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A GUIDE TO DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING

It seems that everywhere we turn, computers and technology are changing the way we do things. From business to hobbies, our daily lives are being transformed by new advances every few months. The same is true with scrapbooking, thanks to advances in software and other technologies.

TRADITIONAL VS. DIGITAL

A few years ago, scrapbooking required lots of time and space. Time to sort photographs, cut them and then lay them out just right. Then, a scrapbooker needed enough table space to cut the pages, glue everything together, not to mention the amount of space it took to store all of the supplies.

As digital scrapbooking advances, however, the need for much of that space has been pretty much eliminated. What's more, many software programs now allow for pages to be built quickly and easily with pre-built templates. Even the process of building pages from scratch has been made quicker with libraries of easy to use graphics and other features.

THE EQUIPMENT

Digital scrapbookers can get started with as little as a home PC or laptop and a printer, although many prefer to add a scanner to the mix. With a scanner, scrapbookers can scan older photos and store them on the PC in a digital format for use over and over again. A digital camera is also an option, though most film developers now offer to store your 35mm prints on a CD in addition to your actual prints, so purchasing a high-end digital camera is not necessary.

Because most digital photos today are high-resolution and thus, take up more memory. As a result, the PC used for digital scrapbooking should be a more up-to-date model, with enough memory (RAM) to handle the large files and the software used to manipulate them. In general a PC with 512mb to 1Gb is sufficient. In addition, the PC's processor should be 1.5Ghz or faster. This allows for less user frustration when waiting for photo edits to take place on screen. Finally, a hard drive with a capacity of 100Gb or more will give the digital scrapbooker plenty of space to store photos and other graphics.

Of course, for those familiar with home computers and their use will find making the transition from physical to digital scrapbooking fairly easy. If, on the other hand, you are not familiar with PC's, I would strongly suggest having someone show you the basics. Focus particularly on file management and navigating various software programs. A training course or two at the local community college may not hurt, if you find learning in a classroom

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