Can Pictures Speak More than a Thousand Words?

You have all heard the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words." As scrapbookers we know our photos speak to us. But we can take advantage of pictures to tell us more! In this layout, I made a sign for my son to hold on his last day of school. I could have snapped a regular picture on his last day, but holding the sign made it more meaningful. Photos like this add to the meaning to our layouts without using additional journaling. Here are some more ideas on how to create photos with a purpose that speak even more than a thousand words!

• Create a simple sign for someone to hold. It could say a simple phrase, or share an emotion such as "We miss you, Dad!" For added meaning, have your child write it him/herself!
• When using signs, I suggest making it at least 8 1/2 x 11 in a large font so it is readable in the photo.
• Have each person in the picture hold a letter to spell a word.
• Point to a map. For example, in a place you visit, find a city map and point to where you are on the map.
• Reinact a moment you want to capture that you didn't have your camera for the first time. It sounds crazy but if you make it cheesy and totally ham it up it adds even more emotion and fun! For example, your daughter goes on her first date but you don't want to embarrass her in front of her date (well, anymore than we as parents do already! Ha! Ha!). The next day, reenact the leaving on the date scene by having her dad (with hands on his hips of course) wagging his finger while the daughter shakes her head in embarrassment. Believe me, that photo will say more than a thousand words!

These are just a few of the many ways that you can make your photos have more meaning and more messages behind them. Get creative and play around with more and make your next photo shoot say more!