Personal Photos

Have you ever been faced with going through the personal effects of someone that has passed away?  There are so many things that one accumulates through the course of a life time.  Some of the things are only important or special to the person that owned them.  Other things seem valuable to many people.  One of the most difficult items to go through and dispose of are personal photos. Photographs seem to occupy space in everyone’s home.  No matter what age you are or how large of family you come from, you possess personal photos.  The question arises of what to do with these photographs.

Personal photos are taken to share.  It would seem strange to take a photograph of something that you did not want to see again or to show to someone else.  Are your personal photos being shared in the way you intended when you took them?  Most people will answer no to that question, but the task of sorting, labeling, scrap booking, or placing in albums seems to be overwhelming.  Why not share your photographs through gifts? 

There are many companies that will transfer your personal photos onto a wide variety of objects.  Give grandma a sweatshirt that has the image of your children on it.  Or have your family’s Christmas picture transferred onto mugs and give them to aunts and uncles along with some hot chocolate mix for the holidays.  Take the pictures from your cruise and have them transferred onto glasses that you share with those that went on the cruise with you.  There is an endless list of ideas on how to share your personal photos with others.

You are not limited to having photographs transferred onto objects; you can also use them on your computer.  Place your favorite photo on your background and screen saver.  Send your personal photos along with emails that you share with friends and family. There is also the traditional idea of framing your photographs and placing them throughout your home and office to remind you of events and people that have touched your life.  Framed photographs add warmth and personality to where ever they are placed.  The memories that they stir in you can be part of your everyday life when you have them displayed.

Regardless of what you decide to do with your personal photos make sure that you are taking good care of the memories that you decided to capture.  Store them in areas where they will not be damaged by light and moisture.  Take them out occasionally to relive the memories of your life.  If you are not interested displaying or keeping photos, you may consider limiting the number of them that you take.  Why spend money on developing pictures that are going to accumulate dust.