How I Edit My Project Images: A Video Tutorial

What seems like just a while ago, but was really over a year and a half ago, I shared a tutorial of sorts on how I photograph my projects. You can see it HERE. I knew that I didn't have much to share on my blog going into this week, so I thought I would do a quick little video about how I edit those images of my projects.

Just like there are many, many different ways that people photograph their projects ... there are just as many different ways that people edit those photos. So my way isn't the "right" way and it's not for everyone. This is just me, showing how I personally edit my images.

 

A few things that I feel the need to mention:

I appologize if the video looks small and isn't all that clear. The program I'm using to record what I'm doing on my computer is cool, and the videos look good on my end. But trying to figure out what format to save them in (there's TONS of options), and getting them to upload to YouTube and looking good? It hasn't been the easiest thing. You can also watch this on YouTube, where there's an option to make it a tad bit bigger.

These few steps work perfectly on almost all of my photos. I usually start out with some pretty decent photos though. You really do need to start with a good image, to get good results. You can correct wonky colors, bad color temps, bad exposures, and more. But it's just a lot more work, and you're better off taking the time to learn some tips and tricks to getting solid photos to start out with.

Like I have mentioned before, I like to leave a bit of a border (background) around my projects. This is personal preference. I know a lot of designers like to crop all the way to the edges of their layouts/cards. I do actually do this for certain projects, but I find that it's just easier and quicker for me to leave a bit of a border. Also, since I do have a lot of layouts with a white cardstock background, I think it helps show off my layout better. But like I said, it's personal preference.

I hope at least a few of you might find this useful in some way. I get asked about how I photograph projects quite a bit, and I'm always more than willing to share whatever info I can. I was taught by some very patient scrapping friends years and years ago, and I like to be able to share what I know, in hopes that it might help someone else. Let me know if you have any questions at all!

Comments

[Stephanie]

Laura, This is a great idea for a post. So many beginners often like to see step-by-steps from those of us that edit images often. Great video!

[Diana Waite]

oh, thank you! I'm excited to try this out on some assignments I need to take pictures of! :)

[stacie]

Thanks, Laura. I am a visual learner and love the help in using my software!! :)

[AnitaP]

This is awesome - thanks so much for sharing your process! :)

[Kim Thomas]

How did I miss this post? I think I'm losing it! Anyway, thank you so much for posting the video, Laura. It was wonderful, and so detailed. I never sharpen my images, so I'm going to try this. Thank you again. Take care. :)