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 If pictures tell a thousand words, they also
beg viewers to ask at least a thousand questions.
Filling in the details your photos leave out can
be an essential part of scrapbooking and other
memory crafts, especially if you intend to hand
your creations down to the next generation.
So how do you do that? Start with the basics:
-- WHO was there - try to name everyone
in your pictures whenever you can
-- WHAT was happening and WHY
-- WHEN was it - even if you can't remember
the exact date, just having the year, season or
the time of day can be enough
-- WHERE was it
-- HOW did it turn out?
Next you should title the page or section you
are working on. A title is the fastest way to
bring someone into the action. Something as simple
as "Katie's First Birthday" or "Prom Night 2004"
is enough to get attention and prepare your audience
for what will follow.
What words, sounds, tastes, smells and sights
come to mind? Besides using the answers to jog
your memory, you can list these things on the
page, use them as a theme, or stamp the words
on your page as a background.
Is your picture the result of something? For
instance, is someone in the middle of a huge mess?
Making a funny face? Wearing a costume? Why? How
they got there may be just as funny or memorable
as the image itself. Remember: our wide range
of feelings and emotions are what make us unique.
Don't be afraid to tell a story if it includes
a fussy child, stubbornness or even a little bit
of frustration. Including these details will add
more depth to the photos and will keep your audience
interested.
Don't forget to mention your favorite memories.
If your subject is a trip or vacation there are
probably lots of great moments that never made
it on film. Include little blurbs about them on
your pages! Ask people who were with you what
their favorite moments were; they may remember
something you forgot that would be a great addition
to your project.
If you don't have a lot to say, it's okay! Let
your pictures speak for you; just make sure you
include the basics: who, when, where and why.
You can include these items as captions or in
a bulleted list on the side of your page. And
if you have a lot to say, don't hold back! Let
your photos and your story stretch out over a
few pages. Weave them together from page to page
or have one page full of pictures and the page
next to it can hold your story.
However you decide to tell your stories, those
who come after you will truly appreciate your
effort. Not only will they get a peak at what
their family looked like back in the early 2000s,
in a way they will get to know everyone, too.
Then your memories will live on as theirs.
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