Wednesday 16 September 2009

Photo Editing & Printing for June/July/August 2009

I have a lot of photos to scrap & am one of those scrappers that likes breathing space on my layouts...so as a result I am always "behind". I don't mind...I know I will get there eventually so I just keep chipping away at the old block ;-D I also like to scrap what I want when I want, and I don't have a problem with that either.

Most of my albums are chronologically sorted eventually, but are not necessarily scrapped in that order. I'm happy with that too {just wish I could afford to change over to D ring albums rather than the post ones because I DO hate having to add in the pages every few months {you know the schlep it is re-sorting them all, unscrewing, etc, etc...

Right now one of the missions I am on is to get my photo folders {on my pc} sorted. To me that means:-

1) Deleting "no good" shots

2) Editing the ones I am keeping {& I like to edit extensively}although occassionally I get shots good enough to require very little done.

3) Then actually PRINTING out the photos...Yup, I like to actually HAVE THEM IN MY HANDS...not just on the pc. I find psychologically this is better for me as it keeps me motivated actually SEEING the piles grow...

Although this task is a bit of a nightmare I am also loving it...Just look at the excitement on Cami's face as she cuts into her 9th birthday cake! You can just see that that is a REAL expression not a posed shot...LOVE it...A couple of years ago I had been "taught" the way to do it was to take enough photos for a double page (6-8 were usually required) but since I've been doing things MY way I prefer to take a few & chose a couple. I have 2 great birthday shots this year & plan on creating a nice single page layout. "Why make things more complicated than they need to be?" as Ali says???


I find that the pictures of Camryn looking less pretty are actually the ones that really capture "her look" IUKWIM???!!! This is being enlarged for a single layout using one photo. This photo typifies her quintessential look at 9 so no need for tons of photos...

Now trying to cut down the photos I take of this one is not as hard as it is with Cam...in fact it is not even necessary LOL! I am lucky if I am ever allowed anywhere near him with a camera in hand so take whatever opportunity I get. If you look at the background here you will see that this shot was taken at ABSA stadium at the rugby (British & Irish Lions match - see all the Lions supporters in the background). Teenage sons typically hate cameras so my advice is to always have one to hand & every so often become a nuisance until you get a smile{okay that would be impossible}...well until you get "a look" at least!

When you have kids young enough to actually enjoy having their photo taken use the opportunity to take A LOT of photos to get the perfect one...just remember to be ruthless in your selection & delete anything other than best, or you're going to need another lifetime to scrap them all! Also use every opportunity. I seldom have time to schedule dedicated photo shoots but once as month take these 2 out on "a date" {usually movies & pizza} & part of "the deal" is a quickie photo-shoot in front of the bouganvillea on the way to the car! It never takes more than 5 minutes.

The night Chelsea had her Senior Dance I took the most rubbish photos EVER. My DSLR was in for repair {it had to be so had no choice in the matter & it had to go to Joburg so took 2 weeks}. My handbag camera (Panasonic Lumix) flash is broken{still trying to find someone to repair it here as THEY can't...}but I had to use it...it was that or nothing! Couple that predicament with a house full of teenagers all wanting me to leave them alone & you do not have the perfect environment for great shots. All those excuses aside, I had to switch the photos to sepia & edit them to oblivion. My saving grace was a professional photographer at the event so I had no choice but to pay through the nose for a dozen decent photographs of her & her friends "in situ". I don't mind as these events don't come around often ;-D

And finally here is the kind of photo I yearn for more of. Totally unedited. Not even cropped. At least I can get it right occasionally...hopefully as the years go by this will happen more & more often 'cos heck I do try!!!


8 comments:

Diana said...

I also have to print out my photos! I'm scared that all the oil will run out and we won't have any electricity to power up our computers and so we won't be able to see everything we have stored digitally. I have two sets of photos--those which are going to go on layouts, which tend to be sized and specific to the layout, and then a huge stack of 4x6 photos which would be the best shots of any given photo taking session, that go into an archival photo album, and may go onto a scrapbook page or may not.
I use D-ring albums to hold layouts until I'm ready to finalize an album. I don't like it that the pages don't "meet up" on my 2-page layouts. Though, like you, I so seldom do 2-pagers anymore. I like the post bound albums because once they're done (and I've learned my lesson about fiddling with them--that is WORK!) they're so complete and it's so satisfying. Since completing the 2008 albums, that is, since 2009, I just have all my layouts in a huge pile. I'll figure out what goes in what album sometime in January 2010!

Vicki said...

Totally agree with you. Time to tidy up the photos on the PC and print off the best. I took terrible photos of Rebecca on her formal night as well - so you weren't the only one! LOL. My albums are in chronological order too but am trying to scrap the most recent to keep up to date and going back to do the older ones when I can. Does make putting them in albums a pain though.

Shayne said...

I try to take photo's that don't need editing. TRY. I do crop a lot but that's about it.

Your kids are beautiful.

Jenny in Durbs said...

I also have been cleaning up our photos on the pc - just learning to put them into specific folders LOL but I have been ruthless, we spend lots of time in game parks & all 3 legged animals have gone much to my husbands horror although he too has got the bug of clearing & we are so not into editing yet. I print far too many photos.... We had a pc crash a couple of years ago so now back up onto cd or my external harddrive (with all my accounting.)

Desire Fourie said...

Hi Helen. Can't wait to se what beautiful creations you come up with these gorgeous family photos.
Hugs
Desire

Ella Swan said...

Well LS I also have the occasional paranoid twinge like you LOL! When I think this whole digi thing may go up in a puff of smoke & I want to just have my photos in my little hot hands! Basically you & I are doing EVERYTHING the same as far as our photos & albums go...and Vicki I am also trying to keep up to date then go back to the last couple of years still outstanding as & when I can. I'm trying to edit less too Shayne as I do like the look of natural photos, just my silly little digital camera takes such poor quality photos despite being 10 mega-pix - makes me want to spit - LOL Jenny - I know what you mean - I was there a few years ago & what a learning curve it is but so worth it...can't wait to get the scrapping done.

Michelle Ramsay said...

Stunning photos of really lovely children. Looking forward to seeing them scrapped.

Jacqui said...

if anyone comes up with a perfect, easy fool proof way of storing/extending albums etc you will have a winner - until then we ust have to keep trying what works for the moment. GLad to know I am not alone in this boat.