Back Up Your Digital Photos

If you frequently take photographs of your family, friends, activities, or special events, back up your digital shots often. Set monthly reminders in your computer’s organizer or personal calendar so you remember to back up your work from your hard drive onto longlasting media such as Photo CDs or DVDs. Your kids and grandchildren will appreciate your forethought.

Make Photos Accessible

While some people save backup copies of their digital photos, few have an alternative should those backups be lost. One convenient, free way to back up your pictures is to upload them to an online photo site, many of which offer unlimited ploads and storage. Sites to explore include Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com), HP’s Snapfish (www.snapfish.com), and Kodak’s EasyShare Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com). Google’s free Picasa 2 (picasa.google.com) will help you organize your photos, as well as back them up. You’ll be able to access your photos from any Web-connected computer with the added benefit that friends and family can access cherished photos, as well.

Heirloom Photos 

Have family heirloom photos you would like to preserve? Start by scanning your aging prints and adding them to your digital library or creating a CD to share with other members of your family. Try to handle the original photos as little as possible, as natural oils from your hands will break down the prints. Store your photos in acid-free boxes (many boxes designed for photo storage are acid-free) or display them in acid-free mounts. If you’d like to hang a favorite old picture of your great-grandmother on the wall, use ultraviolet screening glass to protect it from sunlight. For extra help preserving heirloom photos, look for a professional photo archivist in your area to have the photos copied and reprinted.

Buy An Album 

Half of the fun of great pictures is enjoying them organized in an album. Choose albums that won’t degrade your pictures with time. Magnetic albums with sticky adhesive backing often give off gases that will turn your photos yellow; you may also find your pictures permanently bonded to the adhesive surface! Pocket albums are usually a safe alternative if the pockets are made from Mylar plastic. Pockets made from polyvinyl chloride will fade and discolor photos over time. For other types of albums, make sure the paper is acid-free, as well as the pens and pencils you use to document your photos.

Choose Printers Wisely

As the popularity of printing digital pictures at home continues to grow, manufacturers are constantly developing more efficient and longer-lasting printers and ink for photos. A dye-sublimation printer will coat your prints with ultraviolet protection to keep fading to a minimum. Another way to add years of life to your prints is to use the same brand of photo
paper as your printer and ink. Also, research your printer and ink choices before you buy a photo printer, as prints made from one manufacturer’s printer and ink may last years longer than photos printed from another’s products.