Scrapbook Layout for B&W Photos or Detail Shots

Two weeks ago I posted about wanting to get caught up on my scrapbook, especially since my little guy is a year and a half old and I'm still not done with his birth photos- eek!  Because of that, I wanted to share with you one of my all time favorite scrapbooking spreads.  These photos were taken when my son was less than 10 days old by Hartsough Photography (that's her facebook page- go show her some love).  I wanted to hang these photos on the wall in a collage but I also wanted to have them in a scrapbook.  I'm so glad I did.

I hope this simple but stunning layout will inspire you to  scrapbook your own black and white photos and/or detail shots.  Black and white photos are often difficult to use because we can get "stuck" using matching papers and decorations and end up with all black/white pages.  Creating a spread with a large number of photos (like you may have in "detail" shots of baby or wedding) can seem overwhelming and leave us with pages full of pictures and no "design".  This layout solves both of these problems...

and it's just so lovely...

Here are a few easy tips for creating this look.

1. Pick a subtle background in the "sort of close to white" category.  I used a creme/nude color with a faint floral design.  You don't want this to be your splash of color but you do want to have something outside of a solid white or black so that your photos stand out.

2. Pick a splash of color.  I chose a light blue because it stood out (without being gaudy) and it's perfect for my sweet baby boy.

3. On your first page include:  A large title that stands out, a "main focus" photo (I chose a black and white shot that showed his entire body since the rest of the photos were detail shots) and another photo if you still have space.

I've always wanted to frame a photo through the middle of a picture (is there a name for this?) but have never been able to make it work- either because my focus takes up the entire photo or because there was too much "background" for a frame to look right.  This photo was perfect and I love how it turned out! 

4. On the second page, make the focus the photos but keep it clean.  Using squares and rectangles, I filled the page with photos and papers in slightly different sizes that lined up in even rows.

5. Make sure to include a spot for a story explaining your photos.  If the pictures are self-explanatory, don't forget details like date, time and location!  You might remember it now but will you in 20 years?  I wrote a brief letter to my son describing our feelings the first time we saw him; how we fell in love with all his little details from the moment we met.


6. Lastly, include some sort of decoration.  I recommend making it fit in the square shape as much as possible to keep the shape.  I created this one with my Silhouette by simply typing up the words I wanted to use and trying to connect the letters as much as possible (because it looks neat and because it's less tiny pieces I have to glue on separately!)  Those words describe the pictures and all the little things we love about him.  It doesn't have to be fancy to make a big statement, especially on a page like this.

That's it!  Following these 6 simple steps you can create a crisp and clean yet warm and lovely scrapbook layout that brings out the beauty of black and white photos and displays a multitude of pictures without losing the design element.  I hope you enjoyed this post.  I would love to see the spreads you have created and always appreciate your comments!  Now, onto the other million photos I've taken of him...

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann