How to Organize Your Photos
Tips for Managing and Storing Prints and Digital Pictures
No matter how many pictures you take, if you don't organize them, it can be overwhelming. Here are some ideas for managing and storing your digital photos and prints.
Taking vacation pictures is fun. However, organizing them once you’re home can be a challenging task if you don’t have a plan. Here are some suggestions for managing all those photos, both digitals and prints, you take on vacations and other special occasions…
Digital Photos
Delete bad pictures: As soon as possible, start deleting any photos that you’re not proud to share. Although with digital cameras you can delete a picture immediately after taking it, too often vacationers procrastinate de-cluttering the memory on their digital cameras. If you’re flying home from your vacation, it’s an excellent time to toss those pictures while on the plane.
Download Pictures: Next, when you get home, transfer your digital photos from your camera to your computer. Don’t delay because you don’t want to take up room on your memory card. It’s not a pleasant feeling when you’re all ready to take pictures of your grandchild’s birthday party and you discover your memory card is full. Select a new folder (under your “Documents”), labeling it, along with the dates the photos were taken. For example: “Disney World March 2008.”
Tagging Photos: For example, to tag photos with Window Vista, double click on the photo, opening it to “Windows Photo Gallery.” Then, select the “Info” tab. Next, right click on the “Add Tags” button, including keywords needed to identify your photos.
Sharing Online: There are scores of online software designed to let you share your photos through e-mail and on the web. Many such as “Picasa” (from Google) and “Snapfish” are free. Not only are you able to share photos with your online friends, but you can also edit and add personal effects to your photos. What’s more, you don’t need a digital camera to share your photos online as many photo laboratories can scan your conventional photos into a CD-ROM. This allows you to download images on your computer, sending them by email or placing them on web sites.
Photos for websites: Save the photos with higher resolution somewhere else as images saved for websites require a much lower resolution and don’t look good when printed out.
Back Up Your Digital Photos Regularly
Anyone who’s had the nightmare of having their computer crash knows the necessity of backing up their files and pictures on an external disk. Also, simply burn your photos onto a CD which you can stick into a CD drive to view your television set.
Prints
Toss and Label: Although digital photos are the rage today, vacationers still take pictures the old-fashioned way for prints. As soon as you get your photos developed, go through and toss any bad ones. Also, get rid of duplicates, saving the better ones. Then label each photo and indicate the date it was taken.
Photo Albums: Be sure to select acid-free albums as they last much longer. Also, make sure your photos aren’t stored in extreme temperatures or areas of high humidity. If you feel uncomfortable where your photos are stored, it’s a bad place for them, as well as yourself.
Storage Alternatives: If you hate to work with photo albums, then use “memory boxes”. They come in decorative assortments and take the drudgery out of pasting pictures onto pages in a photo album.
Finally, take advantage of photography classes. Often you can find classes for a small fee at community schools. Not only will you learn ways to organize your photos, but you’ll also learn how to edit your pictures, making them as attractive as possible.
