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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
 |  Posted: 2/15/2013 12:52:01 PM
I take a lot of photos. (Thank goodness for digital.) If I see that a photo is so hideous (those are usually the ones of me!) I will probably delete it before it even makes it off the camera. But what do you do with the ones that are just not great (85% of the ones of the kids in motion), or are just okay? I have tried lots of white space with little tiny photos, but that is not a style I typically love. I have tried covering the offending section or cropping out the child sticking her tongue out. But sometimes you want to tell a story and the only way to do it is with, let's be honest, crappy looking photos. Got any brilliant ideas? I am tempted to borrow other people's kids who all must sit still, look at the camera and do not have food on their faces. Where do I find kids like that? |
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ShanB
PeaAddict
PeaNut 187,882
January 2005
Posts: 1,441
Layouts: 198
Loc: southern ontario
 |  Posted: 2/15/2013 1:18:58 PM
I admit I love my LOs more when the photos are awesome but sometimes you just have to roll with what you have. I have tried the tiny pic as well, also not my style I am a big photo person. Depending on the story I may take photos of objects to go with it, like a family game night photo of the game or story of the giant snowstorm use internet photos. I have also been known to use photos of the same subject taken at a different time, like the deer in my MILs yard, they are there every day year round so If I have a story ie the time my dog got lose and thought he could take on a deer I can use any of the photos of the deer in the yard since I didn't take any that day, I was trying to get my dog back inside. |
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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2/15/2013 2:30:46 PM
That's a good idea -- filler shots! I like that. But, sometimes you do have to include the actual, crappy photo. What then? |
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stefdesign
PhotoshoPEAholic
PeaNut 307,816
April 2007
Posts: 11,985
Layouts: 860
Loc: So Cal Gal Living in NJ
 | Posted: 2/15/2013 5:19:47 PM
I feel for ya, Liz. My solution is to take more photos. Tons of photos. Too many photos! Often with a burst, like 5-10 photos at once. Then I usually get at least one good shot. I'm in the camp of having a bad photo be small, if I must use it. Honestly, though, if my photos aren't very good, I just don't do a layout about that particular event. Or you can do the old 'bad photo with a filter or blur, used in the background'.
Why can't little grandchildren hold still and look adorable when the camera is pointing their way? |
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Janelle Miller
ttyl - I'm dancing with my daughter
PeaNut 11,777
March 2001
Posts: 11,173
Layouts: 650
Loc: unknown
 | Posted: 2/15/2013 9:08:40 PM
Say wah? My photos are always perfect.
Not really, I usually mess with it a bit. Try cropping, b&w, etc. But I still use them and try not to worry about it. |
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sroller
Nursie Pea
PeaNut 243,673
January 2006
Posts: 5,684
Layouts: 967
Loc: Vancouver, WA
| Posted: 2/15/2013 10:01:50 PM
Most of the time I delete as I take them. So I don't fill up my hard drive with bad pictures. |
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Laura ODonnell
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 90,692
June 2003
Posts: 6,874
Layouts: 921
Loc: West Chester PA
 | Posted: 2/16/2013 6:53:39 AM
Sometimes I email them to myself and then run them through the Instagram app on my phone and try out some of the filters. Earlybird, Nashville, and ones like that can distract from the problem spots. |
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Janelle Miller
ttyl - I'm dancing with my daughter
PeaNut 11,777
March 2001
Posts: 11,173
Layouts: 650
Loc: unknown
| Posted: 2/16/2013 6:58:08 AM
really good idea, Laura! |
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
 | Posted: 2/17/2013 9:44:57 AM
As for food on faces, you can TOTALLY Photoshop that off their faces most of the time. Sort of a digital photo-washing!
I sometimes scrap less-than-perfect photos. Usually, though, I just decide to save them to look at later. I figure the memories are still there, they just aren't scrapped. Or, you can scrap it and just not post it!
We should all share one crappy photo that we love but probably won't scrap! That would be fun.
I was going to share one, but I can't seem to upload it. I'll try again later or tomorrow. |
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/17/2013 11:59:51 AM
I am really interested in this topic. I can't seem to scrap with the poor quality photos. Motion blur doesn't bother me too much- I just say it emphasizes the movement. It's the grainy photos that I can't seeme to fix. | |
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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2/17/2013 1:22:22 PM
As for food on faces, you can TOTALLY Photoshop that off their faces most of the time. Sort of a digital photo-washing!
Jan, I don't even bother to wipe their faces any more. So much easier to Photoshop out the crumbs. Seriously.
We should all share one crappy photo that we love but probably won't scrap! That would be fun.
I like Jan's idea to show each other our terrible, awful photos. So, since I started this one, I'll go first.
So, aside from the fact that the focus is on Kate's striped shirt, and not her face, the lighting inside It's a Small World is not exactly conducive to photography. (Plus, now I'm singing that darn song.) I'm open to suggestion! |
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 2/18/2013 12:22:46 PM
This was my daughter's first time on the big, tunnel-like slide at the playground. Until this day, tunnels were rather suspect! I love that Seth is grabbing her shirt and that her ponytails are flying.
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 2/18/2013 12:24:09 PM
Liz...So glad you shared your photo! |
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yappyspaz
PeaNut
PeaNut 118,017
November 2003
Posts: 115
Layouts: 24
Loc: Mt veron, WA
| Posted: 2/18/2013 1:55:24 PM
All my family and friends know that if I am taking pictures what they give me is all scrapable and I will use it. My dad's new puppy is really hard to photograph so we have lots of pictures that are blurred, the blurry pictures tell a great story so I use them. Pictures dont have to be perfect, they all tell a story. |
Tina
My Blog: http://stampinwithtina.blogspot.com/
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 2/18/2013 8:28:48 PM
Tina... That is the best way to look at it. I need to get over the need for "perfect" photos. |
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yappyspaz
PeaNut
PeaNut 118,017
November 2003
Posts: 115
Layouts: 24
Loc: Mt veron, WA
| Posted: 2/20/2013 8:31:22 PM
Here is a pic of Hercamer,he will not sit still long enough to get a good photo of him so his nickname is "Flash". He was sitting still when I snapped the photo I will crop it down and scrap it!
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Tina
My Blog: http://stampinwithtina.blogspot.com/
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 2/21/2013 7:04:52 PM
Tina...He is SO cute.  |
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/21/2013 7:20:00 PM
I love all these photos- I hope you can make them work. | |
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/23/2013 4:42:43 PM
Here's a really bad one. Jack wants his swimming photos in his scapbook. Any ideas how to improve them would really be appreciated.
It's sideways- I know how to handle that part lol.
Thanks. |
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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2/23/2013 6:07:21 PM
No idea, Bea. I have at least 200 really bad swimming/pool photos too. Hopefully someone will have a brilliant suggestion. I think pool shots are pretty much the worst to work with. |
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/23/2013 7:38:37 PM
Well Janelle has some really great ones in a layout in the gallery- maybe they are outdoors.Otherwise I hope she will chime in. The water looks blue and the skin color is good too. |
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 2/24/2013 4:55:05 PM
Would making it black and white help at all? |
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/24/2013 7:19:03 PM
I tried b and w- still looked pretty crummy. His last lesson is next Sat. I'm going to take my better camera. Otherwise this is it. Did you scrap your DD's slide photo? |
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scrappin-grandma
ImaGrandma2FIFTEEN
PeaNut 57,636
December 2002
Posts: 27,256
Layouts: 2,082
Loc: In the Scrap room!
 | Posted: 2/25/2013 7:05:39 PM
Have you tried a mask with any of them? and blend them into the background. I've done that a few times! |
Deanna (Scrappin-Grandma)
John 3:16
Check out my blog here: http://scrappygram.blogspot.com
Happily Creating for these wonderful designers Polka Dot Pixils, Jen Martakis, Just Jaimee, and Dianne Rigdon here at 2 peas!
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 2/25/2013 7:21:14 PM
I did not scrap the slide photo. Not sure I will. I might though, because it might be nice for the kids to know the story behind it in twenty years. |
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/26/2013 5:52:16 AM
That's a great suggestion- a mask- I might give that a try.
Thanks! |
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sroller
Nursie Pea
PeaNut 243,673
January 2006
Posts: 5,684
Layouts: 967
Loc: Vancouver, WA
| Posted: 2/26/2013 9:01:57 AM
This is mine. Not really happy with the quality of the photo the photographer gave us and of course had to scan. Any ideas how to fix it? This was going to be the featured photo of my LO but now it is really small so I don't attract too much attention to it.  |
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Janelle Miller
ttyl - I'm dancing with my daughter
PeaNut 11,777
March 2001
Posts: 11,173
Layouts: 650
Loc: unknown
| Posted: 2/26/2013 9:38:53 AM
Beatrice, sorry I don't have any great water picture tips. Sometimes I'm able to get them looking better with the "blue skys" filter in PSE. But that's all I've got. 
Here's one I probably will never scrap - my husband took it for me, but I can't photoshop away the grubbiness. They all look like dirty little ragamuffins - as my mother would call it.
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/26/2013 10:04:59 AM
Shannon- what happens if you adjust the lighting with the white eyedropper on your DH's shirt? In PSE it's under enhance photo- drawing a blank on the exact wording.
Janelle- that photo is absolutely adorable- I'd scrap it in a heartbeat- maybe it's because I am used to boys lol.
I will check out your blue trick! Thanks for the tips! |
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debikins
Dabbling in Digi
PeaNut 65,255
January 2003
Posts: 9,878
Layouts: 1,279
Loc: Behind a laptop in the Pacific Northwest
| Posted: 2/26/2013 11:31:45 AM
well since I notoriously take "bad photos" with a cheap point and shoot camera...I use them all if the photo tells the story, why not? I mean heck I look at some of the small black and white photos taken when I was little and the people are way far away, yet we kept them because they were the best we had and it was better than no photo.
I do a variety of things. Sometimes I blend it into the background. Sometimes I duplicate it several times adding blending modes. Sometimes I've simply used it as a small photo like in a series of photos in a filmstrip frame. I've turned them black and white or sepia and added a texture to de-emphasoze the graininess. I've color corrected or added a photo filter. Basically I am not beyond trying whatever it takes to make it "passable" even using it straight out in it's undoctored blurry state. I'm shameless. For me scrapping is about the memories ... sometimes you just don't get a good photo, no matter what you do. But the memories don't change, so I go with it.
I especially hate working with low resolution photos (most of my early digital photos are very low resolution) but sometimes that's all I have. WHat's a respectible scrapper to do? After all, I'm not publishing these pages, I'm making them for my family so they don't have to be "professional quality", IMO.
I have to laugh, because what some of you posted as "bad photos" I'd go with in a minute, especially that candid photo you posted Janelle. It's very sweet.
Debi
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***KERRY STEWART/Kerry'd Away Designs creative team***
***EDELINE MARTA DESIGNS creative team***
***POLKA DOT PIXELS creative team***
***JEN MARTAKIS guest CT (OCT 2010) ***
I have commitment issues; I edit everything after I post.
Live, Love, Laugh, Learn and Leave a Legacy
I scrap, therefore you know you've been seen.
My Blog: Debi's Dabblings and My Gallery
2012: 103 pages/ 320 photos (Updated 6/30/2012)
2011: 320 pages/1078 photos
2010: 132 pages/ 434 photos
2009: 337 pages/1220 photos
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 2/27/2013 11:43:23 AM
Thanks Debi- those are all good ideas. I agree, Janelle's photo is super. |
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fruitysuet
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 151,913
June 2004
Posts: 7,968
Layouts: 1,006
Loc: Derbyshire, England
| Posted: 2/28/2013 4:28:38 AM
Yeah Janelle, I get a picture like that I am grateful I tell you!
I'm another with just a point and shoot camera. Added to that I have a genetic condition called Familial Tremor which means my hands shake a lot, noticeably mainly when carrying a drink or, you guessed it, taking a photo! Most of my pics are crummy, especially those taken inside.
I resort to quick fixes in PSE in lots of my photos, especially those when I am showcasing one or two on a page. I start out with improving on the levels, perhaps do the remove colour cast thing, do little bits with the hue/saturation and add in an action or two until something looks more like I need it to!
On pages with a lot more photos, which tend to be smaller and the poor quality not so obvious, I tend to do much simpler editing (eg levels, brightness and contrast).
I'm typing on the desk top at the moment (no recent photos loaded on here) when I get to the lappy I'll upload some before and afters. It's very much a hit and miss process with lots of undo's along the way!
But for the initial photo process, I tend to delete off the worst on the camera then, after I have uploaded each session into it's own folder on the hard drive, I'll go through and delete off duplicates. If the only shot I'm left with is still bad then that's what I have to use, trying my best to get something that looks just a bit better. I don't have the patience or money to go down the digital SLR route though I always admire the photos from scrappers who obviously have. |
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Janelle Miller
ttyl - I'm dancing with my daughter
PeaNut 11,777
March 2001
Posts: 11,173
Layouts: 650
Loc: unknown
| Posted: 2/28/2013 8:49:14 AM
Thanks to all of you lovelies for the kind words on my picture - the only chance it has of making the books is in Project Life. Although without all of you saying you'd use it I probably wouldn't even use it there. But, I have to admit it makes me laugh out loud every time I scroll up to it so that is good, right? |
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debikins
Dabbling in Digi
PeaNut 65,255
January 2003
Posts: 9,878
Layouts: 1,279
Loc: Behind a laptop in the Pacific Northwest
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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2/28/2013 3:51:30 PM
Maybe I could borrow those little girls, Janelle, they don't appear to have any food on their faces and they are sitting nice and still. Plus they're cute. Where can I get models like those?! |
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Beatrice
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 5,096
June 2000
Posts: 733
Layouts: 93
| Posted: 3/1/2013 11:46:44 AM
One word- boys.
You should try it.  |
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fruitysuet
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 151,913
June 2004
Posts: 7,968
Layouts: 1,006
Loc: Derbyshire, England
| Posted: 3/1/2013 12:18:51 PM
My DS has resisted strongly all photos being taken of him since he was about three, hence most of the photos being of him as a right grumps or taken from a mile away under covert action!
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Janelle Miller
ttyl - I'm dancing with my daughter
PeaNut 11,777
March 2001
Posts: 11,173
Layouts: 650
Loc: unknown
| Posted: 3/1/2013 3:22:20 PM
I used some grainy "I forgot my camera and don't own an iPhone" pictures on a layout today. I used Adrienne's clean exposure action and it helped - but they're low quality so I guess I shouldn't have expected miracles
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jmgesi
Jeepers PEApers
PeaNut 385,164
July 2008
Posts: 2,267
Layouts: 341
Loc: Northeast
| Posted: 3/2/2013 9:14:46 AM
This as been a fun thread. Janelle...I have to agree that those 3 girls look adorable! My daughter is often in a grubby stage lately. No matter what I do, I can't get her hair to look combed lately. I am feeling inpsired to scrap a not-so-hot photo this weekend. |
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stefdesign
PhotoshoPEAholic
PeaNut 307,816
April 2007
Posts: 11,985
Layouts: 860
Loc: So Cal Gal Living in NJ
| Posted: 3/2/2013 11:39:20 AM
Shannon: I did a really quick edit in PS on your photo.... I think I could do a lot more if you would like to email it to me. Send me a PM and I'll send you my email address.
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