Easing Photo Overwhelm Using the "Film Photos Strategy"

When Notre Dame cathedral burned in 2019, I thought, "At least I have pictures of it."  When I went back to look at my photos of that trip, I was shocked to find that I have a whole TWO photos of Notre Dame.  I even turned the scrapbook pages back and forth to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

Nope.  For real, I have two photos of my visit to Notre Dame in Paris.  And here's why.  

We visited it in 2003, and I had a film camera then.  We got a digital camera gifted to us the year before, but the quality wasn't good at all.  The photos were grainy.  So, I stuck with my film camera. I took a roll of 24 photos at a time, and because I had to pay for every one of those 24 photos to get developed, whether they were blurry or had someone's eyes closed or not, I didn't take 20 pictures of one thing to just see which ones I liked best.  

I remember I took one photo inside Notre Dame.  The flash didn't do anything, and it was so dark in there.  The famous rose window looked like a dark but somewhat colorful circle, nothing like it actually looked to my own eyes when looking at it.  It didn't even make the scrapbook.

Lately, I have been scanning all the scrapbook pages from those pre-digital camera days.  Those pages are the only copies I have of those photos, so scanning them gives me a backup (AND a way to access those photos digitally through my Forever app).  I spend 10 minutes a day scanning, and have made amazing progress.

I recently came across photos from the previous year, 2002, when we went to Italy.  It was a dream trip.  We went to Florence, which I completely adored, and Pompeii, which was utterly fascinating.  I am a weensy bit obsessed with Pompeii, actually.  I looked through those pages as I scanned them, re-living memories from too long ago, and was again shocked to find that I took TWO pictures at Pompeii.  

Two.  Of a place I'd been dying to see.  

What Has Changed 

While I certainly wish I had taken just a few more photos of those amazing places, it also caused me to reflect on how I take photos today.  It has especially caused me to reflect on what I hear so many clients (and potential clients) tell me:  "I have so many photos that I can't do anything with them."  I call it Photo Overwhelm.   

How I take pictures now is SO different.  I don't have to pay anything to see how my photos turned out.  My phone is actually *amazing* at indoor/low-light photos.  So I get photos like this:

interior of the Frieburg im Breisgau cathedral, 2022

interior of St. Mary's Cathedral; Kilkenny, Ireland; 2023

And so, as you might guess, I take a lot more pictures now. 

I'm sure it's the same for you.

Why it Matters 

Maybe you think, "What's the big deal? Yes, we take a lot more pictures now, and sometimes they're hard to find.  We don't really look at them very often.  Who cares?" 

Actually, photos matter far more than we realize. 

You might think of other reasons that photos matter, but these are the main ones I've learned about in 20+ years as a photo & memory-keeping guide, which are actually backed up by studies:

• They create connections and can even be an antidote to the disconnect, loneliness, and self-esteem struggles caused by social media. (See the link above in blue for the details.)
• They increase a sense of belonging and purpose while increasing empowerment.
• They increase happiness by 11%, which is more than anything else we tend to try (like music or chocolate) to help our mood.
• They increase relaxation by 22%.
• They decrease stress.
• They improve memory.
• They can help in healing from grief.
• They create perspective and foster gratitude (which is, by itself, a mental health benefit).

We need our photos desperately!

While there's a lot of focus on digitally preserving photos (like on a hard drive or in the cloud), and rightly so because digital versions are an important back-up and easily shareable, photo experts still list print as one of the most important ways to preserve photos.  Plus, print never needs a battery.

What We Can Learn from My Film Photos 

I hear so many people talk about Photo Overwhelm as the root cause for not preserving their photos (digitally or in print).  And, yes, photo experts also recommend preserving photos in two ways digitally--this is the best digital photo storage option I've ever seen.

  

This throwback to my film camera days and the resulting scrapbooks made me think again of the wisdom of a method I heard about years ago, The Yearbook Method.

The Yearbook Method is simply choosing your favorite photos from each month to create a two-page spread, like this:

photo credit: Brooke Mehr

And, yes, maybe you took 50 photos that month.  But that's sort of the point.  Just choosing favorites gets you out of Overwhelm because it makes preserving them more doable.

You can certainly add 2 more pages for a given month if you want.  I am super addicted to digital scrapbooking, and I have an impressive method of preserving my photos digitally, too, so I don't suffer from Photo Overwhelm.  I personally feel free to preserve all the pictures I take in pages.

But if you are overwhelmed with your photos, I highly recommend The Yearbook Method.  Whether you use the method or not, the mindset behind it, the Film Photos Strategy, can help you immensely.  

How the Film Photos Strategy Can Ease Your Photo Overwhelm 

The Film Photos Strategy is just thinking about your photos as if they were film.  Do a little throwback to the film days, with the mindset that taking 20 photos of your day at the park costs a lot.  

Because it does.  It costs us our photos.  It prevents us from accessing, enjoying, and sharing our memories as captured in photos, so we miss out on all those personal benefits I listed earlier.

So, yes, these days the Film Photos Strategy will probably consist of more than 2 photos of a special destination or special event, unlike my Pompeii and Notre Dame photos.  However, thinking about your photos in terms of just the must-haves can ease your photo overwhelm.

You also need a photo-memory book that's high quality and easy to create.  I recommend this one:

You can see how easy it is in the video, but also know that these books are printed on the highest quality materials and have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  They're also preserved in your account forever after they're printed, so you'll have a digital, easily shareable copy, too!

If you prefer more flexibility and creativity, like this

I recommend Artisan, my go-to digital scrapbooking love.  Books are still printed with the same quality, the highest in the industry.  You can see my whole "year in review" in 20 seconds!

My "year in review" is preserved both digitally and in print. It's not at the mercy of a social media site who may change their policies or remove my content or sell my data. My 2024 photos, videos, and memories are preserved at Forever using Artisan software, Forever Print (the highest quality in the industry), and Forever Permanent Cloud Storage!

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate, called an Ambassador, because I love Forever so much!  This means I make a commission from any purchases at my website, and as your Ambassador I'm here to help you, too.  And if you are a new Forever user, be sure you validate your email so you'll receive the $20 coupon to use on whatever you're going to order!  It's good for 60 days.

Get the Photo Benefits by Getting Started 

If you, by chance, have photos, and if you, by chance, need to lower your stress and create connections and increase your happiness and decrease your loneliness and better your perspective, you just need to spend time with your photos and memories.

You can actually accomplish a lot in just 10 or 15 minutes a day.  Try my 10 Minutes Daily Plan and see what I mean.  (I have done this myself and it really does make a huge difference.

Here are two ideas for that "high quality but easy to create" suggestion I made earlier.  

This template is called Simple Pleasures, and you can create your own at this link.

page examples from the Simple Pleasures template--there are lots to choose from

There are lots of others to choose from, too!  I like the Color Blocked Yearbook myself.

You can see all the possible pages and start yours here.

Get started right away!  And then share this post with someone you know who needs the same things.

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Be in the Pictures: "This isn't about you"

Last year, I took a lovely trip with my sister to one of her favorite places on earth.  Because it's a beach, it's automatically one of my favorite places, too, even though I'd never been there before.

One day, we were on a small ferry to an island where one of the ferry employees offered to take our picture.  We said, "Sure!" as we laughed a little about our very, very windblown hair.  

She took the picture and then told us a very short story that has become one of my favorite stories about pictures.

The Story:  This Isn't About You

She told us that her daughter recently wanted to take a photo of her, but she declined because she didn't think she look very good that day.  

Her daughter said, “This isn’t about you.  It’s about when you’re dead so that I have pictures of you to look at."

We laughed, mostly at the bluntness of the statement, but I really appreciated the reason behind the argument.  

Eventually, photos and videos and maybe even some audio recordings will be all we have left of someone special.

When we had this photo taken on the ferry, neither of us were trying to be a part of a beauty contest or have something airbrushed to make us look ten years younger.  (Why do we do that?!  Age is something to be proud of because we've earned it!)

We were just enjoying time together as sisters in a beautiful place where we had a completely delightful time.  Together.  And, hello, there were wild horses on that island behind us!! 

Just Do It

Just do it.  Be in the pictures.  Don't worry about if your hair is everywhere or you have wrinkles or gray hair ("sparkles") or if your eyelids are heavier than they used to be.  Guess what.  This is what I looked like at 52.  And this is something great that I did when I was 52.  So I should have some pictures of it!

It's about the moment, not about some ridiculous ideal that nobody can really live up to.  

I know it can be hard to get over ourselves in this world so focused on appearances, but to the people you matter the most to, they don't see anything but YOU.  The person they love.

The Two-Part Challenge

This is hard for most of us, I know.  This two-part challenge is for me too (although I've nailed part 2!)  

PART 1:  Look beyond appearances to the MOMENT and what's MEANINGFUL in a photo!  Look at the memories.  Begin to see something you'll cherish 5 or 25 years from now.  See something that those who love you will cherish even beyond that.

PART 2:  Celebrate memories.  Share your pictures.  Get them off your phone!  They don't get seen there.  Shared photos and memories and stories make life meaningful and have a whole host of personal and interpersonal benefits like these.

Then, get started preserving and sharing them in pages.  It doesn't have to be hard or complicated.  There are two different options at that link to fit your time and interest, and both of them are printed in highest quality bindings, papers, and inks to last generations.

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How to Get Back Into Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking, or Photo Books (or how to start)

Sometimes things change.  And sometimes it affects your memory-keeping.  

Memory-keeping is essentially preserving photos and memories.  You make a record of life's events that you and your loved ones can look back on.  And when you do, these kinds of things happen:

Memory-keeping is literally a feel-good activity.  It's truly self-care.  So getting back into it (or into it in the first place) really matters.

FALLING OUT OF THE MEMORY-KEEPING HABIT

There are so many reasons you might fall out of the memory-keeping habit.  

Maybe your schedule changed.  Maybe you had a life-changing event.  

Maybe the system you used to use and love isn't so loveable for one reason or another.  Maybe you're looking for something better.  

Maybe you feel overwhelmed.  Maybe you just need to get excited about it again.

I've been a memory-keeper for as long as I can remember, and I absolutely love it, but this happened to me!  A big change that was out of my control required that I go looking for another digital scrapbooking option.  I didn't fall out of the habit as much as the fun was just sucked out of it and my go-to method went away.  I needed something amazing and reliable and fun.

GETTING BACK INTO IT

I think the most important thing you need in order to get back into memory-keeping (or get into it) is options.  Everyone wants a high-quality book that's *guaranteed, but not everyone enjoys or wants the same process to get there. 

*Yes, a 100% satisfaction guarantee for the printed product goes without saying, but I'm also talking about the longevity of the digital version.  Some companies delete your projects after a certain amount of time, some companies charge you for a PDF version, etc.  We all definitely want some guarantees for our books.  Beyond that, we often have different needs, interests, available time, etc., for actually getting a book done.

If you haven't done scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, or photo books for a while, this 30-minute class will get you back into it!  You'll come away with both solutions and tools, and you'll have options.

Here's the Get Back Into It checklist, too!  It includes all the live links and details for how to DO everything you learned in the class.

GETTING ON TOP OF IT

Getting back into it can get you on top of it!  Once you get back into a memory-keeping habit, you'll be having fun with it, and that makes it easy to do.  You ditch the overwhelm that way.  

Staying on top of it can get you here, too:

For some extra tips on how to make all this happen, here's my How to Start a Photo-Preserving and Memory-Keeping Habit in 10 Minutes a Day

What's made you fall out of the memory-keeping habit?  Which of the tips or tools I shared here do you think will help you the most?  Tell me in the comments below.

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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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