When I sit down to begin a new layout, especially one with multiple photos, I generally think in terms of lines, block and grids. Grouping photos, text and embellishments helps to the page feel unified and complete. It helps the reader's eye move through the page without jumping around.
In this example -
I cropped regular 4x6 photos (to focus in the distance shots) and lined them up across my page. A My Mind's Eye border sticker running underneath the photos adds depth. Simple, but effective.
For this layout -
I cropped 3 of the 4 photos and arranged the set in a block - leaving one quadrant free for journaling.
For this layout -
I chose to print one photo 5x7 (to act as a focal point) and printed the rest as wallets. Then I layed them out in a grid, leaving a space for a title/journaling block.
When I have lots of photos from a family trip or event, I often have them printed out as wallets. This allows me to fit lots of photos on a page, and because I have several children's albums to keep up, having multiples means there are always enough photos to go around. It's a system which works well for me.
Okay, one last example -
Do not adjust your screen. There's nothing wrong, that really is a layout from me using (gasp!) patterned paper. Yup, I do use it. Not as much as cardstock, mind you, but I actually love patterns and have a rather large collection of beautiful ones. These particular beauties are from Scenic Route and I love the way they look with this photo of Katie.
Even though the background paper is rather bold, it doesn't overpower the photo because I placed a "buffer zone" of cardstock between the two. Also, notice that even though this layout only has one photo, I still designed by arranging all of the elements in a block.
That's it for today. I hope you've found some useful information. Be sure and come back tomorrow for a discussion about white space.
