Sunrise Creations Blog

In January a blog was posted about “Storing your photos online” that discussed a couple of sites such as Flickr, Smugmug and Photobucket that can be used to store your photos.  Since then we have discovered some additional sites that we thought were worth bringing to your attention.  

 

• Snapfish:  Offers free unlimited storage of photos.   Access to this service remains free while you are an active member which means you make a purchase of photo merchandise through their site at least once a year. 

• DPHOTO:  Allows you to store and display your photos and videos in your own online gallery.  Access is made easy as you have your own web address that can be password protected.  You can set up individual galleries and can also gain access via an iPhone.  Pricing starts from $30 per year.

• Pinterest:  Is a great place to share or “pin” things of interest such as a funny or interesting photo, video or it can also be used to share or “pin” things that may assist others.  There is not cost for this service.

• Instagram:  This is very popular free photo sharing service that can be accessed from your iPhone, iPad and now Android devices. 

In addition to the above services and the ones in the January blog there still a large number of other online photo sharing services.   There are many factors to consider when making a decision on which one is the most suitable.  For example, this may include price, how they are presented, how much advertising may exist on the site as well as privacy issues and who can access your photos.  As one last vital point your memories can be endless so always ensure you have a backup in the event the photo sharing site ceases to exist. 

Our blog is so chock full of useful tips about how to take a great photo, ideas for photography subjects, uses for your photos and much more.  Sometimes it can be hard to find the information you are looking for. One of the most important topics we have covered is how to manage all of those precious photos so we thought we'd make it a little easier to sort through by listing some of the best posts here.

So, here are our 5 top posts that will help you sort, organise and store your precious photographic memories.

1. Storing your photos online.  One of our more recent posts which talks about backing up your images by storing them in online photo storage sites.

2. Ahhh - I can't find my photos!   Just how many photos do you have on your computer?  If you had to find one specific photo, how long would it take you?

3. How to choose photos for your album.  You can't save them all so here are some tips to help you work out what to keep and what to include in your album or photobook.

4. Do you have a corporate record?  Not all photos are personal.  Don't forget about your corporate photos.  They tell the story of your business so make sure you protect them.

5. Turn them into canvas.  We all have one favourite photo of our children that we want to preserve.  Turn it into a canvas print to hang on your wall.  That gives you 2 formats of your favourite photo.

We hope these ideas help you easily get sorted and organised.

Isn’t it funny how easily we can let something slip from our minds when it’s not there right in front of us? In our defence, life does get the better of us; one minute it’s Monday, the next it’s Sunday, and you find yourself getting ready to start another week all over again.

The human brain usually works best when we get a reminder about things. A little trigger here or there – a fragrance, a song, a place – can flood your mind with sensations. So what better to be reminded of than your memories or feelings for someone, something or some place you love?  That’s often why we enjoy having photos around us at home and at work.  They are a visual reminder about what we love and enjoy which we can then share with everyone else.

Very often, behind the photo is a story.  A great way to tell the story further without even saying a word is compiling a series of photos of what was happening that special day.  Your child’s first day of school, for example, would have been a process of getting ready, making the lunch, packing the bag and then leaving home to start their exciting new journey.

I always take photos throughout the day because you never know what you’re likely to capture or what particular part of the day will be the one that moves you most.  Seeing my child in uniform for the first time brought tears to my eyes but, unexpectedly, so did the moment when I watched him walk out of school with a big smile and a new friend. 

By taking the photos of each moment and putting them together in a photobook or in a series on your wall, they form something like a visual story, to be shared, admired and reflected upon for years to come. You don’t always have to limit yourself to one photo for a memory – your own story board with a collection of photos can say a thousand words.

With the advent of the internet came a whole host of applications that meant our lives got so much simpler.  These days, photos, for example, can be downloaded from our digital cameras and stored directly onto different sites.  There are so many plusses to this kind of storage, but safety has to be the main one.

How many people have lost their memories from flood, fire or theft?  Too many, that’s for sure.  However, by uploading images onto sites like Flickr, all this worry about our beloved photos will be gone forever.  Here are some of the best and the prices they charge, if any.

Flickr – one of the most popular photo sharing sites on the internet.  For individuals, they allow up to 200mb of storage per month.  For the professional, the allowance is unlimited and it only costs $25 per year.

Smugmug – one for the professionals.  Charges range from forty dollars per year up to one hundred and fifty dollars so only serious photographers will be found here.

Photobucket – reliable storage for photos and videos.  

When choosing a photo storage site, check that you have the option to make some of your images private.  After all, you don’t want other people sharing your family images, do you?

Keeping your photos backed up online doesn't have to cost you anything but I'd pay a fortune just to keep my family memories safe, wouldn't you?

Christmas is over.  It’s time to put things back where they belong.

Cleaning up after the celebration is something that has to be done and in fact, it is part of the whole holiday experience so why not treat it that way?  While cleaning is never our first choice for fun it can actually become fun if you think ahead.  And we know that fun leads to good photos, doesn’t it?

Equip everyone with a bucket, rubber gloves if necessary, dusters and polish or disinfectant, depending on what they are cleaning, and then perhaps have a race to see who can finish their tasks properly in the shortest time.  Don’t let them get away with a quick flick of the duster though because this job has to be done well first time round! 

In fact, make it a competition with prizes for the best results.  This could be a bar of chocolate, or the right to pick the first family movies etc.  It really doesn’t have to be much because it’s all in the name of fun anyway. 

Now, while they are all busy cleaning, pull out your camera and take a few photos.  Yes, really!  These photos will complete the record of your holiday season and it is at times like this that you get the pictures that you treasure forever.  Can’t you just picture your child with rubber gloves up to his elbows and soap bubbles on his nose?

Photography doesn’t have to focus on the ‘pretty’ events.  Record the fun times, too, even if they aren’t ‘pretty’.

To me photos are captured memories.  They mean a lot to me. 

Sometimes it isn’t people that carry the memory, it might be an object.   There are lot of objects I remember fondly because of the person they are associated with in my memory.  But like people, objects don’t last forever.  I like to preserve them in a photo.

If you think about it, there will be things that are important to you.  You might never have told anyone else about them and perhaps they might even come as a surprise to you.  Nana's teacup. Your best friend’s fingers. Your neighbours rose.   These objects and images are connected to your emotions so they make wonderful subjects for your photos.

Here are some ideas of things to you might like to photograph.

• Your grandmother’s dressing table
• A perfume bottle
• Your wedding ring
• Your mother’s cream sponge
• The lace or embroidery of a table cloth
• Your child’s first sandals
• Your baby’s feet
• Your dog resting his head on your partners knee
• The first daffodil of the season
• Autumn leaves
• Sheet music
• Old piano keys
• The star on your Christmas tree
• Your child’s first school report.
• Your child’s face reflected in a window or mirror
• Raindrops
• Puddles
• The first blade of grass in your new lawn

Many of these things are fleeting.  If you don’t capture them straight away it will be too late.  Don’t think of your camera as a tool for photographing people.  Think of it as a way of recording the very special things in your life.

Most of us end up with dozens of photos from the holiday season and not all of them will be fantastic.   Sometimes when there are so many pictures to look through, we put it off and never actually get around to it.

One thing that I have learnt to do is to sort out my photos quite soon after the event.  That way I have things fresh in my mind and it’s much easier to sort out the photos I want to keep and those I will discard.   Believe me; you WILL want to delete some no matter how much memory your computer has.  Imagine never being able to find that special photo again?

Here are a few tips on how to pick the best of the bunch.

1. Make a folder every time you upload.  For example, this year I would have a folder called Christmas 2011.  That helps me quickly locate the images I am after.

2. Immediately delete all the photos that are out of focus or taken by accident.

3. Delete any duplicate photos.  Yes, you know they happen.

4. Photos tell a story so sort them into a timeline of the occasion.  That will help you identify what is missing or which photos you have too many of.

5. Look for photos that have captured facial expressions that you love and keep them.

6. I like to have a photo of everyone who was with me at the time and sometimes that means keeping a ‘less than great’ photo, but that it a choice I make because I value the memory more than the actual image.

7. Get into the habit of doing this after each event.

These tips will help you sort the good from the bad and you can apply it to digital images or printed photographs. 

Go and start your sorting and enjoy reliving the special occasions as you work.

It has been a while since we talked about photography and our technique with the camera.

I love to learn how other photographers get their results.  They always give me an idea or some inspiration to work with.  This video is a great example.  The topic is 'low light photography' but the tip is incredibly simple.  It's so simple that you might be tempted to overlook it, but don't do that.  It works.  Best of all, you can apply it to every shot you take.

I hope you find this as useful as I did.  I see many great photos in your future.

Photo display boards are a really nice way to display some of your favourite photos in and around your home.

The also make a great feature-piece on large, blank walls, or create a personal, yet stunning accent to any room.

You can make your own display board, or pick one up online, or at places such as scrapbooking outlets, photo processing shops or Spotlight. No matter where you get your board, it’s what you do with it that will make it a feature.

They are also highly personal, so make it really special.

You may like to have your favourite snapshots of great times with people you love; the images you caught unexpectedly that make you smile, or remind you of a fun moment.

Simple framed board with patterned background by Country Living

It may be a random display of your family, featuring photographs that highlight each family member’s personality, which features well in kitchen and living areas, or capturing the essence of a particular day, celebration or other special moment.

The display in itself can tell the story of a person, featuring a careful selection of images, or a special day, including specific moments, guests or other happenings.

Family feature display by Woman's Day

For themed living areas, or bedrooms, you may like to create a feature board, with similar coloured or themed pictures. It may be your daughter dressed in her favourite fairy princess dress ups. You may prefer a theme, featuring images of beaches, trees or your favourite animals.

Country style ribbon board by Christine Chitnis

Ultimately, your photo display board can be created around what it’s purpose is; to make you smile, inspire and motivate you, to add character and colour to a room, or just remind you of special moments in your life.

If you like the style of the ribbon board pictured here, Christine has a tutorial on her site showing exactly how you can make one.

Your photo board is what it is to you … so go create.

After my last post I thought I'd share some of my favourite family photos with you.  I love these.  They were taken by my son Liam.  We set up a little tripod for him and let him loose with a camera.  He directed us for every photo so the results are the ones he was after.

If you look carefully you will see that the photos are taken quite low down at Liam's eye level.  If you look closely you can see the door knob showing above my husband's head. 

We had a great time clowning around and the photos have turned out brilliantly.

Why not try this with your children?  The photos are something we will keep forever.  Despite our lovely faces!!