Will your photo memories be here tomorrow?
Just a few years ago you would drop your film off at the drugstore and hope for the best. When you returned to pick up your pictures, some became instant family favorites and some were less than perfect. Maybe they were out-of-focus, peoples eyes were closed or maybe they had the dreaded red-eye!
With todays digital cameras and the ability to preview pictures with the built in screen, everyones photo skills have grown by leaps and bounds. But will you have these photo memories in years to come? In the days of film you had prints made, the good ones and the blurry ones.
In this digital age are you still having prints made?
I bet your family pictures are still on your phone or computer. When your computers hard drive fails (and it will), or your phone dies, where will your family pictures be?
The most secure way to hold on to these family pictures is to have prints made, just like we did in the "old days". Computer hard drives fail. CD's and DVD's fail.
- Soon after your event download your camera card or phone on to your computer. Now is the time to categorize too!
- Burn a CD or DVD back up. Resist the urge to buy cheap CD's or DVD's. Label your disc. If you have access to Cloud storage, take advantage of this option.
- Edit your photos and have true photographic prints made. Not inkjet. Some inkjet printers are very archival, some are not. It's going to be very difficult for the consumer to know the difference.
- Store your photos in an acid free photo album. Again, resist the urge to buy the cheap stuff.
- Store prints and CD/DVD's in a cool, dry dark place.