Contents
Introduction
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Digitize Print Media (but sort and purge first!)
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The ABC’s Of Print Photo Organizing
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Options When Digitizing
8
Digitizing Albums
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Digitizing Other Media
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Organize The ABC’s Of Digital Photo Organization
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Organizing Your Pics WITH Organization Software
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Organizing Your Pics WITHOUT Organization Software
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Restore
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Preserve
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Share
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Resource: The Idea Book
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Contact
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About Your Memories At Hand
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INTRODUCTION THE PROBLEM The numbers are impressive - there are an estimated 1.7 TRILLION paper photos stored in albums, attics and shoeboxes. Other estimates show that Americans have taken over 550 BILLION non-digital photos. These photos represent the heart and soul of a family's history - new babies, first steps, weddings, vacations, holidays, vintage photos of Great Grandma - and all at risk. Less than 1% of these memories have been transferred to digital, a much more durable and reliable format. The remaining 99% are still very much in danger of being lost or forgotten and with them, the stories they tell. The numbers of digital photos taken every day is also staggering. A survey of 1,169 regular photo-takers revealed that Americans now take more than 10 billion photos every month. This figure is bolstered by the ever-present smartphone which nearly 60 percent of respondents say is their primary photo-taking device. The ability to find that picture of Susie at her first dance recital or that precious photo of Grandpa holding his first grandchild has become a frustrating challenge for the average family. In addition, many families do not have a sufficient backup system in place to safeguard their family photo collection and the memories it holds. From: “The Insider’s Guide to Photo Organizing” The Photo Managers
Do you have several lifetimes of print photos scattered in boxes & drawers or falling out of old dusty albums? Do you have hundreds (or thousands?) of digital photos that are dispersed amongst your various cameras, flash drives, external hard drives, memory cards or lost somewhere on your computer? Is your cell phone’s camera roll stuffed with images, slowing it down? Do you have stacks of old home movies in formats that no longer exist? AND… How many times have you wanted to share a memory or a moment but can’t get your hands on it? Are you worried that your treasured memories are being lost to time and the environment? 3
My name is Mollie Wasserman. I’m the Chief Memory Officer at Your Memory At Hand and I love helping people uncover their memories and tell your stories. Whether you need guidance in getting loads of print memories scanned, organizing a mountain of print or digital photos, restoring that treasured print of your grandmother that has deteriorated with time, or preserving all your memories so you never again have to worry about losing the irreplaceable, I can help you get it done. Here you will find a step-by-step guide and my top tips that will walk you through (finally!) conquering your mountain of photos, video, film and other memorabilia that has been stacking up (either physically or digitally) for years. After all, what good are your memories if you can’t find them and share them? This guide covers the hard part - getting control of your mountain of memories. You might be thinking that your mountain is so tall, you can never scale it. Or that no one else could possibly have let things go so long and get so out of hand. If so, you would be wrong! I’ve worked with clients that had massive quantities of printed and digital photos, deteriorating in their basement or clogging up their hard drives and devices. I’ve worked with families who had troves of old video or film, just waiting to be shared with a new generation. Trust me when I tell you that no matter how tall your mountain is, it CAN be scaled. And let’s be clear: getting control of your photos, video, and film isn’t frivolous. Whenever there is a hurricane, tornado or flood, you will see families in the aftermath picking through what’s left of their homes. When asked what they most want to salvage, it isn’t money or jewelry - it’s their photos, video and film. Additionally, think about this: if the fire alarm went off in your home in the middle of the night, what would you have time to grab? We spend thousands of dollars insuring our homes but most of us do nothing to insure the one thing that can’t be replaced - our memories! Check out our video: “How Valuable Are Your Memories?” And if you’re one of those who’s whole lifetime is stored on their phone, not only is your stuffed camera roll slowing it down, but you probably live in fear that losing your phone means losing your memories. Which brings us to the truth about human nature: while the task of organizing, restoring & preserving your memories is important, it doesn’t always seem urgent which is why it’s put off. But seeing people lose their photos and other memories should be a wake up call to all of us - don’t risk losing the irreplaceable. Get it done now!! And here’s the good news: once you get your photos, video, film & other memorabilia digitized, organized, restored and preserved, your reward will be discovering fabulous ways to share them. To get a head start on some inspiration, you can peruse our Gallery of Stories with samples of our client work in Albums, Fusion Videos, Wall Art as well as Restorations. You can also take a look at our Idea Book Not only will you find great ways to share your memories, but in addition, you will never again be at a loss when it comes to finding that special gift. The Idea Book is available to you free of charge. Click Here to flip through online or download. 4
This guide will walk you step-by-step through Digitizing, Organizing, Restoring & Preserving your loose prints, albums, digital pics, negatives, slides, video and film. When appropriate, I also will provide resources for tasks that you may not be able to do yourself or that will make the job much easier. What you will NOT see in this guide is prices. There’s a reason for that. One of the first questions I often get from prospective clients is “How much would it cost to…?” And I always have to answer “It depends”. I’m truly not trying to be evasive, but the fact is that I don’t sell widgets. The work I do is custom and the recommendations I make are very individualized. Therefore, it’s difficult for me to commit to specific prices for the general public because it depends on individual goals, deadlines, and how much work I need to do with the media provided versus what you’re able and willing to do yourself. Are my services expensive? Here is the most honest answer I can give: I will never promise to sprout the cheapest price. What I will promise is that I will always provide the very best value for what you want to spend. One thing you should know about me, I come from a long line of frugal women, so rest assured that I will always provide you options that will get you the most bang for your buck. To borrow from medical jargon, I treat my clients holistically. Before doing any work for you, I want to first understand your long and short term goals, priorities, and budget (both in time and money) to reach those goals. I will then be able to provide you recommendations, a game plan and a written price quote on whatever you need from me that will give you the best value for your dollar. Once you’re ready to get started, I strongly recommend that you start with a 30-minute phone consultation with me. There is no charge for this initial consultation and it will save you loads of time and money. You can schedule a time at your convenience by clicking here. When it comes to getting your memories digitized, organized, restored and preserved, trust me on one thing: the view at the top of the mountain is worth the trek. Let’s get started!
See all of our How-To and Inspirational Videos.
Chief Memory Officer Photo Manager & Media Storyteller Your Memories At Hand© mollie@yourmemoriesathand.com
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DIGITIZE PRINT MEDIA Whether or not you ultimately choose to keep your memories in their physical form, it’s vital that any print media that is important to you be digitized for three important reasons: 1. While formats will change, digitized media stands up best over time. 2. Digitized media can be backed up. (It’s a sad fact that we spend thousands of dollars every year insuring our homes but do nothing to insure the one thing that can never be replaced – our memories!) 3. Today, the best creations for telling your story start with digitized media. BEFORE CONTINUING WITH DIGITIZING, WE NEED TO TAKE A DETOUR. Before you cart your boxes of loose pics and stacks of albums to me or anyone else for scanning, you want to complete a very important step: an initial sort and purge of your printed media, because it obviously makes no sense to spend money to digitize stuff that you don’t want. Once your print media is digitized, it will be organized along with your present digital files.
The ABC’s of Print Photo Organization THE INITIAL SORT & PURGE YOUR PRINT PHOTOS Step 1. Gather Your Photos Getting your photos organized starts with getting everything in one place. Gather together all of your printed photos - if you have a comfortable corner of your home that can be temporarily set up as your work station through this phase, that is the best.
Note: If you prefer to watch rather than read, check out our video: “The ABC’s of Print Photo Organization”
When gathering your printed photos, don’t forget all the photos in albums. The majority of these albums are not a safe home for your photos. Those “Magnetic” albums that have been so popular over the years are some of the worst as they have both acid and the type of plastic that fade and destroy printed photos. A colleague of mine calls them “the chemical sandwich”. Get your photos out of those ASAP! 6
Step 2. Sort & Purge Make sure you have the following tools before getting started: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
1.
Two containers or bins labeled “A” and “B” A pair of white, 100% cotton gloves to keep fingerprints off your photos A photo labeling pencil as a ballpoint can cause damage to your photos A pack of post-it notes Some dental floss for dislodging photos that are stuck in albums A few large garbage bags or a recycling bin
6.
WARNING: Photo sorting is a walk down memory lane and like all walks, it can get tiring after a while, so no matter how big the beast is, don’t overdo the length of your sessions. Many people find that they can listen to music or watch TV while sorting. Some people need to concentrate, so do what works for you. When you’ve finished your initial sort and purge, give yourself a high-five. This is the most time consuming step in the process but once you’re done, your pile of photos should now be in two much more manageable containers. Step 3. Document Working with your “A” photos, the next step is to document as many facts as possible. With a photo safe pencil, make notes on the back of the photo with an approximate date (at least a year), who is in the photo, and if it belongs to a particular event. If you don’t have a photo safe pencil, use a post-it note on the back. If the photo has an “S” on the back, note the story. These notes will be very important later in telling your stories.
3.
4.
5.
Once you have your tools, just follow the“ABC’s” to the right.
2.
The “ABC’s” of Sorting & Purging Prints A = All Star: When going through your images, any photo you deem as an “A” is the best of the bunch. These are the images that belong in an Album or Video Fusion Show, images you will want to display as Wall Art and share with your friends and family. Put them in the container labeled “A”. B=Backup: Classifying a photo as a “B” means that it is important to keep for long term storage. These photos support the story that you want to keep, but don’t necessarily belong in an album. Put them in the container labeled “B”. C= Can (as in Trash Can): One of the things I hope to achieve here is to give you permission to part with useless, poor-quality, and duplicated images. The goal is to purge photos you do not want - trust me, you will never miss them. These “C” photos don’t need a container either deposit them directly into the trash can or recycle bin or if (and only if) they are duplicates, consider putting them in individually marked envelopes for family or friends - particularly if they are in the photo. But either way, get rid of them! S=Stories: Always be on the look out for a great story! If you come across photos that tell a story, they should go in the “A” container, but before depositing them, with a photo safe pencil, mark the back of the photo with an “S”.
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Step 4. Get Your “A”s and “B”s Digitized You’ll be working with them in Organizing Your Digital Photos.
NOW, It’s Time To DIGITIZE But first let’s look at your options: Option #1: Do it Yourself These days, it seems everyone is either a DIY-er, a technology buff, or both. That’s exactly why so many people take it upon themselves to scan entire photo collections – and besides, “why pay someone else to do it when you can do it yourself?” But, in truth, there are three common problems in doing it yourself:
Note: If you prefer to watch rather than read, check out our video: “The Straight Scoop on Scanning”
1. Money, Money, Money: One of the biggest photo scanning myths is that using a professional photo scanning service is insanely expensive. This couldn’t be further from the truth, especially depending on how many photos you need scanned. If you decide to invest in equipment for scanning photos on your own, you’re likely looking at a pretty big expense that could end up costing as much or even more than using a professional. You most likely already have a computer, but you’ll probably need to purchase a photo scanner, fl atbed scanner, and photo editing software. A quality, high speed scanner (like I use) runs over $2000. Large fl atbed scanners (to accommodate photo albums) can cost over $1,500 – even used. Photo editing software runs you around $150. 2. Time Is Money: It’s not just the money spent on scanning equipment and tools – it’s the opportunity costs, a concept older than digital photos. A recent report shows the average person has roughly 3,000 print photos, and some scanners only scan one photo a minute! Add up the time spent buying equipment, learning how to use it, the often tedious scanning process, the learning curve trying to correct digitized images, plus the equipment costs, and you’ll be in debt – perhaps proverbially or realistically. You’ll also likely end up spending way more than if you’d used professionals. 3. Quality: It’s likely you’ve heard someone say “you do your job, I’ll do mine.” Scanning photos to digital fi les yourself versus using professionals is akin to having a lawyer switch places with a surgeon. Scanning at the right DPI and optimizing photos are important tasks in scanning photos to digital, and professionals know how to correct issues like fading, discoloration, or scratching, and have the equipment and software aiding quality even more. Even if you bought the most expensive scanner in the world, if you don’t know how to fi x digitized image issues, what have you truly gained by scanning photos to digital yourself? 8
Option #2: Scanning Services Depending on where you live, you may have several options for getting your photo collection digitized locally. Drug stores, copy centers, and other photo businesses often augment their business by offering scanning services.
WARNING! Be careful - many people shop scanning services strictly by price and that’s a mistake. Your photos are a big part of your legacy. They’re irreplaceable and far too valuable to simply choose the lowest bidder.
The following factors are very important: • • • •
Where will your photos actually be scanned? Is it sent to a reliable lab with a good track record? Are you comfortable that the local place will pack your media properly and oversee the order? Is the quoted price just for scanning or does it include basic editing such as cropping, dust removal and color correction? Will someone be tracking your package from start to finish?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, there’s one more option to consider…
Option #3: A Certified Photo Manager such as My Team When I first started my business, I outsourced all scanning. But after a year or so, I decided to invest in a professional high speed scanner and large flatbed because very simply, most services just didn’t meet my criteria in terms of quality and some clients never want their media to leave my hands. Because of my investment, I can control the quality of what I deliver to my clients or use in projects. •
Basic retouching (cropping and color correction) Included!
•
Contact sheet (thumbnails of all scanned photos) Included!
•
Unlike your local drugstore or other outlet, we oversee your photo scan job from beginning to end, taking the same care as we would with our own.
INSIDER TIP: Photo Managers don’t count photos - they measure or weigh them! A one-inch stack of photos is approximately 100 photos; six to seven pounds of photos are about 1000-1200 photos.
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ALL ABOUT DIGITIZING ALBUMS Let’s say you have a lot of photos to digitize, but they’re not loose in a box - they’re in albums. What’s the best way to digitize these images? Well, it depends on what you’re trying to preserve. Just the photos? Or entire albums? Let’s look at each individually:
Just the Photos: If your albums are ordinary ones bought at a store, there’s probably nothing particularly memorable about these types of albums except for the photos they contain. Furthermore, if the albums are the magnetic (self-adhesive) kind, you want to get your photos out of them anyway. I’m sorry to say that these magnetic albums, that have been so popular over the years, are not a safe home for your photos. The paper used in these albums is acid-based and is combined with an adhesive and type of plastic that destroys printed media. Get your photos out of these ASAP!! If you have the time to remove the photos yourself, you will save a lot of money as digitizing loose photos is less expensive than scanning each page and then separating out the photos. A little tip: if the photos are hard to remove, try using unwaxed dental floss. Lastly, albums are often filled chronologically, so you may want to consider taking a picture of each page before you remove the pics.
The Whole Album: Before
On the other hand, if you have albums or books that were meticulously (and lovingly) put together with notes on the pages themselves such as a family cookbook, or if the albums are scrapbooks, you probably want to preserve the entire album. In this case, each page of the album is scanned as individual image files, edited (cropped, color corrected and removal of dust & scratches), then each page is combined, in order, to a file that can be preserved. I also return to you the individual image files so you can organize them. You can see the entire process by watching “Restoring and Preserving Legacy Albums”.
After
As you can imagine, this process is much more labor intensive and therefore, more costly to do, but it’s SO worth it! 1. Scrapbooks, cookbooks and family memoirs are irreplaceable. If your home suffers a fire or flood, these memories are lost forever. 2. Putting aside a disaster, time and the environment are the twin enemies of any memories that are in a printed format, and unfortunately, over the years many of these precious books have been stored in basements, garages or attics where moisture, heat and sunlight have steadily destroyed the pages themselves. But even if properly stored, paper becomes brittle and the writing fades. 10
3. Through whole album transfer, you have the option of preserving them just as they are or they can be made to look better than ever. One of my specialties is digitally recreating your heirloom to look just like the original. OR, I can add photos, backgrounds, and other embellishments to make your heirloom come alive. I know, I’ve really veered off digitizing to discuss preserving but when it comes to custom albums, one kind of leads to the other! Just know that if you have albums that you want to preserve, you have options. Let’s chat and explore the possibilities.
Here are samples of some work I’ve done preserving a Wedding Scrapbook, Family Cookbook, & Memoir.
DIGITIZE YOUR OTHER MEDIA The following media types I do not digitize in-house. However, I can either provide you recommendations as to where to best get it done, or if you’re in the Greater Boston area, I can oversee your project, working with my partner in CT. Negatives & Slides As with prints, it’s much better on your wallet if you sort and purge negatives and slides before sending them in to be digitized. But how do you do that when you can’t see the images? Well, I’ve found a cool little trick if you have an iPhone or iPad. (You may be able to do this on an Android device - but haven’t checked into it) Anyway, here it is: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Settings General > Accessibility > Turn on Invert Colors Open your Camera App Place iPhone or iPad over negatives and wha-la!
Film & Video Tape I could write volumes on these two media types since getting my certification in Home Movies. But it’s BECAUSE of the knowledge gained from my certification that I want this types of digitization handled by the best.
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Digitizing film and tape with the highest resolution, color, and safety from often old and brittle film and tape requires very specialized equipment. Sure, I could use an old VCR or film projector with software to “convert” your film or tape to digital (and many do - beware of that!), but the quality is poor and there is a very real possibility of this delicate media breaking. I will not take that chance with my clients’ memories. I work closely with my partner in CT. They provide the most advanced media transfer services available. I oversee your order from beginning to end, using FedEx to track your media when it is in transit. (And if you’re concerned about chain-of-custody, I can deliver it in person for an extra charge.) However, while there are no guarantees, there’s almost a 0% chance of losing your precious media via FedEx.
Your old video tapes and film tell your stories. If it’s time to bring them to life, let’s schedule a free initial consultation to discuss what you’d like to do and I’ll be happy to provide you a written quote, referral or other recommendations.
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ORGANIZE My goal is to help you reach your goals in the easiest and most time efficient way, NOT separating you from your money. This means that the more you do of the sorting process, the less expensive reaching your goals will be. And frankly, when it comes to sorting through your memories, I can only judge a photo by its physical condition, not by the stories that it tells. So, during the sorting and organizing phase, even if money is no object, I highly recommend that you be involved.
Now, if you’re following along, you should have already done your initial sort and purge of your print media using the ABCs Of Print Photo Organization, so let’s now concentrate on your digital photos. Once we’ve done the initial digital sort and purge, we’ll add in the newly digitized files (the former print photos) before we start organizing.
The ABC’s of Digital Photo Organization SORT AND PURGE Step 1. Gather Your Digital Photos Just like with printed photos (which were sorted and pruned before digitizing), organizing your digital photos starts with getting everything in one place. That place should be your primary computer. This is what you need to do: Set up three “containers” - in this case folders on your primary computer: one folder to gather everything together and the other two to do your initial sort to. For now, you’re not going to be setting up your permanent organization system - that will come later. Right now set up the three folders on your desktop, named “Temp” “A” and “B”. Move ALL of the photos on your computer to the “Temp” folder. Don’t make copies, MOVE them. Go folder by folder and don’t worry about organizing them right now, just move them out of all the folders they are in now to the “Temp” folder.
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Note: If you prefer to watch rather than read, check out our video: “The ABC’s of Digital Photo Organization”
Now, get the photos off your devices. If you’re like most of humanity today, you have lots of digital photos on external devices: cameras, smart phones, tablets, memory cards & flash drives. Move ALL of your photos from ALL of your devices to the “Temp” folder on your desktop. Get Your Online Photos. Do you have photos that are not on your computer but in the cloud? What about Social Platforms? If you have photos stored on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or other online sites, upload them to the “Temp” folder on your desktop.
Step 2. Sort & Purge Now that you have all of your photos in one place, it’s time to do your initial sort. Just follow the“ABC’s” on the right.
The “ABC’s” of Sorting & Purging Digital Photos
Once you finished your initial sort of your digital photos, give yourself a high five! Your “temp” folder should now be empty so you can now delete it.
A = All Star: When going through your images, any photo you deem as an “A” is the best of the bunch. These are the images that belong in an album or video fusion show, images you will want to display and share with your friends and family. Move them from the “Temp” folder to the “A” folder. B=Backup: Classifying a photo as a “B” means that it is important to keep and should be organized for long term storage. These photos support the story that you want to keep, but don’t necessarily belong in an album. Move them from the “Temp” folder to the “B” folder. C= Can (as in Trash Can - read DELETE): Remember, your goal is to purge photos you do not want - trust me, you will never miss them. These useless, poor-quality, and duplicated “C” photos don’t need a folder - take a deep breath and hit the delete button (or drag to the trash can). The advantage of digital photography is that you can take so many pictures. The disadvantage of digital photography is that you can take so many pictures! You will feel so much better when you delete the “C”s.
If you have former print photos, negatives or slides that have been digitized, NOW is the time to add those digital files to the appropriate “A” and “B” folders so all of your images are all together in blissful digital cohabitation.
S=Stories: Be on the look out for a great story! If you come across photos that tell a story, add an “S” to the end of the photo name and move them to the “A” folder.
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Step 3. Create Your New Home In other words - a logical file system. After all, you’ve spent some time sorting through your photos and it will totally go to waste if you have a disorganized hard drive and can’t find the images you’re looking for. Very simple - go to your local hard drive on your PC or Mac and find the folder that says “Pictures”. That folder should be totally empty since you moved all of your photos out. If there’s empty folders under pictures, delete them and set up new folders that make sense to you. You can set up chronological folders such as decades, or by theme, or by group such as family or friends. Once you’ve set up your new folders, it’s time to move your “A & B” photos to their new home. The “B” folder is easy - simply move the entire folder from the desktop to under Pictures on your local drive since your “B” photos are those you simply want to back up. Then go through your “A” photos and move them to the new folders that you’ve set up. Once you’ve moved all your photos to their new home, delete the “A” folder from your desktop and you are done! Note: As you’re moving your “A” photos to their new home, you may have to rename some if there’s two with the same name, but don’t go crazy with renaming until you decide the direction you’re going with your organization in the next section.
Now It’s Time To Get Organized! If you’ve been following me so far, you should now have your entire photo collection housed under your “Pictures” folder. Your collection should include not only your original digital photos but also the scanned files of your prints, negatives and slides. But even if you set up a lot of sub-folders, if you have a large photo archive, your images will still be hard to find and that’s just not acceptable! As famed photographer Kevin Gilbert says: “A picture is worthless if you can’t find it”. How you proceed is determined by you: 1. If you have more money than time, you can hire me or one of my colleagues to do the organization for you. I use Lightroom to organize your photos and apply all your metadata permanently to your photos. Metadata is the techie term for WHEN the photo was taken, WHERE it was taken, and WHO is in the photo (as well as lots of other info). Think of it as akin to the writing on the back of old print photos. 2. If you have more time than money, you can organize your collection yourself either with the aid of organizing software or without. Let’s look at these two options. 15
ORGANIZING YOUR PICS WITH ORGANIZATION SOFTWARE As I mentioned in the introduction, I’m a frugal kind of gal and am not too keen spending money on software or subscriptions unless they provide a real value added. That’s why you won’t see me pushing a lot of add-ons in this guide. However, when it comes to using technology to organize your digital collection, organization software will save you tons of time as well as permanently apply your metadata to your image files so that information stays with the photo. If you decide to go with an organization program, your work on organizing your photos is made MUCH easier. You don’t have to set up a full organizational structure nor do you have to rename your files (unless you want to). While you will initially need to spend some time setting up your albums and tags, organizing software makes maintaining your organization as you add to your collection, much easier. There are lots of consumer-facing options out there and while some are good, other are a disaster and will waste your time and money. Even worse, some platforms particularly the free ones - take ownership of your images! (It’s in the fine print). Before you plunk down any cash, I would strongly recommend that you first schedule a free phone consult with me where I can assess what your looking to do and then provide my best recommendations. You can schedule a time by clicking here.
ORGANIZING YOUR PICS WITHOUT ORGANIZATION SOFTWARE If you would prefer not to go invest in any software right now, there’s nothing wrong with organizing your photos the oldfashioned way. It does involve some time renaming each file, and perhaps setting up a more detailed folder structure. Here is the naming system that I used before organization software came around - I call it the:
WHEN/WHERE/WHO When: The reason that I recommend that you start with the “When” or Date is so that the images will sort chronologically. The Date should be a Year-Month-Day format (Ex: 2009-04-21 for April 21, 2009) Where: After the “when” in the name, I recommend that you follow with where the photo was taken. This can either be a physical place or an event. (Ex: 2009-04-21BobsGraduation). I recommend capitalizing the first letter of each word OR you can use an underscore ( _ ) between words. Who: The end of the file name should describe who is in the photo. (Ex: 2009-04-21BobsGraduationGrandmaAuntBetty.) If there is more than one photo of the same person(s) at the place you can end the name with 01, 02 etc. 16
So, putting it all together, here is an example of When/Where/Who:
2009-04-21BobsGraduationGrandmaAuntBetty01.jpg OR 2009-04-21_Bobs_Graduation_Grandma_Aunt_Betty_01.jpg While using my method results in long file names, the name tells all the basic facts about the photo which you need if you’re trying to find a photo without wasting a lot of time searching. Also, if you ever DO go to an organizing platform, you have all the important metadata there to apply. Again, if you opt to use an organization platform, you have the opportunity to identify the “when”, “where” and “who” with much less labor and time but if not, the naming convention above works best. As far as further developing your file structure it’s very individual. If you’re running into a brain-freeze, let’s schedule a free initial consultation. I’m here to help.
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RESTORE Photo Restoration Most newer scanned photos need just little editing to look great. But, older photos are often fragile and no matter how careful you are, you probably have a cherished family photo or two that has become victim to water damage, heat, cracking, crinkling or other environmental factors, age or handling. If you have a priceless photo (or photos) that are worth a little investment to restore, I can take a look at them and tell you if something can be done (not all damage is fixable), and an estimated cost to restore them.
Restorations
In addition to photo restorations, we also do: •
Background Replacements and
•
Photo Recompositions.
Background Replacements
You can find more info as well as see lots of samples in our Photo Restoration Gallery.
Recompositions
Album Restoration Whether a traditional album or a cookbook, journal or scrapbook, we can restore your treasured heirlooms to look better than ever! Family Albums such as scrapbooks, journals and even cookbooks are treasures, often put together with notes and journal entries on the pages, so the value is not only in the photos but in the pages themselves. We LOVE recreating albums that have seen a better day. Make sure to check out some of our album restorations in our Album Restoration Gallery.
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PRESERVE PRINT MEDIA Once your physical photos and other memorabilia are digitized, it’s time to decide what to do with the physical images. When it comes to photos and video, some of my clients decide to chuck the physical stuff. As we’ll see next in preserving digital media, I recommend a triple backup process so that you will always have access. However, there are several good reasons for keeping your physical prints or other memorabilia. Sometimes the physical image, particularly if it’s old, has a special feel about it. Perhaps there are notes on the back and even though you can have the backs of the photos scanned, the personal handwriting on the physical photo may hold value to you. If you have the room to store them, I strongly encourage to preserve your memorabilia in its physical form. But here’s the thing - old shoeboxes in your basement or garage is not the way to store it! As mentioned earlier, physical photos and other memorabilia deteriorates when exposed to the environment. I recommend storage containers constructed with acid- and lignin-free materials and featuring a buffering agent to neutralize any migrant acid and atmospheric pollutants. These types of containers are not cheap, but if you’re going to keep your memorabilia, keep it safe and preserve it for future generations. They’re available in a variety of outlets or I can purchase them for you through my vendor partners. Feel free to schedule a free initial consultation if you need more specifics.
DIGITAL MEDIA When it comes to preserving your digital media, the three most important words are backup, backup, backup! Hard drives crash. Local backup files could be lost in a fire. And you may not be able to get online at a crucial time to access your files stored online. That’s why I recommend that you keep your files stored and backed up in three different places:
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1. On Your Main Computer
2. On an External Hard Drive Thumb drives or memory cards should not be used for backup! They are not reliable as a backup resource. As a Mac gal, I use Time Machine as my local backup but here are others that I recommend for secure backup: • • •
WD My Passport Seagate Backup Plus Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
3. Stored in the Cloud Social Media is wonderful but having your photos stored in Facebook does not constitute good cloud storage. For one thing, your photos are truncated and secondly, when your read the fine print, you’ll find that on most of these “free” sites, you lose your digital rights to your photos, are subject to data mining of your information and worse! I personally use Crash Plan™ that backs up my entire system. While not as well known as other online backup providers, I find that it provides the best bang for the buck - however there are other good ones out there. When choosing a cloud storage provider, in addition to cost, look for services that upload new and changed files immediately, allows synching and sharing of data, a mobile app, and backup of files while you have them open. Whatever you choose, make sure you have online backup. Your images (in fact all of your files) are as important a possession as anything else you have in your home. Back them up!
One More Recommendation:
The Ultimate in Permanent Archival Storage I mentioned earlier that while I’m generally not enamored with spending lots of money on bells-andwhistles software, this is one platform that I believe is worth every penny.
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Forever is fabulous as an organizing tool for those who want to do the lion’s share themselves, but truth to tell, Forever’s greatest value is in preservation. Forever is the ultimate in permanent, archival cloud storage and the only one of its kind in the market. Think archival, long term. And here’s where it differs from all the cloud storage options out there: • • • • • • • • •
Account is your permanent digital home Guaranteed for your lifetime plus 100 years Permanently store original FULL resolution images and documents Supported filetypes: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PDF (AND video formats for an extra charge) Content triple backed up, encrypted & secure You OWN your content. No advertisers, no third parties mining your data Digital file migration to new file formats over time A mobile app for all your devices
Forever also offers so many other services beyond storage and organization. For instance, while I provide in-house scanning/conversion of photos and albums, if you either are not local to me, or need to convert other types of media, Forever is another option that provides a cost effective solution. Forever is a great sharing platform. Once you purchase storage, you can set up unlimited albums and share any album with whomever you wish. And while I love to design albums for my clients, if you’re looking to do-it-yourself, Forever’s Print Shop is a wonderful option. I am so sold on Forever, that I’ve become an Ambassador for the platform which means that I can provide account management, on-going training and often, discounts for my clients. And for clients who don’t have the time to get their photo library organized, I can do it for them remotely. If you would like more information about all the services Forever offers, feel free to peruse their site. But before signing up for anything, schedule a free initial consultation so we can discuss how you can get the most value based on your goals, time and budget. 21
SHARE Get some inspiration by perusing our Gallery of Stories with samples of our client work in Fusion Videos, Custom Designed Albums, and Wall Art. Or take a look at our Idea book (available to flip through or download at YourMemoriesAtHand.com). Not only will you find great ways to share your memories, but in addition, you will never again be at a loss when it comes to finding that special gift.
Albums Galore! Custom Designed and Created (or Re-Created) Whether you need an album for a special occasion, a place for your piles of pics, a family heirloom re-created, or a remembrance of your keepsakes, our custom-designed albums are created with one goal: to tell your unique story. Check out our video “Not Your Mothers Albums” and if you’re ready to be inspired, flip through some of our client albums in our Album Gallery.
Video Fusion Shows This genre is often called a slideshow or a montage, but those terms just don’t give justice to what we do. What we create is an experience that is as special as the memories and lives you’re celebrating. It’s a wonderful way to commemorate an event but it also provides fantastic entertainment or a moving tribute at an event. To explore the possibilities, check out our video “What is a Video Fusion Show?” . And if you’re ready to be inspired, take a look at clips from some of our client videos in our Video Fusion Show Gallery.
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Today’s Photo Wall Art Take your Photos from Ordinary to Extraordinary! One of the most common ways we display our photos is to put them in a frame and then hang them on the wall. It’s nice, but kind of ordinary. OR, we could take those same photos and make them extraordinary! Check out our video "Today's Wall Art" and if you’re ready to be inspired, take a look at some of our creations in our Wall Art Gallery.
The Power of A Story Record and Preserve It in a Legacy Album or Video Since the dawn of time, we’ve been telling our stories, from one generation to the next. But in today’s mobile society, we run the risk of these priceless stories being lost, as they are rarely recorded. However, if these stories ARE recorded, they are a priceless treasure in and of themselves even if you do nothing else but preserve them for future generations.
But, if you want, we can take those recordings and use them as either narration in a Video Fusion Show of their life, or as journal entries in a Memory Album.
Be sure to watch "The Power of a Story" and when you’re ready, schedule a free initial consultation so I can help you to record your stories and preserve your legacy.
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The Idea Book
Once you get your photos, video, film & other memorabilia digitized, organized, restored and preserved, your reward is discovering fabulous ways to share them! Of course you can always peruse our Gallery of Stories with samples of our client work in Albums, Fusion Videos, Wall Art as well as Restorations. But if you want a lot of inspiration in one place, take a look at our Idea Book. Not only will you find great ways to share your memories, but in addition, you will never again be at a loss when it comes to finding that special gift. This 32-Page Book is available to you free of charge. Click Here to flip through online or download.
Contact The fastest, most efficient way to get in touch is on our site. Or, schedule a free initial consultation.
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ABOUT YOUR MEMORIES AT HAND In my role as “the family historian”, early on I developed a passion for preserving and displaying my family’s (and later friends’) photos, video and film. I started Your Memories At Hand© in 2011 first of all, to help individuals, families and communities utilize their memories to tell their stories, and secondly, to help folks to get their media in shape: what I call D.O.R.P.S: Digitize, Organize, Restore, Preserve & Share. At the same time, given that I’ve been selfemployed for over 30 years, I recognized that while families have stories to tell, so do small businesses. Unfortunately, most marketing firms are geared toward big companies with prices that are out of reach for the small business. And while do-it-yourself web services are great for business cards and brochures, there is precious little else that tells your business story in a cost-effective way. So, in 2014, I launched Your Biz Story Told© to help small businesses and individual entrepreneurs showcase their company’s products and services in a cost effective way.
Our Services Include •
Custom Designed Albums and Wall Art
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Video Fusion Slideshows
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Professional Photo Organizer and Storyteller
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Album, Scrapbook & Memoir Restoration
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Family Stories
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Veteran and Senior Stories
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Business Stories
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And so much more!
Whether you’re an individual, family, community group or small business, you have a story to tell.
And We Love Uncovering Your Memories & Telling Your Stories! 25
Mollie Wasserman Chief Memory Officer | Certified Photo Manager | Media Storyteller A little about my background: I spent 15+ years in real estate as a practitioner, broker and team manager culminating with the founding of the Accredited Consultant in Real Estate® (ACRE) Course and Coaching program, an innovative training program for real estate professionals that focused on providing services and getting paid from a consultative model. I’m the author of two real estate books and a co-author of a third. On a personal note, I’m truly multi-geographic, having been born in Florida (of Boston-bred parents) and raised in Texas. I attended school in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi before coming to the Boston area in 1979. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in marketing from Northeastern University in Boston. I live with my husband Steve in Framingham, MA. We have two sons, Jeff and Dan, daughter-in-law Anna, granddaughter April, grandson Gavin and a very cute dog named Brewster.
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Your Life is Full of Stories…
We Help You Tell Them.
We Guide Families & Communities in Sharing Life’s Special Occasions…
And Everyday Moments.
