Why your digital photos might die before your grandkids see them
The other day I was going through some boxes in my basement and ran across this portrait of my mother from 1930. She was 12 years old and in 8th grade.
I have tons of these types of photographs, from both sides of my family, going back to the 1880s. I am very fortunate.
These days, it’s hard to imagine photos being stored in a box. The photos might be kept on a hard drive or posted on Facebook.
The problem? Besides being able to find the photos on your computer, hard drives can be unreliable and Internet companies sometimes fail — taking your memories with them.
Hard drives, hard times
The digital black hole: will it delete your memories?
Google’s vice-president Vint Cerf has warned that all digitally stored photos could be wiped out by tech upgrades, putting the sum total of human knowledge under threat. It’s a good read – An author and scientist explains why today’s systems are so vulnerable – and how pioneers are preparing for the worst.
This is one of the many reasons that I provide my clients with beautiful custom printed portraits to display on their walls, and to be easily enjoyed for generations. Many photographers in the Outer Banks, and for that matter, everywhere, today only sell digital files to their customers. How irresponsible and what a huge disservice this is. Most of these photographers have no idea on proper post production techniques ( aka retouching ) or how to make archival prints that will last hundreds of years.
Most people also know absolutely nothing about the proper way to store digital images and back them up, just click the above link to see what the vice-president of Google has to say about this, and if he is worried, maybe we should be too.
I understand why clients want digital files of their family portraits, I do too. I love to carry images of my kids and grandkids on my phone and to share them on Facebook with my friends, and that is why I offer my clients the option to purchase digital files in addition to prints, custom hand finished prints that will last hundred of years. Ones that your grandkids or great grandkids will one day find so very valuable……….and cherish.
So whether you are on vacation with your entire family in Corolla or Duck or Southern Shores or anywhere else in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and need/want that classic beach portrait, or you are in the New York / New Jersey metropolitan area need a great portrait of your family, children or newborn, be very careful when selecting who you hire, you don’t want to someday lose all of your families memories in that digital black hole.
So if you’d like to chat a bit about about proper digital storage, or if you’d like more information on how to go about setting a portrait session for your family, came me anytime at 800.646.5812 or complete the form and click submit – I look forward to speaking with you .