How To Start Digital Scrapbooking In 5 Easy Steps

By Delores Robinson

Digital scrapbooking is gaining in popularity rather quickly. However, to someone who is just getting started, it can seem like a daunting project to start. It doesn't have to be this way. You can start digital scrapbooking in 5 easy steps.

Step 1. Gather your gear. You'll need photo's on your computer. They can be photo's you've taken with your digital camera, photo's others have emailed you or old photo's you've scanned and imported to your computer. It doesn't matter how you got them on your computer, what's important is they are there!

Step 2. Decide which software you'll be using. There are two types of software for digital scrapbooking. Layout programs and photo editing programs. There are a host of layout programs for digital scrapbooking. Layout programs allow you to assemble and make digital scrapbook pages easily. They help you organize digital photo's, page themes and journaling.
Sadly, many of these programs leave something to be desired for serioius digital scrapbooking. If you really want to try a layout program, give Pixel Magic a try.

The other type of program for digital scrapbooking is the Photo Editing software like Photoshop, Corel's Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Photoshop Elements or Microsofts Digital Image Pro. Paint Shop Pro and Adobe's Photoshop Elements are two of the most popular and easy to use Photo Editing software for digital scrapbooking. You can find online tutorials for each program if you don't already know how to use them.

Step 3. Create Your First Digital Scrapbook Page. Here is where the fun starts. You'll want to find some tutorials about laying pages out (layering), resolution count and creating your first basic page. You'll be choosing templates, photo's, embellishments, decorations and other elements for your first page. Don't get carried away, keep it simple until you get a few pages under your belt. You can then try new things and techniques.

Step 4. Store you newly created scrapbook page. There are a number of ways you can choose to store your digital scrapbook pages. You can save them as a high resolution JPG image, in the native format of the program you're using or as a low resolution JPG. Also, make sure you create proper folders on your computer for you digital scrapbook pages. Nothing is more frustrating than hunting for pages you know you created but can't find!

Step 5. Show off your pages. There are many services where you can choose to share your newly created digital scrapbook pages with friends, family and the whole Internet! You can also email them to other people, but be warned, the size of the scrapbook pages can get huge and you could fill up someones email box by sending them a huge file.

It really is this simple to get started with digital scrapbooking. There are many, many places on the web where you can get ideas for you own page. There are galleries of other scrapbookers finished pages, forums and blogs. There are no limits to the resources for a beginning scrapbooker!

Delores Robinson is an experiences scrapbooker. She spends her time helping newcomers to scrapbooking, designing scrapbooks or working on her site DIY Scrapbook Supplies You can find advice, tips and helpful advice as well as the latest scrapbooking supplies on her site. She also has the latest and coolest digital scrapbooking supplies to make your next scrapbook project really jump out!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Delores_Robinson

Digital Video Makes Everything So Much More Enjoyable

By John Templin

If you have a digital video camera or are using any other type of digital video then you should already know just how amazing it really is. The quality that you can achieve with all of the images that you take will seriously excite you because the beautiful colors and the clearness of it all will just appear to be flawless. If you do perhaps notice any little flaws with any image that you have taken, guess what, you can simply apply one of the amazing features and quickly edit the image, making any changes that are necessary to have it looking just as you would want it to look. Digital truly makes everything so much more enjoyable and all of the images much more colorful and there are new and improved types of digital cameras coming out all the time, so be prepared for the excitement the day that you can afford to purchase a newer digital camera, because it will have even more excellent features than what you were already accustomed to on your old digital video camera.

Anyone who enjoys taking photographs or recording videos knows how important it is to use a digital video camera because of its incredible quality that will be achieved each time you find a shot to take. You will also find many wonderful websites on the internet that will show the variety of digital cameras that are available on the market just waiting for onlookers to excitedly notice. Of course all of the prices on the many wonderful digital video cameras will vary because of the different companies that make them, the size, available features and all of the other more upgraded versions with more memory that are available for purchase. Your choice is not very limited, so do not be afraid to just shop around for your next digital video camera, they are not going anywhere and you do not have to worry about not having that many to choose from.

The new day of digital video has really been a fun and exciting, as well as very thrilling opportunity that has come available to us all and if you have not yet gotten the chance to enjoy the great uses of any type of digital video, well then, you are totally missing out and it might just be time for you to consider upgrading from that old fashioned camera that never creates fabulous photographs. Digital video is something that many tourists count on whenever they are in other countries enjoying the gorgeous sites because with the digital camera you will have every opportunity to snap each image and know that upon returning home you will have some amazing footage to view with your family and friends. This type of video is definitely one that you can all count on, so do not wait another day, start browsing around for the most perfect digital video that would suit your needs and give you the happiness that so many others are achieving.

John Templin is the owner and creator of the Digital Video Blog, providing digital video articles and tips. John is also the owner of the Digital Products Membership Club. Visit the Digital Video Blog at http://www.Digital-Products-Club.com/digitalvideo and his Digital Products Membership Club at http://Digital-Products-Club.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Templin

Why Are Digital Ballasts Better

By Susan Slobac

Before entering into a discussion as to why digital ballasts are superior to the old-fashioned magnetic core and coil types, it may be helpful to know exactly what a ballast system is in terms of hydroponic gardening and grow lights.

All standard grow lights used in hydroponic gardening – whether some type of metal vapor or fluorescent – employ a ballast system. This consists of a housing, within which is contained electronic components that in essence “prime the pump.” A fluorescent light has its own built-in ballast system; this builds up the energy required to activate the molecules inside the fluorescent tube, which in turn causes them to glow, emitting light. Metal Halide and HPS grow lights have “remote ballasts” which are housed inside a metal container. The components are what make up these lamps’ main power supply. Together, they function as a “pre-heater,” which allows electrical power to build up to the point that the lamp will run.

The drawback of these kinds of ballasts is that they build up the energy required to run the lamp, then sends it on all at once. The cold bulb is literally “slammed” with energy at full force. A good metaphor is the case of someone who puts a car in gear, disengages the clutch, revs the engine up to 4000 RPM then “pops” the clutch. “Pealing out” may be fun and impressive to onlookers (though illegal in most places), but as any automotive technician will tell you, can shorten the car’s engine and drive train considerably.

It is the same with standard ballasts; the sudden surge of electricity tends to shorten bulb life. In addition, standard coil-type ballasts cause the bulb to “strobe,” or flicker.

Digital ballasts eliminate this wear and tear on the bulb by providing a flow of electricity that starts out at a low level, then increases energy flow as the bulb warms up and achieves full brightness. Studies have shown that MH and LPS grow lights used with a digital ballast lost only 20 to 25% of their PAR luminescence (the wavelengths actually used by the plant) after one year; those used with a standard ballast had lost over twice at much over the same period.

It should be noted that digital ballasts vary in terms of quality and reliability. In general, products made in Chinese factories tend to be of inferior quality, and should be avoided. The best digital ballasts will run all types of grow lights, and be able to recognize the difference between metal halide, HPS or LED. If a bulb is defective, damaged or incompatible, or if a short circuit is detected a well-manufactured, U.S.- made digital ballast will automatically shutdown before a safety hazard is created.

Susan Slobac is an expert on hydroponics gardening. She helps to explain how a digital ballast is integrated into a grow system and details how a digital ballast controls the flow of electricity to the grow lights.