Patent ID: 7391445

Claim:
A real-time method of creating a composite digital image within a digital photo device, said digital photo device having a display device integral thereto, said display device at least for displaying previews of digital images, wherein is provided a plurality of user-selectable templates and wherein is provided at least one template compatibility rule, comprising the steps of: a. within said digital photo device, choosing two or more templates from among said plurality of templates; b. selecting one or more of said template compatibility rules; c. using said selected template compatibility rules to determine whether said chosen two or more templates are compatible; d. only if said selected templates are determined to be incompatible, requiring another selection according to step (b), else, determining that two or more compatible templates have been selected; e. selecting a subject of said composite digital image; f. simultaneously displaying in real-time a representation of said selected two or more compatible templates together with a representation of said subject on said preview display device while a user orients said photo device to include an image of the subject within the template as it appears in said preview display device; g. activating said photo device to capture a composite digital image of said subject and said template, thereby creating said composite digital image; and, h. storing said composite image on computer readable medium, thereby creating a composite photograph.