With all this in mind, my travel photo flow has evolved into what is it is today. I want to share my basic framework with you and tricks I use to get photos scrapped on the road.<\/p>\n
Pre-Planning: Choosing an Album Format<\/h5>\n
First, I have to commit to an album format before leaving on my trip. For a commitment-phobe, like myself, pocket style albums are the best solution. I like to use a 6×8 3-ring binder and divided protector sleeves with 3×4 and 4×6 pockets. My goal is to have all my vacation photos (and journaling) printed and in my album within a couple of days of returning home. Otherwise, they’re likely to stay on my hard drive.<\/p>\n
Once this is accomplished, I can scrap individual photos as I get inspired and insert new layouts into the album as they are completed. And since everything is already documented, I don’t feel pressure to include every photo in my layouts.<\/p>\n
The Basics: Photo Editing & Organization, Journaling, and Home Printing<\/h5>\n
So how do I get everything in my album right away? Well, my day to day photo flow centers around my iPhone. This is especially true when I’m on the road because things I normally do on my laptop, like editing and organizing photos, can get accomplished using a few of my favorite apps.<\/p>\n
Organizing Photos<\/em> Journaling<\/em> Editing Photos<\/em> Printing Photos<\/em> Scrapbooking On the Road<\/em> Collecting Ephemera<\/em>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sweetshoppedesigns.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/AnalogPaper-TravelPhotoFlow-TheBasics.jpg\" "\\"AnalogPaper-TravelPhotoFlow-TheBasics\\"")
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\nI love apps that sync to my laptop, like Dropbox<\/a>. It’s perfect for organizing my photos because it automatically uploads images from both my phone and camera. It also renames my photos with the date\/time I shot the photo. Since everything is automated and centralized, there isn’t much left for me to do in terms of organizing.<\/p>\n
\nDay One<\/a> is another app that syncs to my laptop. It’s a great journaling platform and perfect for recording little details about my trip I don’t want to forget. It even geo tags entries and records current weather conditions. When I get home, all I need to do is print out my journal entries and tuck them inside my album. These templates by Penny Springmann<\/a> are perfect because I can simply cut and paste my journaling into the text paths.<\/p>\n
\nI use Radlab<\/a> most of the time, but I can also use my phone to quickly edit photos. There are a ton of free apps that are really great (Snapseed<\/a>, Aviary<\/a>), but my absolute favorite is PicTapGo<\/a> (created by Radlab). The filters alone are pretty awesome, but then I also have the ability to stack them, change their opacity, and even save filter presets. I find myself doing a lot of my photo editing during flights or on road trips. I can even use my phone to edit photos I take with my digital camera because everything gets uploaded to Dropbox and is easily accessible.<\/p>\n
\nBecause so many printing options are comparable in both quality and pricing, convenience and speed end up being the biggest considerations for me. After I made the switch to home printing, my project success definitely improved. I have a Canon Selphy<\/a> and Pixma iX6520<\/a>. In terms of sheer fun, the Selphy wins hands down. It’s perfect for family holidays and super easy to pack and take on the road. But in terms of clarity, precision, and color accuracy, the Pixma gives me professional quality results. I can also use thinner photo paper which I prefer when pocket scrapbooking.<\/p>\nThe Extras: Scrapbooking on the Road with iPhone Apps and Collecting Ephemera<\/h5>\n
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\nI’m definitely a photo app addict. There are tons of apps that allow you to add textures, graphics, and text to photos. My favorites right now are Phoster<\/a> and A Beautiful Mess<\/a>. I also love InstaWeather<\/a>, for adding current weather conditions as text overlays, and Phonto<\/a>, both free. Phonto is a photo and text editor that allows you to install any font. In the example above, I used the Yep, That’s Life doodle fonts by Darcy Baldwin + Brook McGee<\/a>. If you’re new to installing fonts on your phone, here is a step by step tutorial on how I created my photo overlay<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nIt’s so easy to tuck travel ephemera into divided page protectors. When I’m on the road, my Traveler’s Notebook<\/a> keeps all of the bits and pieces I collect organized until I get home. I tend to save a lot of things, so I also like to add ephemera envelopes to my travel album. In the picture above, I used these by Mari Koegelenberg<\/a>.<\/p>\n