I always loved visiting home from university. The quiet squeak of the front door. The familiar site of the furniture and tables and cabinets. The beautiful maple cupboards in the kitchen. So nice to be home.
Oh, and the closet under the stairs that I played in as a child. That closet became a hidden cave, and an airplane, and a hiding place when I was afraid of the cat.
It also become a storage place for old photos. As did the maple cupboards, and the cabinets. And under beds, in closets, and the basement. There were little boxes and packages of photos tucked away everywhere.
So at Christmas time I was determined that my Mom and I would finally sort through all these photos. Organize them. It took hours. Days. That was years ago, and we're still not done. We'll probably never have them finished.
Now that photographs are digital we won't find them tucked into cupboards and old closets. But our photos are just as disorganized. There are some on your desktop. A bunch on your laptop. Tonnes on your old phone. Dozens on your new phone. On your kids phone. Folders on Facebook. Instagram. And your mom's got a bunch she's supposed to get to you.
Photos everywhere.
I've got 118,326 photographs of my family... and growing. Quickly.
Before you judge me, remember that I'm a professional photographer. I do this for a living and I have to practice to be good at it. Every day.
What better way to practice than to photograph the chaos of my own family life? If I can master that, your family will be easy!
So how do I keep 118,339+ photos organized?
Let me show you.
1) I make a folder on my computer called Our Pictures
2) I click on that folder. Inside that folder are several more folders. One for each year.
3) Within each year, I have a folder for every month.
4) Every couple of days I empty all the photos off my camera cards and phone. I know right where to put them.
1) Click on Our Pictures
2) Click on year
3) Click on month
4) That's where the photos go
Need to find an old photo? I know right where it is.
That's it.
I know where every photo is. I can find anything in seconds.
Keeping my photos organized makes it really easy to edit them and print them whenever I wish.
Keeping my photos backed up, protects them from being lost. FOREVER.
"Done For You" Organization
What I have shown you is a simple concept, but it can be tricky to do.
People ask me, but how do I get my photos off my camera or phone?
And once they figure that out they want to know, how do you make a folder?
And of course, how do I protect my photos so that I know they are safe?
I have a done for you service that covers all this:
I come to your home (or you can come to me)
I organize all your photos
I protect your photos for you (back them up)
You'll be organized and protected, and not have that sickening feeling that you deleted some cherished memories.
Please click this link, scroll down the page, and use the contact form to book a day and time.
This makes an awesome surprise gift for parents and grandparents too!
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Check out my workshops and personal photography lessons. Let me know when you're ready to improve your own photography!