bow embellishment or bought it from a scrap company and saved it to your computer. The thumbnail could even lead you to different drives on your computer, but the Organizer has brought them into one handy place for you to review and select in one, organized place. It’s convenient and a huge timesaver!

Need to find something and didn’t tag it, then Search!

Reason 4. Find Images using the Search Feature. Besides looking for your photos, supplies, or pages within your catalogs, albums, or using keyword tags, the Organizer also includes a full-featured search tool.

As your collection of photos, digital scrapbooking supplies and digital scrapbooking pages and projects grows this search is great for finding things fast! Use the search feature when looking for your very specific pics or supplies.

Reason 5. Map your Images or Digital Scrapbooking Pages. Believe it or not, the Organizer helps you associate your photos or digital scrapbooking pages with certain locations by letting you put the image on a geographic map!

Once you have mapped you photos, or digital scrap pages, then they appear as red pins on the map.

Traveled abroad? Spent a summer vacation on a tropical island? Traveled out of state to see family or friends? Using this feature, you can find certain photos or images by scrolling and zooming in and out of different countries, cities, and even streets!

Using the Organizer, You can Make Things- like a CD Labels and More!

Reason 6. Make things! Once your photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, or digital scrapbooking pages are in the Organizer, then you can use the other features within Photoshop Elements to make things!

For example, I made this CD Label in only a few seconds from a digital scrapbooking page because my finished digital scrapbooking page was in the Organizer!

Because the Organizer is an easy way to organize and find photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking pages, the Organizer is an important step in completing various Photoshop Elements projects!

That’s not all about the Organizer either! Take the Digital Scrapbooks and More Organizer tutorials and learn, step-by-step, how to use the Organizer yourself! It’s easy to use with a little training and it’s a great way to get your photos and supplies clean and tidy! Find photos or digital supplies with ease- using the Organizer!

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Want training in the Organizer? Then check out these New Tutorials just for Getting Organized in the Organizer!

How to “Get Organized in the Organizer: A Simple Start in Photoshop Elements, Lesson 1″ is a great Intermediate 3-part tutorial set that will teach you all about the basics of using the Organizer! This Simple Start Lesson Set teaches you easy and simple ways to begin to organizing with the Organizer in Photoshop Elements!

Now that you know how to use Photoshop Elements in the Editor Mode, there’s no doubt that you have plenty of photos and edited photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking projects! After a while, all your photos, supplies, and projects can become a nightmare to sort through and find. So what do you do, you ask? You can easily clean up the digital mess using Photoshop Elements’ Organizer!

How to “Get Organized in the Organizer Using Organizing Features in Elements 7, Lesson 2″ is a great Intermediate 4-part tutorial set that will teach additional tips and organizing features within the Organizer!

Get this coordinating all about-the-Organizer training and learn how to do more advanced organization within the Organizer, like add keyword tags or create albums and categories to bring some much needed order to all of your many digital things! While other companies may focus their Organizer training specifically on photos (and only photos!), Digital Scrapbooks and More reviews organizing both digital photos and digital supplies – for the best of both worlds!

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If you are interested in getting more training on how to use the Organizer in Photoshop Elements then make sure you get the Organizer Video Training in our Scrap Shop!

Happy Scrapping and organizing- using the Organizer!

Cheri

Want to know something about digital scrapbooking? Then ask Ms Digi Know, at Digital Scrapbooks and More. She is our sassy expert that knows a thing or two about Digital Scrapbooking, Photo Editing, and MORE!

Check out her FREE Advice and Tips:

Question: Dear Ms. Digi Know, I have been interested in trying out Custom Brushes, but when I bought them, I realized it mentioned that they were for Photoshop.  That’s not so good, because I actually have Photoshop Elements! Am I out of luck, or can I still use the Custom Brushes in Elements?

Sincerely, Unlucky Brush Girl

Answer: Hi Unlucky Brush Girl, Your luck has officially changed! You can absolutely use Photoshop Brushes within Photoshop Elements! Essentially, Custom Brushes can be used in either program, Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. So, lucky lady, start enjoying whatever brushes you have now and feel free to keep spending your brush dollars away, my dear!

Remember brush-fans, as easy as Custom Brushes are, they can be a little tricky to install without quality training. Check out the Digital Scrapbooks and More new training in Custom Brushes for Photoshop Elements to learn how to install and use them. Or if you need training in Photoshop you can get it too!

Hugs, Ms Digi Know

Using Custom Brushes as Digital “Stamps”

Question: Dear Ms. Digi Know, I heard that Custom Brushes can be used like a scrapbooking rubber stamp? Is this true?

Love, Stamping!

Answer: Howdy Stamping, It sounds like you are traditional scrapbooker that wants to do some of the same things-digitally? Yes? Then, stamp on this: You can use a Custom Brush in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements just like a traditional scrapper would use a rubber stamp to “stamp” an image onto a scrapbooking page!

Using Custom Brushes as so-called-stamps is just one of the many exciting things to do when digital scrapbooking within Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Custom Brushes can pretty much be used as a digital version of a rubber stamp, and can be “stamped” on Digital Scrapbook Projects as adorable embellishments!

And guess what? Not only can you use Custom Brushes like you would with a stamp, but you can also use a Custom Brush for “cutting” or “punching” out shapes too!

Custom Brushes have lots of exciting functions for the digital scrapbookers so check out the  training in Custom Brushes for Photoshop Elements, or  Photoshop and get more out of your custom brushes!

Also, if you need to buy brushes for “stamping” then please check out the Scrap Shop for Custom Brushes!

PS. Check back this Wednesday for more information about using Custom Brushes as digital embellishments, and in the meantime, get stamp-happy!

Cheers, Ms Digi Know

Have a Question? Need something answered?

To ask Ms. Digi Know a question (that she may answer in our News or Blog) email her at: MsDigiKnow@DigitalScrapbooks.com

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Digitally scrap all of your BBQ with family and friends using the super-fun “Join the Cookout” Custom Brushes! Brush Set for Photoshop or Elements.

Also, “Join the Cookout Custom Brushes” can be used to add unique detail to stamp-on detail for  Labor Day cookouts, or any special family and friend get-togethers that involve being outside, having fun, and delicious grilled food!

Custom Brushes are just one of the many exciting things to do when Digital Scrapbooking within Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Custom Brushes can be used as a digital version of a rubber stamp, and can be “stamped” on Digital Scrapbook Projects as adorable embellishments!  See more Custom Brushes in the Scrap Shop!

Get training to learn digital scrapbooking, Photoshop or Photoshop Elements ~ buy the Getting Started Series for Digital Scrapbooking in either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.