Ice Cream, Puppies and High School Football

“Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think so don’t blink”…I know Kenny (Chesney) – you’ve sung it to me again and again!  Back to school for two boys is now back to college for my youngest and like many parents this time of year I’m struggling with that crappy feeling in my gut — you know the one — holding on vs. letting go.  This week my “kingdom of smelly socks” might smell sweeter, but it will be too quiet and I’ll miss hearing “how was your day momma?”.  I’ll keep busy with work, community activities and of course my own family photos; but I’m already longing for the days of ice cream, puppies and high school football.

Although I haven’t always felt organized, I’ve always been the photo organizer in my family.  I am the curator and keeper of my lifetime!  I started creating scrapbooks with my sorority sisters in college.  My favorite photos were in albums that I could grab off the shelf and enjoy at any moment… until I had children, until I started shooting with a digital camera, until I used a smart-phone, until I became the team photo mom, until my grandparents, in-laws and parents passed away, until I discovered photo organizing.  Yikes, you might be hyperventilating a bit with this photo flashback of your own story!

Without even thinking, many of us take thousands of photo’s every year now.  Photo industry data estimates that we now shoot over 1.2 trillion photos per year (worldwide), most of those using our smartphones.  But what are we doing  to preserve and share those photos?  Most of us are doing nothing.  Yep, you read that correctly…nothing!  Oh geez, hyperventilating again?

Take a big breath!  You’ll be fine.  During the month of September, photo industry professionals will gear up for Save Your Photos month;  a public service campaign developed by APPO — Association of Personal Photo Organizers, providing educational resources and events to help you emerge from the chaos, protect and enjoy your photos.  At Beautiful Views, we’ll be sharing tips and resources.  So get ready to have some fun and Save Your Photos!