In decades gone by, our picture-taking habits typically meant shooting a roll of 24 or 36 photos followed by a trip to the drug store for processing. We organized our photos into albums or simply left them in the colourful envelopes (promising ourselves we would EVENTUALLY get albums for all these priceless memories.)
Fast forward the clock to 2015, and most of us are taking pictures by the thousands on our digital cameras, smartphones, and iPads. The fact remains that most of these photos never see the light of day, let alone become a permanent archive (in the form of a 4 X 6 print).
Herein lies the question: WHAT do we do with all of these photos?
Keep reading and you’ll hear about five super EASY ways to keep these precious moments alive. But before I continue, let me first stress the importance of backing up your photos.
Photo prints. Seems obvious right? Well let’s take it a step further. All those photo processing centres that used to develop our rolls of film now have handy digital machines that will print your photos while you wait. Often you’ll find them for as little as 20 cents a shot.
Digital Screen Savers. Do you have a computer or an Apple TV? Create a slideshow album of some of your favourites. You can even get creative by creating seasonal albums that can be rotated or switched with a few clicks of the mouse.
Iron-ons. Most office supply retailers have a selection of do-it-yourself printable iron-on transfers. A great gift idea that can go onto a variety of fabrics and clothing (for example t-shirts and aprons).
Personalized Gifts. Unique examples of products that are available include mugs, mousepads, coasters, calendars, Christmas cards and even blanket throws!
Hardcover Books. Saving my personal favourite for last; carve your memories into a permanent record with a professionally printed photo book. Organize and edit all your photos in the comfort of your own home, and upload the finished product to a variety of online services. The finished product is shipped right to your door and is worthy of any coffee table! Share memories of your vacation or family event in impressive style, and similar to some of the other suggestions in this article, they too make great gifts!
BONUS – Back Up. Okay, this one might not be fun, but it is necessary! Always make sure you backup your photos several times! You’re never going to have another opportunity to take pictures of your child’s fifth birthday party or vacation to Florida! Don’t let your family down! Always have redundant copies by backing up your digital photos to multiple locations. If disaster strikes you won’t have negatives for reprints! For large amounts of photos an external hard drive is best.
If you have questions please ask for help. It’s what we do!
