photo placement

[emmasmommy]

i admit. i struggle hardcore with photo placement...this is why i love templates so much! LOL

what are some 'rules' you have for photo placement? how do you decide where they go and how many to use?

[YepBrook]

Yeah, photo placement can be tricky when I'm not using a template. It's usually the first hurdle to get over before I can start scrapping. I usually try to know how many pictures I'll be using, then I create a few rectangles or squares on layers and move them around to see what looks right.

Most of my usual choices are a stack of photos going up one side or the other, with squares of paper beside the photo for journaling or maybea large photo. Another layout I love is to just have a big photo that's centered but off to the side one way or the other (not exactly centered... that looks weird to me). Those are some easy choices and don't take too much planning.

Usually I start my non-template layouts with a little doodle sketch beforehand. That helps me figure out where the hotspots on my page will land, and I can try to use the rule of thirds more purposely in my layout. Here's a few examples of my pages and the thirds mapped out overtop. See, I try to have my focal photos land right on a hot spot? Those are places on the layout where your eye will automatically go. Not all of my pages have a photo in one of the hot spots, but the ones where the photos are the focus almost always do. It's fun to make a little grid and check your pages to see.

http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w362/YepBrook/yepbrook_rule3rds_ex1_zps685c70a4.jpg
http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w362/YepBrook/yepbrook_rule3rds_ex2_zps3c563678.jpg
http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w362/YepBrook/yepbrook_rule3rds_ex3_zps201ac942.jpg
http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w362/YepBrook/yepbrook_rule3rds_ex4_zps0271bbf5.jpg

[Traci Reed]

dayum! Brook has it down to a science!

[KristinCB]

*bows down to brook*

[YepBrook]

LMBO.... :o nonono... not a science. An art, ladies. I try to use my edumacation for something useful. Too bad Dad spent all that money on my college education so I could aspire to... scrapbooking by the rule of thirds. LOL!

[emmasmommy]

thank you brook!!!

[kelley]

I normally just place my photo(s) and then move them around till I like the look. Sometimes I have the hardest time figuring out where to put them. Thanks Brook for your post - that will remind me to think about the rule of 3rds when I'm having issues :)

[nun69]

I am sort of like Brook, but I just eyeball it:D I want to know how to make that little grid Brook so I can start doing that for my LO's....I think it would help me move alot faster!!!1:hugs:

eta: I normally scrap my page 1st and then adjust my photos to maktch on the page :)

[YepBrook]

I am sort of like Brook, but I just eyeball it:D I want to know how to make that little grid Brook so I can start doing that for my LO's....I think it would help me move alot faster!!!1:hugs:

eta: I normally scrap my page 1st and then adjust my photos to maktch on the page :)

Do you scrap in Photoshop or Elements? I make a grid like that on my layouts using guides. I just turn on the rulers... then, if you take your arrow cursor over to the ruler you can click, grab and drag over the little blue grid lines onto your layout. I drag them to the 4" & 8" points both horizontally & vertically so it looks kinda like I did up there.

[jessica31876]

YOu can do the same thing in PSP either like Brooke said or go to view/grid colors/size (something like that), divide your layout into thirds which would be 1200x1200. put those numbers in the window that comes up. Click ok. Then click view grid.

Do you scrap in Photoshop or Elements? I make a grid like that on my layouts using guides. I just turn on the rulers... then, if you take your arrow cursor over to the ruler you can click, grab and drag over the little blue grid lines onto your layout. I drag them to the 4" & 8" points both horizontally & vertically so it looks kinda like I did up there.

[YepBrook]

I will say that I am not as anal as I might seem here... LOL! ;) I do scrap "normally" and don't use a grid most of the time. I do sometimes check my page mid-way through scrapping by making a grid with guides if something seems off, or my photos seem to be getting lost. But, after checking and learning it enough times, I kind of know where the hot points are without checking and it just comes naturally.

It's good stuff to know, because whenever I'm feeling stuck, starting with a single photo in one of those hot points works every time! :D

[MommaTrish]

I just stick 'em in wherever they seem to fit.

...I'm not scientific at all.

[alinalove]

my sweet spot for a photo (or something important) on a page is the lower right spot on the thirds. for me it is a bit like telling the story from end to start but well... what can i do? i like it there.
another thing i love is the photo very high on the left top.
and generally... everywhere when it feels right :-D

[SeattleSheri]

I just rely on instinct ... and I tinker a lot ;)

[taracotta7]

I just rely on instinct ... and I tinker a lot ;)

Me too but now I want to be all grid geeky with Brook. :wub:

[mrshobbes]

Me too but now I want to be all grid geeky with Brook. :wub:

Me too :wub:

[origami]

Me three!!!

[YepBrook]

:o

[krystalhartley]

I'm an odd duck because I'm frequently drawn to photos and layouts that break the rules, kwim?

to answer the question, I generally throw all the stuff on the page and get a general design going and THEN throw on the photo(s). Then it's fiddle and tinker and obsess until it looks just right. :p

So, I guess my product often determines where the photos are going. I'm often telling the story with my colors and element choices and not relying on the photo to tell it.

[MommaTrish]

I'm an odd duck because I'm frequently drawn to photos and layouts that break the rules, kwim?

to answer the question, I generally throw all the stuff on the page and get a general design going and THEN throw on the photo(s). Then it's fiddle and tinker and obsess until it looks just right. :p

So, I guess my product often determines where the photos are going. I'm often telling the story with my colors and element choices and not relying on the photo to tell it.

what she said.

[NatalieKW]

Brook's the best :)

[MandaT]

It depends... I probably am naturally drawn to use the rule of thirds and odd numbers, just because it's pleasing to the eye, but sometimes I go more for the 1/4 panel and centered, which works well because we're scraping square, as long as each side/quad are balanced. I dunno. Random.

For grids: you can go into
edit>preferences and set the grid to 33%, (you can set it by any increment without having to do the math)
then view 'grid'

[yari]

dayum! Brook has it down to a science!

holy crap yes!

[yari]

But you see Laura, here's where you fool me cause I always think you don't use templates. You must really play around with them and make them your own cause your pages always look so original. <3

[ChristyHC]

I'm so addicted to templates that if I don't start with one I create a bit of one myself. I start a layout by using the shape tool to create rectangles (or squares or circles or whatever) for each of the photos I want to use. Then I arrange the shapes on the page. I then do the same for some basic papers and maybe even a few elements. Then I add my pictures and papers and clip them like I would with a template. Something about the black and white or solid colors first helps me to think page design and pay attention to things like rule of thirds. Then I can add all the pictures and patterns and then tweak from there.

[adrianka]

I'm no use in this, because I just follow an instinct of sorts. But I'd say I do the same as Brook described, only I don't do it consciously.

[AmberK]

Photo placement is never usually an issue for me- its mats and other things behind the photos that I have a hard time with. I feel like I do the same thing every single time.

But to answer the question- I just put the picture on there and create some rectangles or squares to clip the picture to and just play around until I like what I have. Or if there is a super awesome frame in the kit that is the starting off point for me.