Use a small or white silver reflector to fill in shadow caused by overhead lighting or camera itself

Boost ISO setting to enable you to use faster shutter speeds or smaller apertures. Shots will be noisier, but images will be sharper with a larger depth of field

Use a tripod and cable release whenever possible to maximize depth of field and eliminate camera shake and ensure accurate focusing.

When using compact-style camera with an optical viewfinder, beware of problems with parallax – an effect caused when viewfinder is offset from lens. Although you may have composed your shot perfectly in viewfinder, fact that lens is in a slightly different position means that composition of finished image will be altered. The closer you get to subject, more inaccurate view through viewfinder will be.

Paul Smith has been a proffesional photograper for the last 10 years. His works are mainly published as Postcards and Calendars in Australia.

Scrapbooking comes in many formats. You can choose to focus entirely on photos with very limited words thrown in. Or you can be an advocate for strong and meaningful journaling.

Whatever it is, when it comes to scrapbooking about you, I'll like to say that heartfelt journaling is crucial.

Because by giving substance in form of words to your thoughts, feelings and recollections about yourself, you are in a way reaffirming your sense of being. You're telling universe, "Hey, this is who I am!"

Occasionally, on my scrapbook pages, you'll see mainly journaling without a stitch of photo. And yet, some of these pages are among my most effective pages.

So don't be afraid to give strength to your words and let them pour forth and land themselves naturally onto your scrapbook pages.

Sometimes, certain themes might bog you down longer than others. Don't give up. The harder it is to scrapbook on a theme about yourself, bigger will be affirmation or breakthrough that you might experience.

Do yourself a favor.

Focus on scrapbooking all about yourself on some days. You'll be elated to uncover a growing sense of certainty of who you are, as you go about scrapbooking scattered pieces of yourself and your memories.

"There is only one person who can write story of your life, with all its foibles, follies, treasures and tears. That person is you." - Kathleen Adams

Need some inspirations or ideas that can spark up your session on scrapping about yourself? Look out for my "Scrapbooking Yourself as a Girl, Youth and Your College Days" and "Scrapbooking Yourself as a Mother, Homemaker, Worker and More".

Happy scrapping!