photographing your layout or card

These tips aren't really for seasoned online scrappers...they're more for anyone who is newer to sharing online or has had trouble figuring out how to get better photos of their projects.

One of the most important things you'll need for a clear photo is good lighting. Natural sunlight is best if possible. I've heard Ott lights are the next best thing, but can be rather expensive. :-D If neither is an option, use the best lighting you can get in your home.

Most people either place their project flat on the floor or a low table and take the picture from directly above (being careful not to block the light source), but you can also stand it up directly in front of you.

When taking your picture, turn off the flash and square your card or layout in the viewfinder or on the screen by making sure that all 4 sides are parallel to the sides, top and bottom in your viewfinder/screen.

Next, you can use software that came with your computer or camera if you do not have photoshop (you'll need to see what editing options are available for your individual program), but there are also free online options to crop and enhance your photos. Gimp is similar to photoshop and available for free to download. Photobucket also has some really cool photo editing options. You can use any of these to correct any lens distortion if you find that your images end up curling in on the corners even though your project isn't like that. You can also adjust the brightness and contrast to make your image less washed out or dark, etc if necessary and crop the distracting background out of your photo so that all you see is your gorgeous layout or project.

Anyone else with help hints/tips, please feel free to share in this thread!

For cards...I don't usually bother with the camera...I simply put it on my scanner and scan it. I find it gives the clearest and most detailed image for the cards.

I do the layouts the same way as you described. I do try to (doesn't always work) put the layout on a solid color surface (black is my preference), I find it puts a nice edge on the photo...but like I said...I don't always have time to pull out the black mat. :)

I have a small light box that I made, which I use sometimes, but one of my favorite spots is on a shelf on my book case. It's white and I have a light source that works pretty well. I do sometimes use a tripod, but find if I snap a few shots I can usually get a good one with camera in hand.

I had a light box...and found it was too much like work to take it out all the time.

It is so dark sometimes for days here in the frigid north (not so frigid this year) that it is hard to get a good enough day for pctures.
I think I take "ok" pics, I use the flat on the floor in natural sunlight method. I do have problems sometimes with it looking crooked...can you explain a little bit more how to correct that? Thanks

Not sure which program you're using (if you let me know, I might be able to help)

For me, I use Gimp, so I click the tab for "filters", hover over "distorts" and the select "lens distortion." A sep panel comes up for you then make your adjustments. With several options on which parameter to distort...I go to the one labeled "main" and choose a number between -7 and -10 depending on how curved the sides are on the original (it allows you to preview before making a change and you can always select undo if you didn't straighten it enough or if you compensated too much). Once that's done, I use the "rotate" tool and the "perspective" tool to make my image square if it isn't already. Then crop. HTH