Personal experience is a great teacher even though the lessons we learn can be painful. The good news is that the pain can lead us to solutions. Meet Michelle Collinge, a photo coach who’s one of my colleagues from around the country and she’s passionate about preserving family photos like the collage above that has…
If you’re wondering how to connect the pieces of your family’s lineage and genealogy, then here are sites to visit and begin your journey. If you need professional help, then that’s available as well. But what do you do with your findings and how do you safely store them? As a photo coach, I’ve…
Once a month, I’m having my friends share their experience storing photos online in a storage system they own and that’s guaranteed for a lifetime, plus 100 years. The above photo is from Margarita Buitrago, who I’ve known for almost 20 years. The picture is saved and will be accessible for generations to…
The time-honored tradition of Thanksgiving often brings mixed emotions. Look at all that Thanksgiving entails: Early U.S. history and lessons of survival An array of traditional American food—or not so American Questions on cooking the food Family blessings Family hurts Awkward conversations Lots of happy talk Wondering how to bring families together Early shopping for…
A picture is worth a thousand words as the saying goes, but many family pictures leave us puzzled. Who’s in it? What’s the meaning of the shot? And how do we find out more information about the generations who came before us? Family research uncovers both facts and stories. If you search the Internet, you…
Placing all your photos in one digital album is an efficient way to store your photos online, in the cloud. Let’s look at the benefits of storing your photos in the cloud—but also the risks. My photo coaching career started 26 years ago, so you can imagine how I’ve adapted while technology has changed.…
You dig in a closet and come across a box that has old photo albums and a round tin can. You open it and see reels of old home movies that you watched as a child. Now you wrestle with some thoughts: There were relatives in that movie and you’d like to know more…
Small business owners wanting to grow and market their company know that images are critical to attract customers and clients. Marketing isn’t the only reason to take pictures. Photos can be a form of record keeping for insurance purposes—and, especially, for home businesses, a source of memories that you want to safeguard. A business takes…
What’s your favorite social media platform? How many of them do you typically use? They’re great for staying in touch with friends and family, but they’re not great for storing your photos long term. You need a simple digital strategy that will serve you and your family for decades to come. Why? Read on…
Sports are an important part of life in the U.S. Even if you’re the softest couch potato in your neighborhood, you likely have a friend or relative who plays in a rec league, for a school, or hoofs it to the stadium. It only makes sense that some of our fondest memories are focused on…