Tame Those Memories

Family vacations, summer weddings and family reunions are in full swing, and the warm memories and envelopes of photographs are ever growing! You certainly intend to organize them -- but the boxes in the attic are full of intentions, and now the photograph CDs are being to pile up! What can you do to stop the madness?

Step 1: Decide why you are saving the photographs. My mother- in-law, for example, wants to ensure them for future generations, which means acid-free paper and detailed labeling. One of my clients, on the other hand, just wants to enjoy them now. She has an antique trunk full of loose photographs (with names and dates!) she uses to tell stories to her fascinated grandchildren.

Step 2: Don't set unreal expectations. Mary had a house full of photographs of her 18-month-old -- duplicates, in fact -- because she was always going to send them to her mother. But first she wanted to write a letter explaining the picture -- the birthday party, the trip to the zoo, or the first haircut. There wasn't time for that, so her mother hadn't seen a picture of her grandson in months, and Mary felt overwhelmed by her failure. Undoubtedly her mother would have been delighted to see the photos -- without the perfect narrative descriptions. If you are a working parent with active children, the best way to organize your photographs for now may be a shoebox in the front hall closet -- with the lid off, so you can get to it easily!

Step 3: Avoid tackling too much at one time. Dolly decided to organize 25 years of photos. She declared the living and dining room off-limits to her family -- and began making piles. In the midst of the project, old friends called to say they were in town. So Dolly quickly gathered up all her piles and stuffed them in a suitcase. Several years later they're still there! Begin organizing your photos by sorting them into major time blocks -- before kids, pre-school, elementary school, high school, college, for example. Put each category into a large container. Then take one container, and divide it into smaller categories -- by year, then by season, and finally by months. (Keep your old calendars. They can be a great resource to retrieve specific dates for major events!)

Step 4: Eliminate the unnecessary. The first candidates for the wastebasket are double exposures, pictures of the inside of your lens cap, and those shots you wonder why you took. You are also bound to find some photos that have little meaning to you, but could be special to someone else. Drop them in the mail to bring a smile to Aunt Amanda's face. As a birthday present for my 85- year-old grandmother, I took one photo of each of the members of her family, and one or two of each of the major events in her life and put it in one album. It was the first thing she shared with every visitor.

Step 5: Taming the Paper Tiger software to the Rescue! The beauty of using The Paper Tiger for taming your photos is its incredible flexibility! You can put a number on each photo (or photo holder) with keywords, dates, and a category for each one. Or, you can put a number of an entire packet of photos, and then use the keyword field to describe specific contents. This is a great way to solve the problem of the packet of Johnny's wedding photos that also contains a single photo of Jenny's new car. Organizing photo CDs with Paper Tiger is also a cinch. Just put a number on the CD and use the keywords to describe the contents. A keyword search on Johnny's wedding will instantly tell you where to find the portrait (on the wall in the hallway), the packet of photos (in the family room credenza) and the photo CD (in the CD box by the computer).

Bonus: Organizing photographs can be a great summer project to do with children of all ages!

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

---

Photography Workshops and Master Classes

Several years ago, I met a fellow photographer - albeit,... Read More

Is Digital Photography Expensive?

Being such a fascinating device as the digital camera, this... Read More

The Best Wildlife Camera To Take On Safari

Good wildlife camera equipment on safari can make the difference... Read More

The Advantages of Underwater Camera Housing

You will need an underwater camera housing to keep your... Read More

Extreme Digital Photography: Beyond Point-and-shoot

When my old Olympus digital camera got broke while caving... Read More

Specialized Styles of Photography

Outlined below is a list of genres that call for... Read More

What Should You Look for in a New Camera?

These parameters are discussed at 2 levels: -Based on... Read More

Digital Cameras & Resolution

While analyzing any camera, one of the most important qualities... Read More

History of the Camera

Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were able... Read More

How to take Great Photos of Your Pet

We all love our animals. They do such funny, adorable,... Read More

Wedding Photography: How to Become a Successful Wedding Photographer

Once in while I receive e-mails or phone calls from... Read More

The Benefits of Underwater Digital Cameras

Underwater digital cameras are fun and easy to use under... Read More

Digital Film Processing is Really the Only Option for Truly Quality Prints

Digital photography has taken off like wildfire these days, primarily... Read More

Freelance Photography: How to Begin Your Career

Photography is a vast world. There are many different types... Read More

Light Meter Readings for Film and Digital

Reflected Light Readings for Film and Digital ImagesIn order to... Read More

Basics of Photography

Understanding light is one of the very basic principles of... Read More

Removing Cracks and Creases when Restoring Old Photos ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

A common problem with old photos is that they often... Read More

Disposable Cameras for Weddings

Disposable wedding cameras (also called single-use cameras) will never replace... Read More

How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can... Read More

How to Create a Great Video - a Simple Guide on How to Shoot Home Movies with a Camcorder

So you have bought a camcorder and have shot some... Read More

Megapixel Cameras: How Many Megapixels Do You Need?

Knowing which megapixel camera to buy can be intimidating. There... Read More

Photography Success Without School

What I learned from a mentor that enabled me to... Read More

Online Photo Sharing: Not Just for Family and Vacation Photos

You may have joined the photo-sharing craze to share your... Read More

Your Mobile Digital Darkroom ? Five Tools of the Trade

While digital photography offers you the ability to review photograph... Read More

Panasonic Digital Cameras - The History Behind Their Cameras

Panasonic is a world-renowned consumer electronics company today. Its digital... Read More

Olympus Digital Cameras - Digging Into The History

One of the oldest companies, Olympus has had a long... Read More

Optimize Your Photos for the Web

It doesn't matter if your emailing photos of your grandson... Read More

Picture Framing for Photographers - Part 1

Imagine being able to frame all your own photographs just... Read More

Start Up a Nude Photography Business

There are major obstacles to overcome to get into nude... Read More

Is your Digital Camera Compatible With Your Computer?

So you recently bought a digital camera or perhaps your... Read More

Tips for Better Vacation Photos

Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences... Read More

How To Reduce Red Eye The Easy Way With Any Pro Or Point & Shot Camera

There is one simple technique any body can do to... Read More

Digital Camera Bags - Purchasing and Using

Some compact cameras are small enough to fit in your... Read More