Getting Started - The Software

The first thing you need to begin digital scrapbooking is a photo-editing program. There are many different options on the market, and the one you choose depends on your budget and how much time you are willing to devote to learning the software.

By far, the most widely used programs for creating digital layouts are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Adobe Photoshop (PS), Photoshop CS, CS2 and CS3 are professional-level photo-editing programs that will provide every possible photo-editing capability you can imagine and give you a lot more flexibility with your layouts once you get comfortable with the basics. The disadvantage to this software is that it comes with a hefty price tag and a steep learning curve. (Educational discounts are available at many academic software sites and the official Adobe website. Many stores only require that you have a child in K-12 or college to qualify.)

Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE) offers everything you need to begin digital scrapbooking. This mini-version of Photoshop is a much more cost-effective way to get started, as the price tag is under $100. The latest version of PSE is very easy to learn and packed full of the most popular features of PS.

You can download free trial versions of both PS and PSE from the Adobe website.

Note: Some of the most common digital scrapbooking features that you will only find in the full-version of PS are typing text on a path, using layer masks, recording custom actions, and curves adjustment layers. Fortunately, there are products you can purchase in the store that will do many of these things for you.

Other common photo-editing programs include Corel Paint Shop Pro, Microsoft Digital Image Suite, ACDSee Systems Photo Editor, and LumaPix FotoFusion Scrapbook Essentials.