Think outside the album for your digital photos
Photos have always been important to people - a standard answer to the "what would you take out of a burning house" question is always "photographs." Even so, photos seem to be even more important today - the younger generations take photos almost constantly to update their blogs and social networking sites, and digital photography makes it easier than ever for people of all ages to take great pictures.
After loading your photos on to your computer, you've got a lot of options for what to do with them. It's possible that a good many of them end up doing nothing more than eating up space on your hard drive, which is why it's important to edit. While you're editing, think not only of why you should or shouldn't keep each photo - imagine what else you can do with your images.
Say you've gone on a big vacation to an exotic location. Why not host a party with a theme that relates to your destination? Invite people by sending out postcards featuring a photo of you in an iconic location, then rent a digital projector to display photos from your travels so that everyone can see them at once. Add in food that is commonly served at your destination and you've got a wonderfully festive event.
Remember the Christmas letters that families used to send out? They're becoming less common, but you can revive the tradition by giving it a new visual spin. If you search through the available designs for Christmas cards on sites like Vistaprint.com, you can often find options that allow you to include multiple images. That way, your photos can tell the story of the past year, in a quicker and much more modern way than a letter.
Once you've edited your photos down, in terms of numbers, it's time to start organizing them. Some software packages do this automatically, grouping by date. That's helpful, but you should also create folders on your hard drive - and preferably, an external or other back-up drive - that allow you to group photos by their content.
Having your photos well organized and backed up in at least one extra location will save a lot of frustration. If you want to have photos of a certain family member printed for something like a graduation party, you'll know exactly where to find them.
When considering what to do with all the photos you save, keep in mind that photo cards are versatile. They can be used for everything from moving announcements, in which you can show friends and family your new home, to save-the-date cards that you can send out to people you'll be inviting to a wedding, reunion or other big celebration. And because they're inexpensive and easy to order, they're a great way to get the word out in a unique way without breaking the bank.
If you're a shutterbug with some real talent, don't keep it a secret. Most digital images can easily be enlarged to a size that makes great artwork for your home. It's the perfect way to add a unique touch to your decor while having a constant visual reminder of the places you've been and the people you love.
Courtesy of ARAcontent