Do your worry about how you are going to store all the pictures you have taken? You are not alone. There are millions of people with photos that are precious to them. Photos bring back great memories, capture important events and moments, and are our tie to the past, present, and future. So, what can you do to preserve these family photos and make sure you have them for years to come? Consider the following:
Digital options: There are a number of digital options for preserving family photos. Digital preservation of family photos is a great option because it is cost effective. A CD costs less than a dollar and will hold tons of pictures. Online storage is convenient because if you store your photos online, you can access them from anywhere with internet access. It does not require space in your home. Space is a luxury many of us do not have. While it would be nice to print off every picture we ever take, it may not be realistic, so digital storage is a great option. Some of the most common ways to digitally store your photos are as follows:
CD or DVD
Online storage
Backup driver
Flash drives
Social networking sites
Hardcopy options: Of course, while it is extremely convenient and cost efficient to preserve family photos online, it is also a good idea to have physical copies of the photos. When preserving family photos, it is always wise to have the gamut of options covered. So, print copies of your favorites, frame them, scrapbook them, or just put them in albums. Some of the ways to physically preserve your photos are as follows:
Photo books: these can be created using any number of photo companies, such as Shutterfly, Heritage Makers, MyPublisher.com, or Picasso. Photo books are similar to scrapbooks, but do not have the bulk, or some of the inherent problems of scrapbooks. They are printed books that you use a template to layout on your home computer. Basically, you use the software to create a photo book. You can add captions or journal entries to go along with the photos. When you are finished with the photo book, the company will print, bind and mail it to you.
Albums: this is where you print out the photos and put them into an album with those little plastic sleeves, making it easy to flip through the photos without ruining them with finger oils. Just be sure to get acid free, photo safe albums.
Scrapbooks: This is a popular pastime. It involves using printed, patterned paper, embellishments, stamps, ribbons and eyelets to showcase your photos and explain the event or feeling surrounding the photos. They are a great creative expression, and often add a lot of memory to the photo beyond the photo itself.
Preserving your family photos should be a priority, so consider combining several of the above choices to make sure you do not lose your photos.
Tags: Photography, photos