Picture Talk with Jennifer Wohlenberg

I think most of us begin scrapbooking because we want to do more than just have pictures in albums. We want to express ourselves creatively, but also, we want to make sure the stories are there along with the pictures. But sometimes it is so hard to get that story down! All of us have had moments where we are staring at a layout and we just don’t know what we want it to say. So how can we make our pictures more talkative?

First, take the strongest picture of the group you’re scrapping and look at it for a few moments. What is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the event that was occurring at that time? Is it the expression on the person’s face? Is it a particular moment you want to remember? What would you tell your friends about this picture if they were sitting right next to you?

Second, think of the little behind the scenes details about that day that you might want to record. I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to get a group shot of my girls, and I’ll take an entire roll of film to get just one good shot of all of them smiling. Of course, I am not content to leave those details out, because I think they add so much to the victory of that one good photo! So what happened just before or just after your photo was taken? It could be something, adorable, frustrating, difficult, or just plain funny, if there are extra details that can bring more to the story, add them in.

Third, think of your own emotions about this day. For a long time, I tried to remain impartial, as if I were only a journalist recording the event but I wasn’t actually involved. But I realized that whether I was in the photos or just there to operate the camera, I was a part of the moment, and I wanted to record my feelings just as much as I wanted to document the facts. It is not always possible to gauge how our children feel about the event because they may be too young to know themselves, but to get our own feelings down can be a wonderful gift for them in the future.

Fourth, if the photo is simply a snapshot without an event that surrounds it, consider building a personality page. Try to record a note telling them how you feel about them at this moment, or maybe do an interview. Ask them about their favorites, or do a likes/dislikes page. Maybe do an “Up Close and Personal” page, listing grade, favorite foods, favorite subjects, shoe size, height, best friends, etc. Maybe do a page listing as many descriptions as you can of your child. If the picture is of your partner, think about a letter talking about your relationship, what you’ve been through together so far, what you look forward to in the years to come. A picture without reference can be difficult to scrap, but it can also be very freeing when trying to capture those “time capsule” kind of moments.

Finally, if a picture or an event truly has you stumped, consider setting it aside for awhile. I am a firm believer in not forcing a page if it’s not coming easily, because I’ve set aside pictures that bring me no inspiration, only to find them weeks or months later and have an instant revelation about them. I’m also a huge believer in not being completely caught up, because I want to have a few baby pictures to scrap when my girls are surly teenagers! The emotion of reflective journaling, of looking at an old photo and considering how you feel about it at this moment, can be very powerful, and may tell far more about the photo than if you scrapped it when it was recently taken.

Remember that no matter how much you write in your journaling, chances are your descendants will yearn for more. I always feel lucky when I stumble upon a letter written by my grandmother, or discover inscriptions written on the backs of fifty-year-old photos, but I must admit, I always wish I had even more. Future generations are not likely to roll their eyes at yet another lengthy piece of writing from great-grandma - most likely they will treasure your thoughts, whatever they may be. Respect those words for the gifts that they are and always will be.

	"Dreaming of Christmas" I had lots of photos of my daughter taken in December, and no real event to go with them, so I used this photo to sum up her excitement about Christmas. Supplies Used: Magenta patterned paper Flash Frames frame and tags Scrapworks nailheads Flea Market stickers Sandra Oh font
	"Always Be My Girl" This photo was six years old when I scrapped it, and I didn't remember the details surrounding the picture. I used the opportunity to write reflective journaling based on my feelings about the picture now. Supplies Used: Magenta Murayama Paper Heart and square eyelets