It’s a curious fact that never before in the history of photography have so many photos been taken yet so few been printed.
Before the days of digital cameras, photographs were developed and stored in photo albums, which became an accessible and permanent personal record of your memories. Photo albums could be passed down the generations, with the certainty that 10, 20 or even 50 years down the track, they would still be around to share with grandkids, great-grandkids and even great-great-grandkids.
As a teen, I became quite obsessed with documenting my life. Friends, theatre productions, parties, holidays – everything was recorded.
While I didn’t realise it at the time, my photo albums, dating back to the mid-1980s, would eventually become not only a great conversation point with friends but also a key trigger to memories of times and events long past. After all, there’s a reason most people say that, after the children and pets, the photo album would be the first item to be saved in the event of a house fire. Photo albums enrich your life and are a place to visit in moments of both joy and reflection.
• Find a camera you are comfortable using – be it an old one in the cupboard or something new. Don’t let yourself be dazzled by camera features you won’t use and don’t need. Buy something you know you will use.
• If you prefer to stick with your phone or tablet, don’t let those photos sit on the device. Having them printed is easy and inexpensive. Most camera stores have machines and cables that plug in to your device and allow you to choose, crop, enhance and print your photos.
• Consider making extra copies for friends overseas, relatives in nursing homes or people you know who are sick in hospital.
• Buy yourself a photo album to protect your pictures and keep them in chronological order.
• If you label your pictures with the date they were taken, the occasion and the names of those in the photo, you’ll be glad years later when you can’t recall the details!
• If you don’t have the time or inclination to take and develop photos regularly, consider creating photo albums for special occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays (especially children’s birthdays), farewells and holidays.