I recently read a post on Facebook that had such an urgency to it. Her computer had crashed and she couldn’t access or find any of her photographs. They included images of their children (eight years of memories and firsts), their horses and dogs, and other important images and documents. I could imagine the gnawing feeling she must have in the pit of her gut. I know I too would have that feeling of dread in that circumstance. If the images had been printed she would still have them.
Remember going through photo albums or shoe boxes full of family photos? When I was young I loved doing that — love it still. I loved the magnetism of the photographs, the history, the nostalgia.
Do you have your photos printed for easy access? Do you have some framed sitting on end tables or hanging on walls in your home? Have you shared real, physical photographs with other people (grandparents, siblings)?
When we have our photographs printed or gathered in a photo book, we appreciate those tangible prints more, likely because we can touch and hold them in our hands. It’s not simply vanishing images on the screen but ones we can linger over and come back to, cherish. In this digital age, sure it’s easy to leave them on our smart phone, computer, hard drive, or in the mysterious cloud, believing them to be safe or always there for us. But they are never as safe as when we actually have those images printed.
“Our dreams are made of real things, like a shoebox full of photographs.” — Jack Johnson
We have numerous choices for getting physical prints whether it’s lovely & easy books by iPhoto (Mac); or Blurb also for photo books; or Posterjack for quality canvas, posters, and more. Don’t forget, your local pharmacy or box store can also produce as many photographic prints as you like, ready for you to place in an album, shoebox, or in a bowl on your coffee table for everyone to browse through.
If you’ve been following me a long time you know I’ve written on this topic numerous times, Printed Photographs are Gifts, What Can I Do With All My Snapshots?, Photographs are Meant to be Printed, and a few others. You can tell, I have a passion for the physical photograph.
Go ahead, do it. Get your favourites printed. Hold them. Shuffle them. Admire them. Now. You won’t regret it.
“An image in hand can touch your heart more deeply than an image on a computer screen. Printed photographs are gifts.” ~Meredith Winn
Until next Monday, may you enjoy the most fulfilling moments whether it’s poring over old photographs, walking in the silent woods, reading a fine book, making a special gift with your own hands, or simply daydreaming over a cup of hot tea. — Diane
My sister’s best furry friend of almost seventeen years passed away a few days ago. She has been sharing some of Andy’s photos with me…
This is such a timely post, Diane.
As I am writing this, I am also working on some sort of structured backup for all of the photographs on my computer. Figuring out the best way (for me) to do it, is surely much more difficult than actually doing it. With few exceptions, I did not print any of my photos, until this year. I’ve printed just a few for hanging this year. I definitely need to think about printing more.
Thank you, my friend, and have a wonderful week ahead. xo.
At Christmas I get a lovely photo book of pictures taken of their preceeding summer visit. As they come for about a month there are plenty of memories to record. Not only do I get to relive happy summer days but it is also an excellent record of each passing year.
It reminds me of Ringo Starr’s recording “Photograph”. I too love the printed picture although I must decide what to do with all my slides from that phase of my memory making.