A frame is simply a border for your photos. Different frames exist that correspond which each different collection, for example, Organisk, Bundle and Klassisk. In the image above, we've used two frames from the Organisk collection as an example.

For each frame design there are three layout options that are for different sized photos, which you drag onto your photo to use. For example, you would drag the square frame onto a square photo and a rectangular portrait frame onto a portrait photo. If you decide you want to change or remove your frame, simply drag another frame or the no frame option onto your photo.

A frame around your photo can add playfulness and colour, but make sure you choose frames that tie in with the photo selected and the overall theme of the book. If choosing a frame to focalise your photo, you don’t necessarily need to add scrapbooking elements as this can take away from the photo and create too many focal points.

Be aware of the overall impression and keep it simple to ensure a stylish and beautiful digital keepsake.

A mask is a layer that once dragged on top of your photos, curves the corners to create rounded images. There are four masks to choose from and each mask corresponds to the size of your photos.

For example, drag the square mask onto a square shaped photo, a portrait rectangular mask onto a portrait photo and a landscape rectangular mask onto a landscape photo. The fourth mask is a circular shape. When dragged onto your photo, it creates a focal point by cutting the photo into the circular shape. In the image above, the photo on the right has a mask on it that has rounded the corners while the photo on the left has no mask.

Masks are great for softening the look of photos, especially when there are multiple photos on one page. They can achieve a vintage feel and add a polished look to your photobook. Don’t be afraid to use masks...start playing around with the editor today and find out what styles you prefer.

When making beautiful keepsakes featuring photos from family archives, or photos with low resolution quality, keep in mind these tips to help solve any photo challenges.

If a red and white exclamation mark appears on your photos, as seen above, it means that the photo is too low in quality to be used at that size. While the red exclamation mark won't print, the photo will appear pixelated and blurry when your masterpiece is printed so make sure you fix this first.

There are two ways you can solve this problem; firstly you can reduce the image size by dragging the frame or image to a smaller size until the exclamation mark disappears. The second option is to swap the photo for a higher quality image, as we've done below.

We recommend swapping the photo for a higher resolution image if you have to reduce your image significantly in size to remove the exclamation mark. If this is the case, the photo is likely to still print out pixelated as the photo is at a very low resolution regardless of the size.

If you're scanning photos into your files to add to your creative project, make sure you scan them in at a high resolution, for example a high dpi value of 600 so that when you transfer them into your photo project you can use them however you like and wherever you like! There's no need to scan your iamges in at a dpi value higher than 600 as this will only slow down your computer unnecessarily without improving the quality. Make sure your images are free of dirt or dust so that these imperfections don't detract from your final result.

Follow these tips to make sure your creative project turns out as beautiful as you imagined.

Certain times throughout the day provide better lighting than others, whilst also offering different effects due to shadowing and colouring. For example overcast weather provides great lighting, while harsh sunlight can throw nasty shadows across your photos. The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset are referred to as The Golden Hours, and shots taken during these times can end up truly beautiful and unique.

The above photographs were taken at midday, which is a difficult time to shoot at. As you can see in the first photograph, the shot suffers from direct sunlight from above lighting the model's face, casting harsh shadows and creating imbalance. In the second photo, this is rectified as the model is shot in indirect sunlight, so shadows are reduced and tone of light is even. If you do choose to shoot at midday, finding locations that are lit by indirect sunlight will improve your photos.

Here’s some advice on what different times of the day offer in lighting, so you can choose the best time to photograph.

Dawn offers a cold light with no shadows. It’s a fresh light and can even lend an eerie feeling to your photos as it sometimes offers a blue tinge. Sunrise, on the other hand, provides warm light with long shadows. Sunrise can be a great time to experiment with angles, especially in black and white photography, as the shadows can provide some very interesting results.

Just after sunrise, morning light is great for outdoor shots as it’s an even light with few shadows. If you’re taking landscape shots, there’s generally clear views and high visibility during this time so it can work well for long distance subjects.

Try to avoid taking photos at midday. As the sun is at its highest point, there is no direct light falling on subjects from the side. Shadows and defects are inevitable so shoot in the morning or evening.

Afternoon offers similar lighting to morning time. As the sun is on its way to setting however, the light tends to be warmer. Again this light can be great for long distance shots and shots needing high visibility. Sunset can offer beautiful lighting for some exceptional photographs. It can also be tricky to make the most of, however, as it doesn’t last long. Find out when the sun actually sets and plan ahead so you're ready to capture the moment.

Dusk can be a remarkable time to experiment with interesting shots. Play with colours by using long exposure settings and hold your camera steady by attaching it to a tripod. The result will be images that capture a myriad of different colours and movements. Dusk is a great time to shoot cityscapes and shots that involve a lot of colour and lights.

Once you have a stronger understanding of light and how it works in photography, you can play around with different settings on your camera during different times of the day. You might stumble upon an image that's interesting and exciting and will be able to understand why it works and how you can recreate or improve it.

Lighting can instantly change the makeup of your photos, transforming something from looking harsh or dull to balanced and beautiful. Here are some tips on how to make the most of lighting indoors and improve your photos.

The best light for your photos is natural light. Artificial light can create harsh shadows and imbalanced proportions of light resulting in a photo that is warm in places and cool in others. Overall the effect is one of unevenness, as in the image below on the left.

Natural light fixes the problem of balance as it provides an even tone across your space. It can still lead to a less than perfect shot however, as direct sunlight can often result in harsh shadowing as with artificial light. It’s also an unforgiving light that reveals all the flaws and imperfections you’d rather hide.

Choose a setting that has indirect natural light. For example a room or spot where the sun is not streaming into the room, facing north or south. This way you achieve an even tone with soft shadows that don’t take away from the photo, as shown in the photo on the right. If you choose to use a setting that suffers from direct sunlight, place some tracing paper over the window and tape it in place. This will soften the light and instantly improve your photos while you concentrate on finding the perfect angle.

Framing your subject can be a unique and interesting way of drawing attention to a focal point in your photo. Frames can exist in the foreground or background of your subject and can alter the feeling of your photo dramatically.

Frames can give your photos context by offering extra details of the setting of the photo. They can also add an extra dimension to the shot as there are more layers included, thus adding intrigue to your photos. You can frame your photos with almost anything; walls, windows, trees, objects and people. Choose whether to have your frame focused or not; a soft, blurred frame can work perfectly when the subject matter is a person or object. The soft edges draw attention to the inner focal point and add depth to the image.

Image Copywright Brooke Holm Photography 2012.

For photos of nature or landscape shots, a focused frame works well too. When the subject is finer in detail, a focused frame can add simplicity and depth without taking away from the image. There are no real rules when it comes to frames, a frame doesn't even have to frame your entire photo, it can simply frame two edges. Play around with different framing options and gain an understanding of how they affect your photos and what works.

Tip: Always consider whether a frame is actually adding to a photo, if it isn't, then don't use it.

Finding a different angle to view a subject and take a photo can be one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to improve a photo. Different angles can alter the overall feeling of a photo by changing a subject's size, positioning, clarity and light.

In the above photos we experimented with different angles to shoot a simple object like these scrumptious cinnamon scrolls. In the first photo on the left, we shot standing in front of the object. We brought the scrolls into focus and let the coffee behind soften so that the clarity of the image brought the viewers attention to the scrolls. The scrolls also appear bigger and the lighting accentuates the golden cinnamon.

The photo on the right was shot by holding the lens directly above the cinnamon scrolls and coffee. With this angle, the coffee is also brought into focus and as such there are two focus points. The scrolls appear smaller and the light from the side casts the scrolls into shadows, detracting from the detail of the first photo.

The two photos of the bike again show the differences angles can make. In the first photo, the detail of what is in the basket is lost and the focus is on the bike itself. In the second, by getting closer and moving behind the bike, the photo has a greater sense of balance and interest. The goodies in the basket are shown in detail and add colour and charm to the photo. The bike is still seen, however the overall image is better balanced through positioning and achieves greater clarity.

Experiment with different angles when next taking a photo. You could lie down or crouch beneath your subject, or find a position where you're looking down the lens at the focal point above your subject. Different angles will work for different images, themes and overall impressions.

Make an effort to experiment and your photography will reap the benefits.

The Rule of Thirds is one of the primary rules of photography. It is based upon dividing up the image into an equal grid of thirds, so that there are nine squares that make up one photo. The idea behind it is that the eye is naturally drawn to the points of intersection, thus you should aim to focus significant points at these intersections.

In the photo below, the girl and tree are points of interest and are placed at the points of intersection in the photo, creating a sense of balance.

If you are taking a close up of a person, you should aim to centre the points of interest, such as eyes or in the case below, their hand, on a point of intersection. As a viewer's eye is naturally drawn here, it will bring out the best in your photography, achieving balance and creating a unique point of interest, whilst avoiding awkward photos.

The lines can also function as useful guides on how to frame your photo. For example if you're photographing a horizontal landscape such as the ocean, position the intersecting line at the point between the sky and the ocean to give your photo balance. In the photo below, the photo is divide into three parts; the ocean, the mountains and the sky. The ship is also situated on an intersection point which illustrates how the rule of thirds works to create balance, improve composition and capture beauty.

Once you've learnt the rule and it becomes natural to your photography you can experiment with breaking it in interesting ways.

We are delighted to announce that we're now offering discounts on bulk Create with kikki.K orders. Perfect for when you're creating gift books or calendars for your entire family, travel buddies or work mates.

We strongly recommend you purchase a sample of your photo product before placing your bulk order.

The discounts are available in two tiers:

- 10% for 10 to 20 units
- 15% for 21+ units

Please note this discount only applies to orders of multiple copies of the same project.

Please call the Create Customer Service office (+61 3 9999 1109) to organise your discount prior to ordering.

Hello lovely Mac users!  You might be wondering how to use your photos stored in iPhoto in our software editor.  Well here's the answer...

There are two ways to add your photos into our editor from iPhoto:

1. Simply drag and drop your photos from iPhoto directly to a frame or page in the editor.

or

2. Click on the '+' icon in the top left corner of the editor to select a folder of photos to add to the left hand photo selection panel (see screenshots below).

After clicking the '+' button, you'll need to select 'Pictures' > 'iPhoto Library' > 'Originals' (or 'Modified' if you have edited your photos), then the relevant folder(s) that your photos are stored in.

Please note, you can only add folders to your selection and not single photos. You might find it helpful to put all the photos you want to use into one folder on your computer before you start. This way you will only need to select one folder in the editor and all your photos will be there.