Don't run away from your photos!
/THE PROBLEM
We are living in a constant state of digital acquisition and accumulation, and nowhere is that more evident than with our photos. Last year it was estimated that over one trillion photos were taken.
How many did you take? Now think about how many photos you will have in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? And what about video? Yikes!
Digital photography and especially our smartphones has changed the world, but it has also given us photo glut. Managing our photos collections has become a headache and that’s a shame.
When I talk to people about this, these are the questions I hear most often.
- How do I organize my photos?
- How do I protect my photos?
- How in the world do I even find my photos?
There are solutions, the important thing is to find one that works for you. But the longer you wait, the harder it will be.
THE SOLUTION
So where do you start? It starts with a conversation.
Every person, every family’s situation is different. Of course it is important to know if you are on a Mac or Windows platform, how many devices you and your family use to take pictures, things like that. But it is also important to know how comfortable or uncomfortable you are with digital technology, and most importantly what you want or plan to do with your photos. If you don’t know where you’re going, you don’t know where to begin.
The process I use to organize a photo collection is something I call S.A.F.E., it stands for:
Scan - scan, digitize and restore your older prints, slides and memorabilia. Preserving the past is critical as they are often the first things to go.
Assemble and organize - assemble all your digital photo files from all your devices into one main folder. Subfolders of photo files are then sorted by year and month, this creates a chronological file folder structure, the best and most efficient way to organize your photos. Duplicates are removed.
Fotoflow - set up Fotoflow system that takes your photos from shutter release to a safely backed up storage location. I teach you simple editing techniques to keep your collection manageable and low maintenance.
Enjoy - the most important thing is to use your photos in ways that give you pleasure and enables you to share them with others. There are so many great things we can do with our photos these days, these are just a few of them.
• Prints & Wall displays
• Web albums & photo sharing sites
• Printed photo album books
• Slideshows for special events
• Digital frames
• Facebook and other social media
• Create videos and mini documentaries of family members
• Wallpaper for your computer, television or other displays
• Look at your photos – explore them, play and have fun with them, and pass them on.