by Dotti
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We’ve talked a lot here about getting our photos off our
computers and out into the real world. It sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?
Until you realize that even though each of us takes thousands of pictures each
year we still have to consciously strive to get our work into the real world if
we want our families and friends to enjoy these photos for years to come.
Because I’m not a scrapper like many of you are, I like to
print photo books for my granddaughter and for my husband and me. Whether we
take a “two of us” trip or a “five of us” family vacation, I’ll take hundreds
of photos and ultimately (sometimes later rather than sooner) create a photo
book to preserve the memories and to allow those photos to see the light of day.
It also gives me a
warm fuzzy feeling to know that when she is grown, my granddaughter will have
these books to remember all the great family times that we’ve had together. You
see, when she was born, I promised myself she would have lifelong memories of a
grandmother who adored her. It’s my legacy to her ... a legacy of
wonderful memories … and a loving grandmother.
Trips aren’t the only occasions for memory books. I’ve done
children’s birthday parties, family reunions, my mother’s 80th
birthday … and I look forward to doing another for her upcoming 85th
birthday. Weddings, graduations, new babies, all these would be wonderful excuses
reasons for memory/photo books.
It takes time, no question about it, to select the photos
you want to use, edit them and then produce the book but it is a wonderful
feeling when it’s done. And it makes my heart soar when I watch my family,
particularly my granddaughter, look at the photos and say … “Remember that …?”
There are a number of online companies that will produce
these books for you. My current favorite site is Blurb but there are
others. Paper Coterie is a favorite in my picture groups; I’ve used Shutterfly
in the past; and Adorama does photo books, as well, to name just a few.
Whatever method you choose … books, canvas wraps,
scrapbooks, framed prints, post cards … get those photos off your computer and
into the hands of the people you love. This is the act of giving something of
yourself to them … your legacy of memories, if you will.
And if you have a
special way of getting your photos off the computer, please … share it with us
here! We’re always on the hunt for new ideas.
10 comments:
Great idea, and i have done some of these for my grandson! such fun. I keep hearing about blurb, and think that i need to look in to that site soon! Keeping the legacy.... a wonderful plan
it's almost sad that we need to be reminded of this. But even in the 'old days' my grandmother had photos that I had never seen til she died. And she know how much I loved to look through photos.
You are so right Dotti! In these days of digital photography, so many people never print their photos and they sit on computer hard drives. I've been a scrapbooker since 1997 and even went back and pulled all my photos out of peel-and-stick albums and scrapbooked them, going back to 1984. When my grandchildren were born, I began books for them as well. The Blurb book I did was for my oldest son's 30th birthday called "30 Moments to Remember". It contained not only photos but stories that weren't written down anywhere but were only in my head. I was amazed how much he loved it, being a guy and all. I used to say I scrapbooked to preserve the photos and stories for future generations, but they are as much for me. I love looking back at our family's memories and am so glad I discovered this hobby.
I too get books printed I love going through my photos and choosing which ones to get processed....
As I read this today I can't help thinking of the great photo book you will be making for your granddaughter when flat C gets back from her vacation with you! Now that one is going to be a fun, fun memory for her! I do think you are living up to your promise of making sure she knows how much you adored her, and the photographic memories to prove it!
Adore her, not adored. :/
This is such a good post because I am so guilty of this. A few months back my external hard drive crashed, taking with it all my photos. At that moment I told myself I would print more and make more little books and splash photos on the fridge. My husband was able to fix the drive, but I learned my lesson and get them off the computer now. I love Paper Coterie and have made several little books there. I think I need to check out blub now too. Great post Dotti.
I agree with Judy, what a book that will be when you get back! I still have some books in the "que" on blurb I need to get printed, and many more that aren't, AND my blog....whew I need to get busy! I have printed from blurb before in both hardcover and paperback style and loved them both.
Such a timeless post Dotti. I've been guilty of putting off the making a book of my photos and there are a few themed ones I'd like to do, most especially a book of all my garden pics from last year. My garden was on a tour and so it looked particularly lovely. You've just inspired me! I'm going to check out Blurb right now! Thanks for this wonderful post.
What a good reminder, Dotti! It's so easy to keep taking all the photos and then never do anything with them outside of electronic sharing. But there's so much power in printing them in some form or fashion. I just started making a book on blurb a few weeks ago to document my 365 from 2012.
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