IN THIS CHAPTER

Advertising in flyers and online auctions

Going big with posters

Creating a household inventory or project documentation

Working with blogs

Even though Elements already gives you a wide array of creations to make — from photo books to greeting cards to slideshows — you can easily do even more with the program. In this chapter, you find ideas for using your inventory of digital images to make your life more productive, more organized, and more fun. This chapter just scratches the surface. Before you know it, your photos will be a part of every aspect of your life, from your clothing to the art on your walls.

Screen Savers

If you have two or more photos you want to use, you can create a screen saver in Windows or macOS. Follow these steps in Windows 10:

1. Copy the photos you want to see in your screen saver to a new folder.
2. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Personalize.
3. Click Lock Screen in the Setting window and scroll down to the Screen Saver Settings.
4. In the Screen Saver Settings window, select Photos in the drop-down menu.
5. Click Settings.
6. Click Browse and navigate to the folder you created in Step 1 and select the photo.

7. Select a slideshow speed from the drop-down menu.

   Optionally, check Shuffle to randomize the photo order.

8. Click Save.
9. Click the Preview button to test your screen saver.
10. Click the arrows to specify the amount of time before your screen saver displays.
11. Click OK.

Mac users can create custom screen savers even more easily:

• Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu.
• Click Desktop & Screen Saver and then click the Screen Saver tab.
• Choose a style from the left, and then, on the right, click the Source drop-down menu and select Choose Folder. Select your desired folder and click Choose.

• Specify the options for your screen saver.

  For example, have it display after a selected amount of time or Show with clock.

• Click the Close button in the top-left corner.

Flyers, Ads, and Online Auctions

Whether you’re selling puppies or advertising an open house, adding a photo to an ad or flyer really helps to drive home your message. Here are the abbreviated steps to quickly create an ad or a flyer:

1. In Expert mode, choose File  ⇒  New  ⇒  Blank File.

2. In the New dialog box, enter your specs and then click OK.

   Enter the final dimensions and resolution for your desired output. If you want to print your ad or flyer on your desktop printer or at a service bureau, a good guideline for resolution is 300 pixels per inch (ppi). Leave the color mode as RGB and the Background Contents as White.

   To fill your background with color, as shown in Figure 19-1, choose Edit  ⇒  Fill Layer and then choose Color from the Use pop-up menu. Choose your desired color in the Color Picker and then click OK.

   

3. Open your photos and then drag and drop them onto your new canvas with the Move tool.

   Each image is on a separate layer.

   Choose Window  ⇒  Images  ⇒  Cascade or Tile to view all your canvases at the same time.

4. Select the Type tool, click the canvas, add your desired text, and then position your type with the Move tool.

   Figure 19-1 shows a bevel and drop shadow on the type. If you want to add either or both as well, select your Type layer and, in the Styles panel (choose Window  ⇒  Styles or click the Styles icon in the bottom-right corner), choose Drop Shadows or Bevels from the Styles drop-down menu at the top of the panel. Double-click the shadow or bevel of your choice. We chose a Simple Inner bevel and a Soft Edge shadow.

5. When you’re done, choose File  ⇒  Save.

6. Name your file, choose Photoshop (.psd) from the Format drop-down list, and make sure that the Layers and ICC Profile (Embed Color Profile on the Mac) check boxes are selected.

   If you're taking your document to a copy shop, save your document as a Photoshop PDF (.pdf) file.

7. (Optional) To save a copy of your ad or flyer in the Organizer, select the Include in the Elements Organizer check box. In addition, select the Layers, ICC Profile (Embed Color Profile on the Mac), and Use Lower Case Extension (Windows only) options.
8. Click Save.

Clothes, Hats, and More

Buy plain, colored T-shirts at your local discount store or plain aprons and tote bags at a craft or fabric store. Then buy special transfer paper at your office supply, big-box, or computer store. Print your photos on the transfer paper (be sure to flip the images horizontally first) and iron the print onto the fabric. When you're done, you have a personalized gift for very little cash, as shown in Figure 19-2.

Posters

You can get posters and large prints at many copy shops and even your local Costco. Call and talk to a knowledgeable rep so that you know exactly how to prepare your file. Here are a few questions to ask:

• What file format and resolution should the file be?
• What print sizes do you offer?
• Do you provide mounting and lamination services?

Note that online companies such as Shutterfly and CafePress will print your image on everything from cellphone cases to drinkware to beach towels.

Household and Business Inventories

Shoot pictures of your items. In the Organizer, select the image and choose Edit  ⇒  Add Caption to include makes, models, purchase dates, and dollar values of each piece. Then create a single PDF document from those multiple files by creating a slide show. Chapter 17 explains how to create the slideshow PDF. After the PDF is finished, you can upload it to cloud storage site or save it to an external drive that’s stored somewhere else (in a safe deposit box or other secure location).

Project Documentation

If you’re taking a class or workshop, take your camera to class (if the instructor doesn’t mind). Documenting the positions or steps of that new yoga, pottery, or gardening class can help you practice or re-create it on your own. Import your desired photos into the Organizer and create notes on each step of the project in the caption area. When you’re done, output the images to a PDF slideshow. For details on creating PDF slideshows, see Chapter 17.

School Reports and Projects

Have to write a paper on the habits of the lemurs of Madagascar? Trek down to your local zoo and have a photo shoot. Create a simple collage of lemurs eating, sleeping, and doing the other things that lemurs do. You can use the Photo Collage command on the Create panel, or create a custom collage by making selections (see Chapter 8) and dragging and dropping them onto a blank canvas.

Blogs

Creating a simple blog is a great way to share not only your latest and greatest photos but also recent news about family and friends. Some of the most popular free blogging platforms are www.blogger.com, www.squarespace.com, www.wix.com (all website creators with blogging capabilities), www.wordpress.com, www.tumblr.com, and www.medium.com.

Wait — There’s More

Before you start taking your photos to the next dimension, consider a few extra ideas: Make fun place cards for dinner party guests; create your own business cards or letterhead; design your own bookmarks, bookplates, and notepads; or label storage boxes with photos of their contents. Check out www.pinterest.com and other sites for a slew of projects to do with photos.