Preserve

PRINT MEDIA

Once your physical photos and other memorabilia are digitized, it’s time to decide what to do with the physical images. When it comes to photos and video, some of my clients decide to chuck the physical stuff. As we’ll see next in preserving digital media, I recommend a triple backup process so that you will always have access.

However, there are several good reasons for keeping your physical prints or other memorabilia. Sometimes the physical image, particularly if it’s old, has a special feel about it.

Perhaps there are notes on the back and even though you can have the backs of the photos scanned, the personal handwriting on the physical photo may hold value to you.

If you have the room to store them, I strongly encourage to preserve your memorabilia in its physical form.

But here’s the thing - old shoeboxes in your basement or garage is not the way to store it! As mentioned earlier, physical photos and other memorabilia deteriorates when exposed to the environment.

I recommend storage containers constructed with acid- and lignin-free materials and featuring a buffering agent to neutralize any migrant acid and atmospheric pollutants. These types of containers are not cheap, but if you’re going to keep your memorabilia, keep it safe and preserve it for future generations. They’re available in a variety of outlets or I can purchase them for you through my vendor partners. Feel free to schedule a free initial consultation if you need more specifics.

DIGITAL MEDIA

When it comes to preserving your digital media, the three most important words are backup, backup, backup!

Hard drives crash. Local backup files could be lost in a fire. And you may not be able to get online at a crucial time to access your files stored online. That’s why I recommend that you keep your files stored and backed up in three different places:

2. On an External Hard Drive

Thumb drives or memory cards should not be used for backup! They are not reliable as a backup resource. As a

Mac gal, I use Time Machine as my local backup but here are others that I recommend for secure backup:

• WD My Passport • Seagate Backup Plus • Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt

3. Stored in the Cloud

Social Media is wonderful but having your photos stored in Facebook does not constitute good cloud storage. For one thing, your photos are truncated and secondly, when your read the fine print, you’ll find that on most of these “free” sites, you lose your digital rights to your photos, are subject to data mining of your information and worse!

I personally use Crash Plan™ that backs up my entire system. While not as well known as other online backup providers, I find that it provides the best bang for the buck - however there are other good ones out there. When choosing a cloud storage provider, in addition to cost, look for services that upload new and changed files immediately, allows synching and sharing of data, a mobile app, and backup of files while you have them open.

Whatever you choose, make sure you have online backup. Your images (in fact all of your files) are as important a possession as anything else you have in your home. Back them up!

One More Recommendation:

The Ultimate in Permanent Archival Storage

I mentioned earlier that while I’m generally not enamored with spending lots of money on bells-andwhistles software, this is one platform that I believe is worth every penny.

Forever is fabulous as an organizing tool for those who want to do the lion’s share themselves, but truth to tell, Forever’s greatest value is in preservation. Forever is the ultimate in permanent, archival cloud storage and the only one of its kind in the market. Think archival, long term. And here’s where it differs from all the cloud storage options out there:

• Account is your permanent digital home • Guaranteed for your lifetime plus 100 years • Permanently store original FULL resolution images and documents • Supported filetypes: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PDF (AND video formats for an extra charge) • Content triple backed up, encrypted & secure • You OWN your content. • No advertisers, no third parties mining your data • Digital file migration to new file formats over time • A mobile app for all your devices

Forever also offers so many other services beyond storage and organization. For instance, while I provide in-house scanning/conversion of photos and albums, if you either are not local to me, or need to convert other types of media, Forever is another option that provides a cost effective solution.

Forever is a great sharing platform. Once you purchase storage, you can set up unlimited albums and share any album with whomever you wish.

And while I love to design albums for my clients, if you’re looking to do-it-yourself, Forever’s Print Shop is a wonderful option.

I am so sold on Forever, that I’ve become an Ambassador for the platform which means that I can provide account management, on-going training and often, discounts for my clients. And for clients who don’t have the time to get their photo library organized, I can do it for them remotely.

If you would like more information about all the services Forever offers, feel free to peruse their site. But before signing up for anything, schedule a free initial consultation so we can discuss how you can get the most value based on your goals, time and budget.