TIPS FOR MANAGING YOUR LIFE IN PHOTOS

Tips for decluttering the thousands of photos on your device.

Our mobile phones have sadly become the final resting place for many of our family memories. Pictures of first days of school, fall adventures, family gatherings at home and other priceless moments in your family history never make it out of our mobile photo albums. The cloud gives us ample space to store thousands of photos – but it the number of images can quickly get out of control if not continually managed. If you take, say, 10 photos a day, every day for a year, that adds up to nearly 4,000 photos left to stagnate on your digital device.

But they don’t need to be lost and unseen. In fact, organizing and clearing your phone of clutter is similar to cleaning out a disorganized closet at home. When you’re cleaning, you will wonder what made you keep certain photos for so long, much like you might wonder why you kept a sweater from high school. No time is better than the present to sort out the mess on your phone.

Let Go of the Photo Clutter

We truly don’t need thousands of photos. If you scroll back in your camera roll, there may very well be duplicate photos, screenshots of recipes you never used or poor-quality photos. Delete these! You want your photos to tell a story about a memory you have and keeping photos that you will never use again only adds to the clutter. And clutter is the last thing you need when it comes to photo organization.

Beginning this process may be intimidating. It’s much like opening the closet you’ve been afraid to open for years, for fear that a ton of junk will tumble out. But you’ve got to let go of the junk to get to the memories that matter most.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find Time to Delete

Spend time deleting duplicates and non-keepers while in line at the grocery store or set aside time once a week to delete photos. Just like the minimalist mantra, if something doesn’t bring joy, get rid of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organize What’s Left

It takes time and computer know-how to begin the organization of your digital files, and this should also be an enjoyable process because you get to reminisce on past moments. Once you’ve sifted through which photos to keep and which photos to toss, you can begin placing the photos in folders or albums, either separated by year or by an event. This is exactly the process you might use when you are organizing your messy closet. Put winter items in one box, summer in another, and so forth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print them. Display them. Share them. 

Next, you’ll want to get your photos off your phone and have some type of physical output made. I recommend printing your favorites and making copies for every family member who is part of the story. Of course, you can also create photo books, framed wall galleries and keepsake gifts.

PRINT WITH YOUR LOCAL PHOTO EXPERT FOR EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

PRINT WITH YOUR LOCAL PHOTO EXPERT FOR EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

PRINT WITH YOUR LOCAL PHOTO EXPERT FOR EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

In this time of distancing, we are looking for ways to stay safe. Many of us are shopping online and using curbside or delivery service, when available. At the same time, most of us have placed a renewed emphasis on shopping local this year, supporting the businesses in our community as we all struggle with the challenges of 2020.

Did you know that we offer services such as online/phone ordering, shipping, pick-up/delivery and curbside? You are creating a lot of unique memories in your home and local area this year, why not trust us, your neighborhood photo printing business with preserving these moments?

 

 

 

 

Why choose us, a local photo expert?

  • We are owned and operated by real people from your community. Shopping here supports your local economy.
  • Our team is comprised of professional technicians with decades of experience in highly specialized photo, printing, design and correction services.
  • We are photo enthusiasts, offering premium services and top-quality workmanship. We are passionate about creating personalized and meaningful keepsakes and gifts that are held to the very highest quality standards.
  • Your memories are unique and so are your photo projects. Your options for how to enjoy and share your images are endless. We are creative consultants that can guide you through the process, providing assistance every step of the way.
  • Need something quickly? When searching for a last-minute gift or in need of unanticipated memorial support, don’t waste precious time searching online or pay extra for rush-shipping. Rely on our local expertise to quickly assist with your project and deliver it on time.

While online and big box competitors may boast larger selections, better technology and lower prices, they will not be able to provide personalized consulting services or custom options. An expert with decades of experience is likely not personally handling your project. You won’t be able to rely upon fast service times, nor speak to someone face-to-face about your concerns.

Shop local. Support your local economy. Befriend your neighbor. That’s us! Receive the very best service, options and quality that our industry offers.

2020, A YEAR IN REVIEW

2020, A YEAR IN REVIEW

We just can’t say it enough – 2020 has been quite a year! It’s likely that this year has brought you a few memories that you wish you could forget, as well as some very special moments that you want to cherish forever. As the holidays approach, and the year winds down, it’s time to commemorate the reality of 2020. Document this year with a custom photo book, an unforgettable keepsake.

A Year Filled with Memories

  • Pre-COVID gallivanting
  • Grocery and supply shortages (Don’t forget the TP!)
  • Shelter in place
  • Family lockdown fun
  • Rediscovered cooking and baking
  • Home and yard improvement projects
  • Outdoor antics
  • Pets getting extra attention
  • Virtual work and school
  • Zoom calls. Lots and lots of Zoom calls.
  • Masking up
  • Your first curbside food (or drink!) order
  • Your first restaurant outing
  • Marches and community events
  • Back to school (in any form)
  • Volunteerism and voting
  • Socially distanced holiday celebrations

Choose from a variety of formats and styles. Auto-populate your book or design it yourself, one image at a time. Consult with us, your local photo printing expert for a truly customized coffee table-caliber book.

Don’t stop there! Purchase additional copies for family members and friends as holiday gifts. Share the joy. Stay connected. Spread kindness.

Holiday.card.so.special

WHY THIS YEAR’S HOLIDAY CARD IS SO SPECIAL

WHY THIS YEAR’S HOLIDAY CARD IS SO SPECIAL

2020 has been quite the year, to say the least! For most of us, the holidays will feel a little different this year. Many of us will not be able to celebrate in-person with our loved ones. In this time of distancing, we are looking for a way to feel closer to our family and friends. This is the perfect year to send a joyful holiday greeting to stay connected. A personalized message, honoring the traditions that make the season special, will bring joy to every recipient.

Select Photos

Holiday card preparation is the best reason to spend time reviewing the memories you have captured over the past year. Select images that document special occasions and accomplishments, and those that best demonstrate the personalities of your family members – even the family pet! Choose up to a dozen images, and maybe even designate some favorites.

Holiday cards are also a great excuse to have a family photo shoot! This can be something casual that you do yourself with your camera or phone, utilizing a tripod and timer (or a selfie stick with a trigger). If you are looking for something more polished, call in a professional. Most photographers offer family mini sessions during the fall exactly for this purpose. All you have to do is decide what to wear!

 

 

 

 

Choose a Card

Photo greeting cards are available in a variety of styles to fit your family’s vibe this year. Choose from traditional or contemporary designs with multitudes of sentiments available in various sizes. Flat or folded? Horizontal, vertical or square? Or maybe a trifold, accordion fold or die cut (unique shapes/edges)? All of these are available with any number of photos, from the perfect single shot that you absolutely cannot wait to share, to the dozen that you just couldn’t narrow down.

Say hello and spread kindness with a warm, personal holiday card. Close the distance between you and those you love most in this incredibly unique year.

FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO PRESERVE YOUR FAMILY MEMORIES.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEP 1: SORT

Take pictures out of albums, frames and boxes so you are working with only loose prints. Choose the photos you want to keep. Remove duplicates and poor-quality shots. Keep only the most meaningful images and toss the rest if you are working to downsize or eliminate clutter. At this point, you could stop and move on to Step #3.

 

STEP 2: ORGANIZE

If you want to get your photo collection truly organized, then continue sorting. Separate pictures into piles by subject, people, theme or year. Whatever makes most sense to you. Then, label those piles in chronological order. This will pay off when you move on to Step #4 and eventually share copies of your images with family members. Advanced sorting will make specific photos easy to locate on a computer or device later on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEP 3: DIGITIZE

Box up your printed memorabilia and bring them to a trusted local photo preservation expert (like us!) for scanning. The key word here is “local”. We never recommend shipping your most precious possessions across the country! Each print will be professionally digitized and saved as high-resolution JPG files. We can even create labeled folders to keep your sorting efforts intact. Your newly digitized images will then be safely saved to a media device of your choice, a cloud storage location and/or to any other location that you request. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEP 4: COPY + SHARE

At this stage, you’ll have various options for what to do with your digital image files – including how many copies to share. This is the fun part! Think about who would like a set of the scanned images – even if they may not completely appreciate them today. (IE: children and teens.) Once the images are scanned, duplicate media copies are extremely affordable – so be generous and share freely!

 

Your story is meant to be shared – and now is the perfect time to do it! Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect those photos of your grandparents, your high school prom and that family vacation to the Grand Canyon.