Help! Bought scrapbook with black pages - any suggestions how to brighten up

[TuTu]

In moment of impulse, I bought a beautiful red fronted scrapbook on ebay, that i fell in love with as it has "all about you" written on the front, and "to be continued" written on back. It has cut-out in centre to place photo. Was exactly what I have been looking for to do a really personal scrapbook/album for my best friend, as a kind of "this is your life" present on her hen night.

However its pages are black, and my photos look really dull and boring if I set them on it.

Am totally and utterly non-arty, so looking for any suggestions as to what to do to brighten it all up, without looking naff, and without being too tricky to do!
Thanks

you could either use some other papers to brighten it up or chalks/inks?

keep it minimal and elegant - think any attempt to 'brighten it up' might look forced

maybe use black and white versions of the photos mounted on white?

Nemo - was wondering if I put bright coloured paper as frame round photos would it look a bit naff? But yet do think it needs colour, and yes the bright colour in the writing would help.

MrsBadger - would love it to look minimal and elegant, but still want it to be a celebration of her life, friends and family. But the black & white photo, with white frame might be really lovely for a picture at the end of her and her fiance.

White glaze pens look good on black - you could 'doodle' wavy lines & dots maybe????

one of these

or maybe use ribbon & tags (write details of photo on tags)
If you Google scrapbooking - you'll find loads of ideas for laying out pages

go with whizz'z idea..doodleing is very 'in' apparently!!!

try using small peices of coloured papaer to write title letters on and then stick them down in a wobbly fashion..so it looks more spontanious.. good luck!

Would the intended recipient appreciate the jolly wobbly spontaneous coloured book, or prefer something more classic and subtle, especially as it's meant to be kept for a long time?

will bow to the superior expertise of all scrapbookers here present as I'm more photographer than crafter (hence prediliction for one very good photo simply mounted rather than embellished pages), but am sticking to my guns for a black and white theme

example of doodles if you have the skill!

plainish background imagine page was black rather than purple

(I'm no scrapbooker by the way - I have been trying to resist, but I'm getting pulled in){grin]

another example

embossing can look very effective on black as well- both types. Type 1 is pretty cheap. you use a stencil and a sort of ball tipped pen, and 'colour in' the page from behind to produce a really elegant, embossed 3d design that can be chalked. heat embossing is a bit more involved, although the docrafts website has an explanaion (and it is so easy!) and does look really efective on black, as you can choose your colour- metallics always look effective and white or pearlescent works well too.

Oh thanks so much for replies. Was really doubting the wisdom of my purchase before this!!

The examples linked to are class - favourite is the last one - really simple but beautiful.

As I am a complete dunce at arty stuff, think I will stick to the keep it simple approach. Definitely going to get one of those white pens - again thanks for the link. Had spent a bit of time on web looking at scrapbooking examples, and just felt totally overwhelmed. Just knew musmnetters would help me out, as usual!

Sort of struggling with choosing between the colourful v black & white theme. As many of the photos are funny ones, think all black and white might be too serious (but definitely considering for front photo and end photo ). But because i'm so crap at arty stuff wonder whether I'll be able to pull off the colourful wobbly titles without them just looking like i botched it up!