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The Best Way to Center a Photo on Paper

When you spend a lot of time taking a beautiful picture, you want to make sure the way you center the photo on the paper you will display it on does the picture justice. Although centering a photo on printed paper from your computer is easy involving simply telling the computer to center the picture on the paper, centering a photo yourself without the benefit of a computer and printer can be tricky. Measuring the paper allows you to center your picture flawlessly every time.

Things You'll Need

Ruler
Glue

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the length and width of the picture you need to center on paper. Use your ruler to determine how many inches across the picture is, as well as how many inches tall. Be as accurate as possible.
- 2
  Puchase a piece of paper that comes with the measurements of the paper on the packaging. Many construction paper companies and printer paper companies print the length and width of the paper they produce right on the packaging. If you do not know the exact measurements of paper you are using, use your ruler to measure the length and width of the paper.
- 3
  Measure to the center of your piece of paper using your ruler. Once you know the length and width of the paper you are using, this process becomes simple. Divide the length of the paper in half, then divide the width of the paper in half. Place a dot or mark at the direct center of the paper.
- 4
  Draw an outline of the photo you will be placing on the paper around the dot or mark you have used to label the center of the paper. You already know the length and width of the picture, so use this information to trace an outline of the photo around the center of your paper by measuring from the mark up and down, and left to right, according to the size of the photo.
- 5
  Place the picture over the outline you just created on your paper. Measure from your picture to the edges of the paper and make sure the lengths and widths are accurate. Glue down your photo when you are confident your measurements are precise.

Photography