Cherish Your Photos

04/04/2024

Hello from Columbus! Our conference photo was taken on an iPhone this afternoon. Technology has come a long way!

04/01/2024

Once again, Cherish Your Photos is attending the annual conference of photo managers. We look forward to meeting with vendors and getting new ideas in Columbus this week!

Association Redefines the Conference Experience with dual In-Person and Virtual Events

09/28/2023

I just picked up some groovy sticky albums to dismantle and rescue the photos trapped inside. Are you keeping photos in a chemical mess? We can help!

09/26/2023

Digitizing your photos and making a photo book is the perfect way to get your precious memories into your hands.

Passing around a beautiful book or even photos in an album is much more gratifying than scrolling, scrolling, scrolling….oh wait, oh not that one, scroll, scroll, scroll…

Save Your Photos Month is the perfect time to get started with your photo book project! Better yet – there are FREE classes to help you. Sign up at SaveYourPhotos.org

09/23/2023

Thanks to technology, there are now many ways to share your memories with family, friends and even designated groups of people.

Digitized photos, videos, letters and other memorabilia - and so much more - can be shared and viewed via various software programs and applications.

Services such as Mylio, Forever, SmugMug, and Permanent are some of the great options for organizing and backing up your collection, but also have a “share” feature so others can view your collection(s).

You can now also share your archive if you use an app (application) program like Google or Amazon Photos. There is also a BRAND NEW streaming-like app called Projector which is like having your own Netflix channel that works with smart TVs and other devices like Roku and Firestick!

Some of these offer a free version or trial usually for a small number of images. Others are a low monthly cost or yearly subscription models. Be sure to fully research them first as they all have different features, options, privacy policies, and downloading or backup terms and conditions.

Want to know more? Sign up for FREE at SaveYourPhotos.org!

09/20/2023

Testing your backup and recovery system is crucial to ensure that your photos are being properly backed up and can be restored successfully in the event of a disaster or accidental deletion.

Create a test plan and select various photos and folders to use when evaluating the backup and recovery system.

Perform a backup and verify the accuracy of the files backed up.

Simulate the loss of the selected files and folders, and use the back-up and recovery system to restore them.

Verify the accuracy of the recovery, and remember to test your backup system at least once per year.

Get FREE expert advice to keep your photos safe from unexpected disasters at SaveYourPhotos.org

09/17/2023

Preparing for fires, floods and other natural disasters involves taking steps to protect and preserve your physical and digital photos.

Organize and digitize any printed photos, negatives and slides currently stored in albums, frames or boxes.

Use an External Hard Drive as a central hub to store all your digital photos and keep it in a fireproof box or waterproof container. Sticking it in a dishwasher before a hurricane is NOT going to keep it safe, despite regular social media posts to the contrary.

Include a copy of your photo hub in an emergency kit or have a cloud back up of your photo collection.

Let us know if you need help with this preparation!

09/16/2023

Saving our parents' (and aunts' and uncles' etc.) stories is a way of honoring their lives and achievements and ensuring that their stories are not forgotten. It also helps their legacy live on through future generations.

Set aside time to sit with your loved ones and encourage them to share their stories. Use the technology in your hands to record and store their stories and other related memorabilia.

You can also collect their own writings and illustrations, as well as contributions from friends and other members of the family.

Start today. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

09/15/2023

We are relying more and more on password-protected phones and cloud platforms to store the visual and audiovisual records of our life. If the unexpected happens, your digital assets may be inaccessible to anyone else.

Planning proactively for things like a serious illness or death could allow you to exert control over your assets even if you are not physically able to do so.

Make an inventory of all your digital assets including social media and email accounts, as well as digital files. Consult with an attorney or estate planner as to how to create a digital estate plan.

Get ahead before it’s too late by registering for Save Your Photos Month: SaveYourPhotos.org.

Not interested in doing it yourself? Hire a Certified Photo Manager!

09/13/2023

Imagine the heartache of losing your precious photos due to a digital mishap or an unexpected hardware failure. 😢

In today’s world, our cherished memories are no longer confined to dusty photo albums and shoeboxes. Photos are now captured on smartphones, stored on hard drives, and shared through social media platforms.

Are we truly keeping up with technology to ensure these memories endure?

Save Your Photos Month is your chance to stay one step ahead, safeguarding those priceless moments for future generations.

09/11/2023

If you are using an external hard drive to store your photos or other important records, be aware that the average lifespan is 3 to 5 years, provided that it is not physically damaged.

To ensure your device has a long life, here’s what you can do:

* Avoid dropping it
* Store it in a cool and dry place
* Protect it against power surges and voltage fluctuations
* Follow the steps to safely remove it from your laptop/computer
* Minimize the number of times you plug and unplug it to avoid wearing out the connectors and, therefore, increasing the risk of damage

If your photos are not yet stored on an external hard drive, join us for Save Your Photos Month to learn what you can do to protect your photos.

09/09/2023

Are you getting those annoying notifications that your phone is running out of storage?

Free up space for your next set of vacation photos by deleting duplicates and all of those temporary photos of receipts. There are many good apps available to find exact duplicates and similar photos. This is a good way to pass the time while waiting for an appointment or in a line!

Your phone may have such a feature built into the photos app. Some online photo storage sites also automatically find similar and document photos for you, letting you move or delete them with ease.

Always remember to back up your photos before cleaning your duplicates, and to review the images identified as duplicates to avoid deleting valuable pictures by mistake.

Learn how to get started by signing up for Save Your Photos Month: SaveYourPhotos.org