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Organize Photos in a Flash
You post them, email them, maybe even print them out. But if your digital and printed photos are all lumped together, it's time to organize
Every gadget these days seems to come with a built-in camera and easy access to photo-sharing sites. But the convenience of technology can sometimes also be a distraction. According to The Association of Professional Photo Organizers, at least 750 million photos were uploaded to Facebook on New Year's Day in 2011. We're so busy posting our images to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that most of us don't make time to keep the lot organized.
And then there are the hard copies of photos that are in a box (somewhere). Remember when we actually printed photos? No matter the format, getting photos organized probably has a permanent spot on your mental to-do list. Let's go from to-do to to-done.
And then there are the hard copies of photos that are in a box (somewhere). Remember when we actually printed photos? No matter the format, getting photos organized probably has a permanent spot on your mental to-do list. Let's go from to-do to to-done.
by betsy burnham
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Start off organizing the photo format that will give you the biggest peace of mind. For most of us that's hard copies. Professional organizer Christie Gelsomino suggests to sort by theme (kids, pets, holidays, vacations) or by date. You can also use a combination of the two.
After you've sorted all of your images into groups, decide on their destination. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Photo boxes: Make sure the boxes are large enough for the photos you're storing. The Container Store has some great options to stash your stuff. And whatever you do, don't forget to label.
Albums: I love these binders from Russel + Hazel. All you'll need are inserts for organizing the photos.
Collection cabinet: Serious photo collectors might consider a collection cabinet for photo storage needs.
Quick-start tip: Use what you have on hand to store photos until you find the perfect container — think shoe boxes.
Photo boxes: Make sure the boxes are large enough for the photos you're storing. The Container Store has some great options to stash your stuff. And whatever you do, don't forget to label.
Albums: I love these binders from Russel + Hazel. All you'll need are inserts for organizing the photos.
Collection cabinet: Serious photo collectors might consider a collection cabinet for photo storage needs.
Quick-start tip: Use what you have on hand to store photos until you find the perfect container — think shoe boxes.
by Incorporated
»
For some, tossing photos is easy; for others, it's a cardinal sin. If you have a set of rules to go by, letting go of extraneous pics is a breeze.
Toss out:
• Blurry photos
• Photos where you have to ask yourself, "Who is that?"
• Doubles
Toss out:
• Blurry photos
• Photos where you have to ask yourself, "Who is that?"
• Doubles
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| You will inevitably have a stack of photos that you'd like to scan for safekeeping. Before you scan, research the best option for storing them digitally. An external hard drive or flash drive: Create folders that mimic the categories you've already created so that the digital images stay organized. A cloud service: Once your collection is in the cloud with a service such as iPhoto, Flickr or Shutterfly, you can easily share memories with loved ones near and far. CDs: These are great for keeping multiple backups and handing over a photo collection to a friend or family member. |
Should you keep the negatives? It depends on if they are the only copies you have of a particular set of photos. Cross-check negatives against your pics. If you have all the photos, you can toss the negatives.
You might also want to scan some of the negatives. Here's a tutorial from Popular Photography that uses your flatbed scanner and a little DIY prowess to tackle this task.
Any negatives that you're keeping should be safely stored in an archival photo box to prevent moisture or heat damage.
You might also want to scan some of the negatives. Here's a tutorial from Popular Photography that uses your flatbed scanner and a little DIY prowess to tackle this task.
Any negatives that you're keeping should be safely stored in an archival photo box to prevent moisture or heat damage.
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| Once you've organized your photos, you'll have a better idea of what you'd like to display (as everything will be searchable). A wall of your favorite photos displayed salon style is a great way to showcase your collection. Whatever you decide, you can rest easy knowing that your memories are preserved for posterity. |
Ideabook published on May 30, 2012.
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Multiple copies of electronic image file back-ups should also be stored off-site, & regularly-backed up to new media.
Think of all the people faced with flood/hurricane/fire damage who say "that was my only picture of Grandma". Keep copies in a safe place!
PS: At the time we lived in no man's land and had no neightbors to help; that is what makes it so amazing. Also for those of you who need logistics the fire started underneath the livingroom. Oldest son was visiting and was sleeping at the other end of the basement. He was still awake (smoke detector did work though) broke a window; climbed up and out beat on on our bedroom walls and the rest I have already stated. While all of the chaos was going on he went outside and through everything he could grab farther out into the yard which is how they got saved from water damage.
Sorry so long but just wanted to emphasize how important back up photos off site can save a lot of heartache. There are lots of "IF's" to my story but normally your pictured or dvds of pics would be destroued in a fire like that. We were lucky or had a miracle whichever you deem it to be.
Boxes and albums of photos, including those of relatives taken in the early 1900s, had taken on a permanent musty smell after being in a dank storage area for only two years. More recent photos of the past two decades were rendered inaccessible because of now obsolete electronic technology. Today, we share images with one or two people or with thousands with the click of a button. But, how will future generations view images of their ancestors? I have decided that if books can survive centuries, then that is the way to go. I intend to scan all important photos and then have them printed into books. Barring natural disasters and the end-of-the-line ancestry, colour-fast ink, good quality paper, and a top notch scanner and printer ought to keep these albums on dry shelves and being enjoyed by others for many decades.