How I Digitized Family Memories in Negatives, CD, and VHS with the Forever Box (and WHY!)

I'm old enough to know that technology is amazing, except that it comes and goes.  

All the slides my father took of our family trip to Greece and Italy when I was 1 year old can only be viewed with a slide projector (Google that if you need to) and a big screen.

That makes our precious family memories endangered.

Maybe "endangered" seems like a strong, harsh word.  Trust me:  it's accurate!  I'll tell you why, and how I got my own outdated media out of danger.  (I'm so excited to tell you about it because I'm so happy with the result!)

Family Movies on VHS Tapes 

When my in-laws found out we were expecting our first baby, they bought us a video camera.  I was so thankful because video cameras were kind of expensive, and we were young and saving money for a house.  The video camera was nice and big and recorded video on fancy new Hi8 videos!

I dutifully (and joyfully!) took family videos of our babies, toddlers, kiddos, and teens, of first steps and graduations and family vacations.  It was fantastic.

In order to be able to view these videos as a family, I dutifully (and mostly joyfully) set up a tangle of cords so that I could copy the videos onto VHS tapes, in part so that I could send copies to my in-laws and my parents, all of whom lived far away.

Once VHS tapes weren't the latest thing any more, I dutifully (it was so time-consuming!) copied the VHS tapes to DVD with a brand new DVD-VHS combination player that also recorded.

And then we moved across the country.

My stack of VHS tapes on my To Do List got put in a box.  By the time I got the DVD-VHS player/recorder set up, and all the appropriate cords plugged into the appropriate machines in my new house, life was pretty busy.  I started chipping away at my big stack of VHS tapes (I recorded a family one, and then one for each of my 3 children), and it wasn't very long before my DVD-VHS machine stopped working.

I probably don't need to tell you that you can't go buy another one any more.  That technology has been completely replaced.  And so, I am embarrassed to say, those precious home movies on VHS tapes sat on my project table for EIGHT YEARS.  Until I learned this:

I had already begun to see evidence of that in my VHS-DVD transferring, so I knew that my family videos were endangered.  They felt a little like a ticking time bomb.

My First Forever Box: VHS Tapes

It was about this time that I learned about the Forever Box, a digitizing service that is the highest-rated on TrustPilot compared to 3 (I think it was) other popular digitization websites.  

I know it can be hard to let your precious family memories out of your sight, especially when they are the ONLY COPY of them, but this is what I decided:

If I don't get these videos out of VHS form, all my kids will be able to do with them in 20 years is throw them away.  

The Forever Box is processed at a huge digitization center in Wisconsin, not sent overseas.  It is shipped with FedEx and tracked the whole time.  My VHS tapes are identified throughout the whole process using bar codes specific to me and my order.  The staff at the digitizing center wears gloves, dusts my media, and even makes it better than it was!  This is what I learned:

So, based on this, and the recommendations of other people I knew who had done it, and these TrustPilot reports, and--especially--knowing that if I didn't do something with those VHS tapes soon, it would literally be too late, I went for it.

I cannot even tell you how thrilled I was to get my family memories back.  They are accessible!  They are shareable!  We can watch them easily now!  I have been able to share videos with my grown kids, and it has been delightful!  

The Results: Not Keeping All Your Memories in one Proverbial Basket

When you place your digitization order, you can choose to get your digitized media in 3 ways:  DVD, flash drive, or in the cloud in your private Forever Storage account.  

I know the value of having multiple copies in multiple media, so I got DVDs since we have a DVD player still as well as having them saved in my Forever Storage.  The videos are downloadable from Forever Storage, so I did that as well, saving them on my computer.    

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find several affiliate links in this post, from which I earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.

My Second Forever Box: Family Memories on CD and in Negatives 

At least 15 (maybe even 20+) years ago, my parents, my sister, my brother, and I decided to record ourselves reading children's stories.  That way, all the kids/grandkids could hear their grandparents and aunts and uncle reading them stories that they could follow along to with their own books!  

It is a special treasure now that my mom has passed and we don't get to hear her voice any more.  

However, CD players aren't all that common any more.  Now with the youngest grandkids--and an ever-growing number of great-grandkids--these CDs aren't useful.  They've practically been lost to history, in just 15-20 years.

So, I decided to get the CD digitized (hence, the barcode on the photo above), which I know sounds silly because it's already digital.  This is called a Digital Transfer.  It's just a change from one digital form to another digital form.  But doing so (getting .mp3 versions from the CD's files) will allow these treasured stories to be played from a phone, tablet, or computer now for the newer Littles in the family!

At the same time, I decided that I want to digitize the negatives of my wedding pictures.  With the Forever Box, I could have instead chosen to have the wedding photos (the hard copies themselves) digitized by scanning, but I don't have any extra copies of them, and some of them have been displayed and faded in the sun over the last 30 years.  So I decided the negatives were the best bet.  

And I made you a video to show you how exactly to pack a Forever Box and walk you through the process.  

Since making that video, the process has been streamlined so that all media types just go in the same box.  You can see all the information for Forever Digitizing here, and keep in mind that the "price" of the "box" is really a credit.  (A $60 box includes $60 worth of media digitizing.)

The Results: Making Old Media Shareable

One of the biggest reasons to make old media shareable is this:  Even though my mom has passed on, her great-grandchildren who were born after she died can still listen to her reading them stories!  Click the image below to hear my mom reading "Go, Dog, Go!"

Click here to listen to Grandma reading you a story!

I had been trying to figure out the best way to share this newly- digitized treasure with my family.  Since my mom is gone, Mother's Day can be a sensitive time for us.  I decided that these stories would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift, so I emailed them to all the family the day before, using the link to them in my Forever Storage, similar to the one I just shared with you.  

That way, they can be accessed from a computer, tablet, or phone AND downloaded to that computer, tablet, or phone as well, which will make these stories so much more accessible to the younger generation of kiddos! 

My family (nieces, nephews, kids, dad, everyone) just clicked on the link to see where I had put the audio files (.mp3)--I put them into an Album (like a folder on your computer) in my Forever Storage.  

Of course, they're just audio files, so they don't have a thumbnail image to show which story is which.  Once you click on them, you can see the details as I have entered them.  See that on the right (below)?  

After opening the file like this, anyone I share this with can see those details at the right, and they can click on the PLAY arrow in the middle to hear the story.  (It's private in my personal account, but I did put a copy in my Demo account for you to listen to, the one I shared above, and I set that to a public setting.)

Another option for organizing your audio files--which I ended up deciding to do--is to put them in different Nested Albums (like subfolders on your computer), labeling each Nested Album as the story it contains.  It's so much easier to see what's there, and that's how I wanted to present it to my family.

You can see that I added a photo of the original Family Story Time CD to this FOREVER Album, too, so that I could set it as the Album's thumbnail image.

And because my FOREVER Storage is permanent, these stories will always be here for our family to listen to, shareable with just a link.  

And as for the negatives, you can see one of them in digital form here.  (Yes, I look 12 years old.  I was older than that, really.  I promise.)

There's No Time Like the Present

Food comes with expiration dates, and I really wish technology did, too!  

"Your computer will crash 5/16/28" or "DVD players will no longer come in laptops 6/29/23" or "There will be no way to play this Betamax tape after 3/15/16" would be SO helpful!

It falls to us, then, to stay on top of media that is important to us and our families.  

This was a TREASURE in its time because you could take home movies of your family!  For the first time EVER!  Think of it!

But if someone gave me something like this today, it would be useless.  I literally have no way to see, enjoy, or share it.  And that would be a tragedy.

If you have family memories on endangered media and need a trusted way to save them, I highly recommend the Forever Box.  You can see more details, including two short video tutorials, on the Forever Box here.

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Why You Should Take "Do Something with My Photos" Off Your To-Do List

Something I've seen in my 19+ years of providing tools for people to conveniently organize and preserve their memories from their photos, stories, etc., is that many people say they're overwhelmed and don't have time.  Many people feel defeated before they even begin.  

If "do something with my photos" is on your to-do list along with going to the post office and picking up the dry cleaning, I'm giving you not only permission but a recommendation to take it off!

There's a crucial reason for this.

Photos and Memories Don't Actually Belong on Your To-Do List

Your photos and memories (and stories and videos) don't belong on your to-do list because they are in a completely different category.  Here's why.

Studies show that spending time with your photos and memories increases happiness, relaxation, self-esteem, a sense of belonging, and even betters your memory.  It creates connections (an important antidote to many mental health struggles).  It even creates perspective and a sense of power in your life.

They're good for your heart and soul.  And that's shown in studies.

Getting the laundry done doesn't do those things for us.  Getting the grocery shopping done doesn't do those things for us.

So, "do something with my photos" doesn't belong in the same place. 

The Two-Fer

We tend to like to multi-task these days.  Especially when we feel too busy, we like to get multiple things done at the same time.  (I love doing this for mindless tasks!)  There's such a focus these days on being productive, and we do certainly have many good things we want to accomplish.

So let me blow your mind.

"We often think productivity means to work.  It doesn't.  Productivity means to make intentional choices towards a goal.  The choice could be to pause.  The goal could be to replenish.  Productivity could mean to rest." - Dr. Mona Masood

Here's your mind-blowing two-fer.

Putting your photos and memories in printed pages is a productive activity that at the same time serves as rest and replenishment!

Read that again. 💕

Because this is true, your photos don't belong on your to-do list.  Instead, put them on your calendar like you would something that rejuvenates you like lunch with a friend or a vacation.

This is literally what I do.  I put "photos" or "scrapbooking" on my calendar.  It's so easy to put off the boring items on my to-do list, but something special that I've blocked out time for on my calendar is different.  

If you're struggling to do that, I recommend the 10 Minutes Daily Plan and/or the Two-in-One Plan. 

If you're ready to relax and rejuvenate, all the while being productive, all you need is your photos.  Memory-keeping is magic.  💕

Looking back on photos is almost like taking a vacation.  You take a break from today and re-visit the highlights of yesterday.  Magic.

It's a pretty good prescription for what ails us!  (For all you who recognize the "What About Bob?" reference, you're my people!)

What Exactly Can I "Do With My Photos," Anyway?

There are lots of ways to save, organize, and share your photos (and memories and videos and stories), but photo experts recommend preserving them in print as well as digitally.   

And, yes, you can even include videos in your printed pages!  (Learn how at that link.)

My very favorite way to do this is using Forever because it offers such a wide variety of services for all my memories, no matter the format they're in.  It's also really important to me that all my memories are private and lasting.  Forever guarantees my photos and videos and digital versions of the books I print are accessible for future generations and keeps them private--and even triple-backed up!

And if you're looking for something quick, be sure you check out the Design & Print (or Create & Print) option.  Easy peasy.

You can get started with Forever here, no matter where your memories are (even VHS tapes), and you'll find videos tutorials at that link as well.

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post, from which I earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. 

Put "Do Something with My Photos" on your calendar as Me Time, Down Time, or Relaxation Time because it's truly that.  You can even do it with friends if that helps you keep your appointment with yourself, do it! 

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One Brilliant, Easy Way to Enhance Your Photography Business

If you've got a photography business, you're already attracting and connecting with people who love and want photos.  These clients and potential clients know the value of a photo.  

Here's one brilliant, easy way to make your photography business more lucrative with the clients you already have:

Incorporate Forever into your photography business.

First, we'll look at why, and then we'll look at how.  

You're going to love this.

About Forever and Why Forever Can Enhance Your Photography Business

If you're not familiar with Forever:  in a nutshell, Forever is the whole package for photos and memories.  A free Forever account allows a user like me to 

• preserve photos and memories in highest-in-the-industry, professionally-printed books one of two ways--a fast & easy option using templates, or a creative digital scrapbooking software method
• preserve photos and memories digitally in cloud photo/video storage that I own, with no monthly fees, that is guaranteed secure, private, triple-backed up, and permanent so I can pass them on to the next generation (the only of its kind out there!)
• rescue old memories from oudated media and get them digitized (film, VHS tapes, slides, scans, etc.) with professional, white-glove service that ranks highest in customer satisfaction (verified by Trustpilot)

--all of which follows expert advice to preserve photos and memories 2 ways digitally and 1 way in print.

Plus, there's so much focused on convenience:  an awesome photo storage and organization app; an auto-upload feature; photo editing within Forever Storage; easy ways to share photos, videos, and even PDFs of photo-memory books!  And probably something else I'm forgetting.

All to benefit me, and all Forever users.  And your photography clients.

They already know the value of a photo.  But they probably don't know the best way out there to store and preserve them.

I can think of two ways this would work beautifully for you as a photographer!

1. You're giving your clients a beautiful, high-quality way to turn the digital images they get from you into actual products to display and show off.  When photos are printed, they are seen and loved.  They can easily share the digital images from their Forever Storage with Grandma & Grandpa.  This becomes advertising for you.  When they see those photos again and again, they will be impressed with the images you shot.  They may book another session with you or refer someone to you.
2. You're also giving those digital images a safe place to be stored privately in the cloud that is safer than your clients' computers or a flash drive.  In Forever Storage, photos and videos (and PDFs of book/other projects) are triple-backed up and bank encrypted, with a security team managing them constantly.  That's definitely better treatment than my photos get on my computer!

How Forever Can Enhance Your Photography Business

Brilliant, right?  So, you're wondering, How exactly would this work?

OPTION 1

The simple but less-lucrative option would be to simply give Forever a try yourself, and when you love it, recommend it to others.  Every Forever account comes with a referral link, and it would be easy-peasy to add a QR code of your referral link to your business card or a link on your website.  

Include a short explanation like, "Looking for a permanent and secure place to store your photos in the cloud and showcase them in books, canvases, etc.?  Here's my recommendation:"

Or how about something like this?  I call it a Share Square.  (I'm happy to make you one!)  This could go out in an email, be shown on your website, get texted out with a "thanks for your business," or anything you like.

The monetary perk to you of using your referral link is that the new user gets a $20 coupon AND you as referrer get a $20 coupon as well!  Every time.

OPTION 2

The more-lucrative option is to earn commission on everything your clients purchase at Forever, from canvases and books to Forever Storage and Artisan digital scrapbooking software.

You do this by becoming a Forever Ambassador.  You can read more about what being a Forever Ambassador entails (and why I *love* it) here.

I can tell you from my own experience as a Forever Ambassador that because Forever is the whole package, clients often come to it for one thing and discover they could really use it for something else also.  What may start as a secure place to store the images you took for them in the cloud or a beautiful way to showcase those photos in books for grandparents for Christmas (etc.) may also end up this way:

One other entirely optional option ;) is to earn both commission and an hourly fee (of your choosing) by making books, canvases, photo gifts, etc., for your clients with Forever.  Again, the $20 coupon for a new account and the $20 coupon for the person who referred them still applies.  (Get your business cards free that way, or $20 off your own book!)  Open a Forever account for the client, then create and save the projects for them there.  They can reorder any time!  And you would, of course, earn commission again. 

I have offered this service--what I call Photo & Story Treasures for Hire--for several years now, and you can see what I do here.

There are so many possibilities here for offering packages and gaining additional revenue by incorporating Forever into your photography business!

Get Started Enhancing Your Photography Business

Whether you want to just recommend Forever with an easy QR code linked to your Referral Link or you'd like to be a Forever Ambassador, you've got a wonderful enhancement to your photography business where you're already connected with people who know the value of photos.

FYI, what becoming an Ambassador gets you: your Forever website, a back office (where you can see clients, commissions, purchases, etc.), tons of training materials at your disposal, a demo account (you can see mine here--it's a cool business resource that makes videos and photos easily shareable and even downloadable if you choose), and a truly supportive and inspiring community.  You can take advantage of as much or as little of that as fits your goals.  Nobody sets goals or "sales requirements" for you except you.

Contact me with any questions you have about being a Forever Ambassador.  When you're ready, you can sign up as a Forever Ambassador here.  I'll be assigned as your team leader and mentor, and you can do your business your way!

Learn more at the A Lasting Legacy: FOREVER for Photographers guide here:

FOREVER for photographers by Jennifer Wise 

 You already have a great business doing something that matters for people who know it matters.  See how Forever can make it even better!

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