Here is Where Our Story Begins

This past Spring I was again asked by Scrapbook Magazine UK to do a feature.  Lindsey asked me to do a Photo Manipulation Masterclass feature for issue #67 in the Fall.  This was right up my alley.... I love playing with Photoshop and to be able to create and document  step-by-step instructions using Photoshop techniques was a challenge that I was excited to take.

Taking an original photo and altering it using a program like Photoshop can absolutely be art .  Most of us do the basic cropping, sizing and rotating of photos but there are also many different ways to alter a photo with tools you have on hand in your scrap room.  Some pictures that I take are transformed into entirely different looking images just by altering them.

 My main reasons for altering a photo would be:

           Fixing a problem without altering the integrity of the photo, such as making a picture  brighter or less blurry. 

      Changing the aesthetics of a photo by removing all or some of the color, changing it  to  black & white or sepia.

      Making minor adjustments such as removing a blemish.

      Removing unwanted images such as a garbage can, a tree or buildings behind  someone’s head or people walking past.

Due to the popularity of digital cameras, there are numerous digital editing programs readily available.  My favorite is Photoshop Elements but if you cannot afford to get a copy of the program there are several basic image editing programs on the internet.  Photobie, Photo Editor, Photoscape, Paintstar, Picasa, Microsoft Paint, just to name a few that I have seen.

I chose three techniques and created three layouts for the issue that was released this week.  This is the first technique and the others will follow in the weeks ahead.

Step-by-Step for Adding Text to a Photo

Open your photo in Photoshop Elements

Select the horizontal type “text” tool (T)

Choose your font type, size and color from the top selection menu

Type your text on the photo choosing the large green check if you are satisfied or the red circle if you would like to start over.

"Save" your photo.

This is the original photo - unaltered

This is the photo - cleaned up, converted to B&W and text added

And here is the "Here is where our story begins" layout

I used the "Bo Bunny" paper line and even created a shadowbox clock with transparency film and micro beads.  I also inked and distressed all the edges of the paper and each clock face.

I love stitching on all my layouts so I stitched the large clock die-cut onto the background cardstock.

       Remember to create your text in a color that shows up on the photo

            Place your text in an open background area of the photo so that it is easy to read.

       Mat the photo on cardstock that makes the photo pop.  In this case I used burgundy to  tie in with the   burgundy on the clock pieces.

           Highlight one of your embellishments on your layout.  On this layout I made a window   in the largest pocket watch using some transparency & foam squares.  Then I   added some free floating beads inside the watch’s window.

       Distress, tear and ink your paper edges.

-         If you don't have a photo editing program, you may want to consider typing your text  onto a piece of transparency and placing it overtop of your photo.

      There are several permanent ink markers that you can use to write your text directly onto the photo.

       Add rub-ons to a photo.

       Use journal blocks or quotes printed on the manufacturer’s papers as your title or text  on your layouts, as I did on this layout with my title.

       Create a photo that goes along with a favorite song title or quote.

Thanks again to Lindsey for this amazing opportunity.  Next week we will look at feathering the edges of a photo to soften the look.