For many people, photos are at the heart of their scrapbooks -- and for a very good reason. We all treasure photgraphs of friends and loved ones, and many of us carry some with us wherever we go in a wallet or locket or keep photos on our desk at work. And if disaster were to strike and you had to evacuate your house, many people say they would save their photo albums before any other possessions!

So most scrapbooks will contain photographs. Even the most disinterested reader of your scrapbook will look at them. A picture really is worth a thousand words. Therefore, it is important to choose photographs that are of good quality and clearly illustrate your scrapbook theme.

Any photograph can be used in a scrapbook. Even instant photographs can be used in scrapbooking. Just be careful that the chemicals within the photograph do not spill out on the rest of your scrapbook. Digital pictures can easily be printed right onto lignin-free and acid -free paper.

Always bear in mind that scrapbooking is permanent. For this reason, it is probably better to use copies of your only picture of Great Aunt Betsy rather than risk ruining the original photograph forever. So just scan the picture on your computer scanner and print the image on lignin free and acid free paper.

Everybody loves looking at photos of family, friends and special places. Thats why they have such a special place in any scrapbook. It can be a lot of fun to use photos in imaginative layouts and for abstract effects -- dont feel confined just to mounting your photos as you would in a traditional photo album.

You can find inspiration for new scrapbooking ideas from magazines and visits to art museums. Just keep your eyes open and let your imagination run free!