Importance of Photos
Photos are important to genealogists and family historians. We work long hours organizing, researching, and archiving family stories, documents and pictures for future generations to enjoy. We keep the printed and digital photos for our future family members will know who we were. September is dedicated to teaching families to organize, preserve, share and celebrate their photo & video memories.
Preserving Photos – There’s a Month for That!
Save your Photos Month is really a THING and it was first observed in 2014 by the Association of Personal Photos Organizers, now known as The Photo Managers. Every September, photo retailers and organizers come together online or through social media to raise awareness and inform people of the advantages of keeping their pictures.
This year’s theme is “Do You Know?” which made me think…do I know the proper way to save my pictures? I have scrapbooked for years and have MANY photo boxes stored in the top of my closet. As a Generarion X-er, I got my rolls of film developed at the local Kmart or supermarket. Sometimes, I got free duplicates which should have inspired me to share with family and friends. However, I usually did not because I forgot (in hindsight, that was a bad idea). Putting theory into practice, I decided to make a game plan. I knew I had 30 days.
Taking all the boxes off the shelf of my closet, I put them in the center of the room. I opened up the first box – pictures of my daughters. They were so cute and so small! These pictures were at least 17 years old! SQUIRREL! I had to focus! Lawd…this was not going to be easy!
Started from the bottom now we’re here!
September 1st was my start date. Each photo box was organized by date and event/occasion. The file cards that came in the photo boxes were helpful – I didn’t have to write on the back of each picture. I separate out all the duplicates (there were lots) and grabbed a box of envelopes to mail the duplicates to the people. I’m sure they will appreciate the pictures, the accompanying note and the trip down memory lane. After organizing each box, I labeled each box with a date range and put the corresponding dated pictures in each box.
Just to make sure I was doing this all correctly, I did some online research and registered for a few free classes from The Photo Managers to get me through this process. Expert instructors will share their expertise in mini-classes, tutorials, and live discussions. They have a Facebook group too (I love a community)! Classes include tips on preserving your family history, choosing the best scanner, insider tips on Apple Photos, and more! I’m looking forward to my first class. I’ll keep you posted.