It's always difficult for me to find a pair of jeans that fits perfectly. You know the kind --- one that makes my butt and thighs look smaller than they really are and hugs my hips just right. I was lucky enough to find such a pair in a perfect shade of faded blue with rhinestone-studded pockets. I looked so good in it, I didn't want to let go even when it got torn on one leg after years of making me feel like a ramp model by magically “flattering” my voluptuous figure (wink!).

My solution? I had my “magical” blue jeans cut just below the knee. To this day, it still works "magically" even if I now have to wear it differently. Come to think of it, I love it even better now considering that cropped jeans are the current trend in fashion. I feel the same about some of my photos.

Sometimes, I find myself browsing through my old photographs, only to realize that I do have a couple of bad ones that I can't just throw away because they mean something to me (specially those that were taken when I still weighed less than 100 lbs. – I want to preserve the memory!!!). However, I do have to admit that I can't scrap them because they are just really too bad to mount on a page. Whether you care to admit it or not, no amount of expensive embellishments and pretty patterned papers will make up for a bad photo. The solution? Reinvent them and scrap them creatively.

I've been approached by friends, after the first issue of Photo Rx came out, with their “cherished” bad pictures hoping that I could “do something” about them. I easily dismissed every picture they showed me as hopeless.

An example of the kind I've been asked to digitally improve is a photo taken at the Esplanade in Singapore just last October (A1).

The funny thing is, I was the one who took the shot using my friend Mae’s camera. Perhaps you can see why I thought it was hopeless --- it's a night shot and as most night shots taken in a rush and without a tripod, it's dark and it's quite blurred. Even with the group standing still for a few seconds (and after 3 takes), my unsteady hand still shook the camera resulting in a blurred photo that seems destined for the trashbin.

The challenge I am taking on is how to reinvent bad photos and help them earn a space in your scrapbooking layouts. Click any of the thumbnails below for a more detailed view.

A1.jpg – Original Photo : I used a point and shoot digital camera, set on night mode, without flash.

A1b.jpg – Crop and Improve contrast : This should already improve the photo a bit. The blur will still be visible but for a small print, like 3R, it would be less obvious. Canvas size / Inches (width – 5, height – 3.5, position – center) / Click Contrast+ 3x

A2.jpg – Night Effect : This will make the photo a bit dark emphasizing the night shot. Filter / Color / Night Effect
If you want to be a bit more adventurous, try the following techniques using A1.jpg or A2.jpg as starting files.

A3 – Ink Outlines
Start with A1b.jpg / Filter / Artistic / Ink Outlines / Edit / Fade Ink Outlines / Opacity (50%)

A3b – Exactly the same steps as A3.jpg but starting with the A2.jpg photo. Experiment with your own photos and see which you like better.

A4 – Artistic Blur : This should give you a dream-like effect.
Start with A1b.jpg / Filter / Visual Effect / Artistic Blur

A4b – Exactly the same steps as A4.jpg but starting with the A2.jpg photo.

A5 – Posterize
Start with A1b.jpg / Adjust / Posterize (50)
Note: This won't work with A2.jpg as it is too dark for this effect.

A6 – Duotone
Start with the original file A1.jpg / Click Contrast+ 3x / Adjust Duotone (Color 1: Black, Color 2: White, Threshold-100)
Note: I started with the original photo to include more background and foreground elements like the tree and the pavement. This effect doesn't require focus on facial features.

A7 – Black Pencil : This will give the look of a pencil drawing. Start with A1b.jpg / Grayscale / Filter / Artistic / Black Pencil / Edit / Fade Black Pencil / Opacity (30%)

A8 – Old Photography : This will give the impression that your photo just got faded with time. No one will know that it was blurred when you took the picture. Try using papers that can be distressed. Start with A1b.jpg / Filter / Aged Effect / Old Photography (repeat 3x, or click “old photography icon 3x)

A9 – Colored Edges
Start with A1b.jpg / Filter / Edges / Colored Edges / Edit / Fade Colored Edges / Opacity (40%)

With a little bit of imagination, “bad photos” can be retouched and utilized as page accents to complement your better shots if not as a focal point to a really creative layout.

Now get those bad photos out and remind yourself what was so special about them that you decided to keep them despite their imperfections. Try any of the above techniques or experiment on your own. See how many ways you can creatively use your bad photos. Have fun and keep in mind, pretty photos are just a few clicks away.

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