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Photo Freedom

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A fantastic system for organizing and storing photos. Helps you to connect with your photographs. System has a universal application. Reaches out to all scrapbookers with a plan and guide.

130 pages

First published February 26, 2008

5 people are currently reading
150 people want to read

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Stacy Julian

24 books11 followers

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5 stars
202 (48%)
4 stars
100 (23%)
3 stars
77 (18%)
2 stars
25 (5%)
1 star
14 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
9 reviews5 followers
February 9, 2009
I was feeling energized from meeting Stacy Julian and reading her new book, Photo Freedom, although the topic is not new to me, for some reason, meeting her and taking her fast paced Finish Line album class, I returned to her photo sorting philosophy with a fresh perspective.

Here's the deal, in 2007 I took her on-line class called a Library of Memories, but watch for it on Big Picture Scrapbooking in the future, if on-line classes are your thing. I tried to keep up with the reading material from the class last year, but just don't do well with routine events. Plus I wasn't really feeling her whole sorting philosophy because I've already scrapbooked our family & children's albums through 2004.

Well, last weekend I came across a BUNCH of photos that one, hadn't been scrapbooked, nor had really been sorted. So I set out to give her system a try which is basically about sorting in categories/person instead of chronological (which I do). Because I couldn't put my finger on ALL of Grandma Bryant's photos when she died last month (Feb 2007) I decided to re-sort a few years worth of photos using her category method. What I ended up with (besides a bunch of new projects to work on) was an entire box of my oldest daughter's photos and a box of "Family Branches" photos of family members that can go into those "Branch" albums my Dad has started, that we carry to family reunions, weddings and funerals. Family loves to look through the albums looking for themselves.

Stacy gets you started on how to sort your photographs, but it's a philosophy that can be easily altered to fit your space needs and storage style.

Profile Image for Sarah.
84 reviews3 followers
August 17, 2020
Don’t know what took me so long to finally dive into photofreedom/library of memories. I think this book and Stacy changed my scrapbooking forever.

Read the pdf book from her website, some of the pages are messed up, which is a bummer!
Profile Image for Lisa.
111 reviews35 followers
August 10, 2009
This book is wonderful and completely refreshing. The class that this is based on (Library of Memories at Big Picture Scrapbooking) that I took when it was first offered (and that I will be participating in again at the end of this month) completely changed the way I look at scrapbooking and recording the story of our family and our memories. I've never felt more organized, less guilt, or more able to create pages from a *good* place when sitting down to scrapbook as I did since taking the LOM class. What I especially loved about the book (having already been in the class) is the real life adaptations of this system and how each person featured individualized it to work for them.

It's all a process (after all, it took me many years to amass the many gigabytes of photos that I have - and of course let's not forget the ones that came before digital!)... and I'm looking forward to implementing some more of the ideas presented here very soon (like actual printing of my photos and keeping them in albums so that the kids can look through them and so I can do traditional paper scrapping when I want a break from digital scrapbooking, the memorabilia file, the enlarged photos, and school folders for each of my kids for each of their years of school instead of just stacking all the art and certificates that get home in the closet). I love my searchable tag system that I know have in Adobe Bridge that I started when first taking the LOM class. It's great to be able to search on photos based on all the different categories and ways I store and recall things. There's a lot of good stuff here!
Profile Image for Kristen.
Author 2 books6 followers
April 7, 2008
I took Stacy's Library of Memories Class at Big Picture Scrapbooking and found it to be very liberating, but I got stuck at a few of the sections. I am taking the class again and figured I would not buy the book as it is really less in depth than the class, but I am glad I did. The book, while not as detailed as the class offers a few new tips and ideas that the class missed (although I am in the class again this year, time has prevented me from covering as much as I wanted to). I particulary like the short time bursts and I finally moved most of my layouts into library albums. It is a great and fun exercise to see the connections between existing projects I have done.

Now, if I can get up the courage, it is time to get out the circular file and my cold storage boxes!
Profile Image for Deirdre K.
862 reviews69 followers
April 6, 2008
This was my reward for making progress on our office. Julian's Big Picture is easily the best book/source of inspiration I've read regarding scrapbooking. I enjoyed this one, but it didn't come close to BP in my opinion. Possibly because I was already familiar with her approach from BP, so it wasn't as novel. The photos and design was beautiful, and I loved that it was spiral so I could easily read it on a drive to GJ. There is a section on how others applied her ideas, which was a great concept---but I would have liked to have heard from a digi scrapper. I can't imagine developing so many photos that will end up in storage...
Profile Image for Aimeslee.
40 reviews1 follower
November 18, 2011
I took the online class version of this book, and aside from the disappointment that the book wasn't included in ebook form, it was a great experience. I got the opportunity to borrow this book from a friend to read it, but I really wish I could find a copy to buy and keep. It is out of print and an expensive collectors item on ebay now.

I cannot say enough about her process and method. It is really working well for me. The book explains the manual application of her methods. The online class helps map out a digital way. I think BOTH ways each have merit and use.

One of my classic references -- I just wish I had the book on my shelf right next to my binder of class materials!
Profile Image for Laurie Johnson.
106 reviews113 followers
January 30, 2017
I've been looking for a photo organizing system for years. And when I recently started using Google Photo, after an external hard drive crash, I remembered I had gotten this a year ago!! And did nothing essentially!!!

So I am recommitted to this and Stacy's plan does seem doable and may fit as I design a process.

Lots of technology breakthroughs since 2008 and more options for cloud storage than iPhoto. (Which I actually hate as I have lost photos there before.)

I like the idea of just scrapping simply in a regular photo album. Also like the categories and the way photos move from her computer to page to album.

I think this might be the answer, by Jove!!!
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
Author 1 book93 followers
March 11, 2008
I have so much admiration for the way Stacy Julian teaches and practices her philosophies about memory. While I didn't have the immediate emotional connection with Photo Freedom that I had with her last two books, I think it's only because this one is far more action-oriented. I'm not quite ready to start the work it will require to get my own Library of Memories system up and running, but it is an important goal on my list. Anyone who is in charge of family photos, or who has thousands just from their own lifetime, would be wise to read this—scrapbooker or not.
Profile Image for Carolyn.
29 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2008
I've been scrapbooking for over 32 years! It wasn't until about 10 years ago (with the advent of my 2 kids, scrapbook stores and digital photography) that my scrapbooking took on new meaning. Now it just seems like I collect stuff..., but I digress.

So much for the premise. I purchased this book with great hope only to discover that her organizational ideas are not what I need. (I think mine are better. Hence, the 2 star rating.) The one thing I learned from this book is that organization is not my problem.
Profile Image for Linda.
238 reviews28 followers
June 29, 2008
Stacy Julian provides a refreshing new outlook on how to approach scrapbooking and organize your photos in the most optimal way. It may take me a while to adapt to her system, but I hope to head in that direction. The book itself is very well organized with an excellent presentation and concrete takeaways -- I will surely be reviewing it for years to come. I especially like the last section where she shows how various scrapbookers use and modify her system.
Profile Image for Michelle Alley.
45 reviews1 follower
July 23, 2009
This book was completely fitting to the dilema I was having with my scrapbooking efforts. To scrapbook in chronilogical order, or not? Stacy's book is more about how to organize your photos, than scrapbooking ideas. There are some great tools among these pages for the unorganized scrapbooker. The back of the book contains some fun ways of using your newly organized photos that I've already put into action.
Profile Image for Seanna.
66 reviews13 followers
July 18, 2008
It's about photos and scrapbooks but it's much more than that. Impossible to explain. I'm also currently taking the author's online 16-week class, dork that I am. It started out as a solution to a specific problem but unexpectedly turned out to be a lifestyle, even a life changing thing. Yep, I really am this dorky.
Profile Image for Holly.
135 reviews9 followers
Read
August 24, 2017
The first time I read this, I couldn't put it down - read through it in less than 2 days. I'm totally into seeing if I can make this work for myself. I have read and re-read many sections of this. It's an awesome resource. I've implemented several ideas from it but haven't gotten to a fully functional system yet. GREAT RESOURCE. Highly Recommended.
59 reviews1 follower
July 18, 2008
Seriously the best book ever!!! If you are ever in a rut and think you will never get caught up on scrapbooking.....this is the book for you!!!! Stacy has a unique way of scrapbooking...there is no need to scrapbook chronologically!!! I love that....I would suggest getting Big Picture Scrapbookng also....it was a great lead into this book!
Profile Image for Trish.
355 reviews
January 16, 2013
Non-Fiction; Arts & Crafts/Scrapbooking
5 stars

Stacy Julian is the former Editor of the now defunct Simple Scrapbooks magazine. In her book, she explains how to simplify the scrapbooking process so you can produce more documenting (layout) in less time. She also gives you pointers in how to store those photos that you don't end up putting in a scrapbook.

I really enjoyed this book.
Profile Image for Michelle Johnson.
407 reviews11 followers
February 23, 2014
This book was okay. The basic premise is an organization system. A VERY convoluted one. I think the most important thing to take from this book is to scrapbook however you want and not chronologically. I already do that. There wasnt much for me to learn from this book. NO WAY would I try to put this organizational idea in place. I am pumped to scrapbook though. So it served its purpose.
13 reviews
March 12, 2008
WOW!! Well, I was not disappointed! How could I ever be disappointed by Stacy! Granted that not much of the information was new to me after taking Library of Memories, but it is such a great resource and a quick way to motivate me to refresh my system.
127 reviews6 followers
March 28, 2008
I didn't even get a chance to move this book to my "currently reading" shelf. This book arrived today in the mail and I read it cover to cover. I loved it. I am really motivated now to organize my photos in a more effective way. I also love her approach of letting go of chronological order.
Profile Image for Dianne.
159 reviews
May 7, 2008
I got a lot out of this book. If you are scrapbooker who is bored w/traditional chronological scrapbooking (like me) this will make you think. I recommend her other book "The Big Picture" to go along with it. I feel it's a worthwhile book to have. Or at least borrow!
Profile Image for Jana.
7 reviews2 followers
June 30, 2008
I absolutely loved this book!! As a scrapper of over 10 years, I have often gotten "bogged down" in the pictures. This book gave me not only great ideas to sort them, but also really enforced the fact that you don't have to scrap chronologically! I think every scrapper should read it!
Profile Image for Carrie.
221 reviews1 follower
July 13, 2008
finally light at the end of the tunnel for organizing my thousands of pictures.

i like her straight forward somewhat bossy tone. the book is beautiful and colorful and her instructions are detailed and repeated the right amount of times.
Profile Image for Amy.
8 reviews
September 9, 2008
1505691 I really enjoyed this book, but being who I am I have a hard time with most of Stacy Julian's ideas. It will take time and patience + a ton of room for just storing the photos....until they can be scrapbooked.
Profile Image for Kristin.
76 reviews11 followers
April 16, 2009
Looking for inspiration to organize my photos, digital or print. This is a complex system. Might work for a more dedicated scrapbooker. I have no intention to actually scrapbook. I might use parts of this system. But it also seems a bit like a lifestyle. Ugh!
Profile Image for Tammy.
756 reviews15 followers
July 23, 2009
I was going to just give it a 3 since I haven't fully implemented the photo methods she outlines, but i'm pretty sure i'm going to like them. Just thinking about the photos being reorganized is getting me energized to get more scrapbooking completed.
Profile Image for Joan.
48 reviews3 followers
May 14, 2012
Another book I've had for a while, I keep going back to it! I absolutely love how it has helped me become more organized! I actually scrap now on a weekly basis, instead of just collecting scrapbook stuff and photos.
Profile Image for Amanda.
8 reviews3 followers
January 8, 2013
This book revolutionized the way that I think about scrapbooking and helped me understand that scrapbooking in a way that fits me is okay. I don't have to meet all the expectations of professional scrappers!
Profile Image for Karen (Living Unabridged).
1,177 reviews64 followers
September 26, 2014
This is a book about simplifying the scrapbooking process or not being tied down to just scrapbooking chronologically. I've already made that leap but it was interesting to read an "expert" and get a few more ideas.
Profile Image for Donna.
163 reviews12 followers
July 11, 2008
I love this book. I have Stacy's first book too, Big Picture. She has a lot of good ideas...this one is about her organizational system.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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