Goodbye to Hoarding, Digitally That Is

As a member of the Association of Personal Photo Organizers, JMC was recently sent an article about Digital Hoarding, a disorder that can develop as computers are able to store more and more data. 

Are you afraid of deleting emails, photos, videos, or other one-of-a-kind digital items?  Do you hold onto e-books and keep music files whether you plan to ever read or listen to them again? 

Amazing as it may seem, disorganization can become Digital Hoarding, a real disorder.  Josh Zerkel, professional organizer, says the problem has gotten worse since storage on hard drives has become less and less costly.  Take a look at the article at http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2012/04/12/digital-hoarder-computer for his tips about becoming organized and avoiding hoarding.

We often recommend external hard-drives for backing up your files and keeping a safe copy of photo images.  It is good to keep in mind, though, that a seemingly-endless storage tote for photos can cause the unintended feeling of being overwhelmed.  Keep ‘em organized and easy to find when you are looking for them!  As always, we are happy to help!

Memories Matter!

Jen at JMC

Heroes After the Storm

“After the storm, after friends and family are accounted for, the first things many tornado victims look to recover are family photos and heirlooms.” – The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

I was pleasantly surprised when I recently heard about a few good people who made a concerted and concerned effort to gather photos that were found after a May 22, 2011 tornado in Joplin, Missouri.  I located this article (http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x2051366642/Sites-set-up-to-link-tornado-victims-with-lost-photos) on the internet when I decided to find out more.



Joplin resident Robbin McPherson reacts tearfully

as she thanks Abi Almandinger, of Carthage,

for the return of a photo of her sons.



One photo hero, Abi Almandinger, set up a Facebook page to reunite tornado victims with lost photos.  When area churches or agencies received photos whose owners weren’t immediately identified in the debris zones, they contacted the site, where many photos and owners have been reunited.

The article describes another Facebook page owner, Angela Walters, a genealogist and preservationist from Pryor, OK, who says, “We always hear, ‘I can replace the house, I can replace the car, but I would give anything for the photos, my family Bible, my grandma’s quilt.’” 

We are hearing more and more about various disasters, unfortunately.  Seems with current technology, we not only hear about those that have happened, but we hear about those that MIGHT happen.  Fortunately, though, advanced technology also allows for better and safer storage of photos and digital images. 

Consider backing up your digital images on a hard drive.  Have slides or films converted to CD/DVD.  Print and store favorite photos in a fire safe or safety deposit box.  There are many ways to better-ensure security of these important keepsakes.  We at JMC are always ready to help so give us a call at (309) 663-4677 or drop by 10 Westport Court in Bloomington.

We hope and pray nothing should ever happen to you and your photos, but encourage you to protect all that you love, including your photos.   

Memories Matter!

Jen at JMC

You Have Questions? We Have REAL Answers!

Traveling on vacation this past week I experienced varying degrees of customer service.

Here are some “answers” I received to questions I asked along my way: 

• I don’t know.
• It should work.
• It’s usually a good product.
• We don’t do that over the phone. I don’t know how to help.
• I think they cost $4.99.

The underlying message I received from so many companies I called or visited:  not only did those employees/businesses NOT have real answers, but they didn’t care enough about customers to find out and provide good, expected service.

 Frustration!  I hope you experience better service from businesses you frequent or rely on.  I’m guessing that you often run into the same apathy and resulting frustration.

 At JMC Photo & Digital Services we have REAL answers and we care.  Ann and Cathy have been doing what they do for decades now and have stayed up with the industry and its technological changes, as demanded by consumers like you.  I am a bit newer to JMC, but I have a thirst for learning and especially for treating you like you are the most important customer, because you are!  We hope you feel this from all of us when you come in or call. 

If you ever wonder about what we do or how we do it, or how you can accomplish a photo-related dream you have, just ask!  We are happy and thoroughly committed to providing REAL answers and real solutions. 

Memories Matter!

Jen at JMC

Use the Camera You Have on You

Technology is changing.  New digital cameras offer some amazing and state-of-the-art capabilities.  Do we need to buy the latest and greatest?  Ann has a wonderful and up-to-date camera for her studio work and this is perfect for what she does.  I have a years-old digital camera that replaced my film camera.  It is great for vacations and outings, with digital zoom and video capabilities.  But, it isn’t what I find myself using when I choose to take a picture.  I suspect you are experiencing the same phenomenon. 

“The best camera you have is the one that is with you,” says Chase Jarvis, Camera Pro.  He goes on.  “Photography is becoming a huge part of our culture incidentally because the capture devices are getting so cheap and so available, and the opportunities and means by which we share that material is so much at our fingertips.”

Jarvis refers to a series of photos taken with your phone’s camera as a “great visual journal”.  He is excited about the artistic quality that can be achieved by a simple motion paired with pushing one single button.  He says that the convenience of his camera phone has him looking for pictures.  In this video,, he walks through the city and finds many interesting and, for him, inspiring shots. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buDa-m65RyA&feature=youtu.be

Perhaps more important, the stories we capture on our cameras are priceless.  “It’s not about megapixels or dynamic range or any of that stuff.  It is about moments and stories,” he says.  Take a look around you at the next event you attend, whether it is your child’s concert or ball game, or a family outing.  Everywhere people are using their camera phones to simply record a memory.  

Have fun and play around with the camera you have with you to figure out how you will best use it.  The key is, USE IT!  When you look back on the images you capture, it won’t matter how many pixels they are made up of, just that you have that picture, and that picture, and THAT picture. 

At JMC, we say it often and we’ll say it again… Memories Matter!  Keep on using the camera you have on you. 

Memories & Smiles... the Importance of Children Having Printed Photos

As mentioned in our last blog, we are thinking a lot about the benefits to children of having and holding printed photos as they grow up.

A website we have found offering much wisdom about this, as well as photo-related tips and useful links is “Pictures Matter” at http://photoimagenews.com/picturesmatter/

 

An excerpt:

“While the advent of digital cameras has resulted in people taking more pictures, fewer families are actually printing them for inclusion in photo albums or to frame for display. By exchanging photos via email and storing them on disks or computers, parents are actually jeopardizing the emotional well-being of children who need to see pictures of themselves as they grow to promote self-esteem and security,” said Dr. Kenneth Condrell, family, teen and child counselor

In reading the entire article, we learn that photos help with keeping mental memories intact for the child who holds and views them.  Families have stronger ties and tend to exhibit better emotional well-being when photos are printed and made available for regular viewing. 

We regularly host Girl Scout troops at JMC, showing and telling them about the importance of photographs, as well as a little about taking them and things you can do with them. The response from the girls, their leaders and their families is very positive.  We hope all children have an opportunity to be exposed to this type of information about photos.

Oh, and Dr. Condrell also warns about deleting digital images.  Read more in the article to find out why! 

We would love to hear about the images your family values and views over and over.  What makes for a “feel good” photo for you? 

We encourage you to preserve your photos and to print your favorites, and not just for grandma and grandpa, and not just to put away for future generations, but for today.  Remember the last time someone shared a photo with you – bet you smiled and perhaps even had some memories flow back of a fond time or a favorite friend.

Memories Matter! 

Jen at JMC

Living for Pictures and Keeping Pictures Alive

“She would live for his letters and he would live for her picture.”  

Jenna Bush Hager said this recently on the Today Show about her grandparents, Pres. George H. Bush and Barbara Bush, when they were much younger, and nowadays too.  Watch the video here:

 

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46385984/ns/today-celebrates_valentines_day/t/jenna-bush-hager-how-my-grandparents-inspired-my-own-love-story/#.T06Jj4Gmqdw

She goes on… “Now, in the age of technology, many first proclaim their love via text and email, which has in many ways killed the handwritten note.”

The Bushes wrote love letters to one another in the early years of their relationship, and they continue to do so, over 60 years later.

Politics aside, I couldn’t help but think about how true this is of photos today.  The destiny of communication via text and email is so parallel to the destiny of images we capture on our digital cameras and phones.  What will we have to hold onto if all those thoughts, and all those images of special events – images that never became printed photos – drift away into nothingness?

Like the handwritten note, are we killing the printed photo in this new age of technology?

Recently on a trip to the local zoo I must have taken three dozen pictures in a two-hour time-span.  Why so many?  I can look at them later and delete the ones that aren’t “good” – that’s the beauty of digital photography!  But will I print the good ones?

My children will love holding and looking and photos of themselves in the Amazon Rain Forest with that curious yellow and black bird!  (Next blog will talk about the benefit to children of having printed photos as they grow up.  Stay tuned!)  I also have echoing in my head that my parents would like ANY photos of my children I’d be willing to share, as they live 1000 miles away.

JMC’s philosophy is this:  make sure to print your favorite photos.  With the quality of paper (and other media) used these days, photos last longer, and there are so many different ways to display them, on canvas, metal, tile, mugs, mouse pads – just about anything. 

The rest?  How about a photo book?  You can find tools online to make amazing books.  The company that makes them for us is reliable and produces a beautiful product.  Find out more at http://jmcpds.com/photobooks.html.  Even quicker, buy a photo-safe album at a craft or department store and slide those pictures in. 

Don’t forget to print a few to share with your relatives and friends. 

Finally, always make sure to organize and store in a safe place (like a CD) the “keepers” so that your children and grandchildren will have something to enjoy for years to come. 

Like George Bush, hold onto those pictures; keep them alive, hold them in your hand, and live for them. 

What We Really Treasure

What do you treasure?  Your House is Burning. What Do You Take?  We found this article on Twisted Sifter, a website that promises to provide interesting and creative or funny content using BIG pictures as much as possible.  We LOVE that concept at JMC because we are all about interesting and pictures! 

Delve into the world of some of the Twisted Sifter readers and find out that what they treasure just may be similar to what you would want to grab if faced with the same scenario: your house is burning and you have to decide what you'd take.  Could be that your choices might be completely different.

What would you take?  (It is a given that you would make sure your family and yourself were first [we wouldn't have it any other way!]; and, these readers have had some time to contemplate and compile their priority lists.)

We find it interesting (and evidenced by the BIG photos) that more than 90% of the readers would take photos, cameras, external hard drives holding their images or something photo-related.  Think of your grandmother or an elder role-model.  Didn't she or he always say that the first thing grabbed would be the scrapbook or photo albums? 

Today we have more ways to protect our images so we don't have to worry about their fragility or exposure to fires or other hazards.  JMC is a great source for how-to's when it comes to photo preservation. We offer services like Scanning Photos and Video Transfer, as well as tools like the Picture Keeper.  Come on in and ask Ann or Cathy about these and other ways to ensure that your treasured photos, images and videos are available for your family to treasure for years to come.

Memories Matter!

Jen at JMC