Photo Storage - Albums

Being born in the 70's, I look back at my baby and childhood photos and its obviously apparent that in my existence I've lived through vast change when it comes to the humble printed photograph. Many of my baby photos are, now almost blackened out, polaroids. Damaged from years spent in magnetic, acid drenched albums. It wasn't until I went through my scrapbook phase that I realised the unrepairable damage of such precious memories. I salvaged what I could and now have them in photo boxes. My kids are lucky that they won't have their childhood images lost to poor photo storage.

When I went through the scrapbook phase, I spent countless dollars doing so. But, I have some wonderfully creative albums that are a pleasure to go through. Colourful layouts where I've incorporated buttons from their clothes, tokens from the places we visited and stories that open up the memory. All lovingly placed on acid free papers inside high quality albums. Whilst this was a therapy of sorts, it was very time consuming and with working, studying and maintaing a family and household, I let it slip. Now many memories are in digital files that have been backed up and backed up again.

This is an age where we are forever snapping away. Yes, if its a not so great photo we can instantly delete it. But what are we doing with the good photos. Photobooks are a great way to showcase a vacation or event as you can create great pages with photos and text. I happen to religiously do one each year for my middle daughter. She is right into Physical Culture (now in her 5th year), so I ensure I snap some great pics of her throughout the year and keep a journal to tell her story in a way she can happily look back on. I'm also known to give handmade photobooks as gifts to family and friends. They have provided many good laughs and many heart felt tears. I know the recipients were grateful for a gift of great memories.

I haven't walked into a scrapbooking store for many years (I hear my credit card rejoice) and I only print super great photos to display around the house and do my annual photobooks. The rest live electronically, doubly backed up.

I'd be interested to hear how people are storing their printed photographs. Plastic sleeve albums, scrapbooks, photobooks, photoboxes? 

Let me know

Nic