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Out-of-the-box ideas for making your photo book truly unique
Heirlooms shouldn’t be stuffy or overly conservative: They should reflect the values and real lives of their subjects. And—we hope—for most of you that means lives filled with joy, music, and good company. If you're tackling your own DIY photo book, here are a few out-of-the-box ideas for adding color to your homemade books, from thought bubble captions (with a free download) to flip-book fun!
What's your family listening to? Add a playlist to your photo book to add yet one more fun layer to your memories!
We’re all about high-end books here at Modern Heirloom, but that doesn’t mean we ignore the fun factor! Heirlooms shouldn’t be stuffy or overly conservative: They should reflect the values and real lives of their subjects. And—we hope—for most of you that means lives filled with joy, music, and good company.
When you come to us, we will do way more than design a book for you—we’ll help you sift through ALL those photos, make suggestions for storylines and book angles, and ultimately curate and visually edit your story to create a wonderful end product. And we’re always open to creative twists and add-ons.
Sometimes, though, you might just want to create your own books. We know that not every photo book needs to be handcrafted and archival (though, we’re always here for you to create those!). For example, you might want to create a cheaper book for your toddler with pictures for every letter of the alphabet, or with pictures of faraway relatives—something that your child can actually play with, and get pureed carrots on without consequence. Or you might want your teens to put together their own version of a family annual, so you memorialize their point of view and favorite photos.
No matter the reason, there are times you’ll want to do your own thing. With that in mind, here are a few out-of-the-box ideas for adding color to your homemade books.
Blow some cartoony thought bubbles.
You might not be a designer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a few graphic elements to your book that’ll look professionally done. One of my favorite lighthearted design additions is the classic thought bubble. We’re all used to annotating our images these days on Instagram and Facebook, so why not let that sense of humor shine through in your photo books, too? Just search online for “free clip art thought bubbles,” or find fun templates in software such as Canva.
Add a book soundtrack.
Did you know that sensory cues can help trigger memories? Like the smell of bread baking eliciting memories of Grandma’s house, for instance. And while smell may most strongly evoke emotions, I have yet to find a way to produce a scratch-and-sniff photo book. You can, however, create a good old-fashioned print book and add in a musical component.
Brainstorm a music playlist to listen to while viewing your book. If it’s a family album, ask everyone to check back on their devices for their most played songs; think of the songs that marked occasions such as summer road trips or your kid’s camp performance. If your book is celebrating an occasion, record the obvious: songs played at the bar/bat mitzvah or wedding reception. A fiftieth wedding anniversary? Maybe you select a couple of songs per decade that have meaning to the golden couple.
Definitely typeset the list of songs and artists and include as a Playlist Epigraph in your book. If you’ve got the means, burn a CD of the music as well and keep in a plastic sleeve at the back of your book. For Modern Heirloom Books customers who decide to purchase a digital version of their book in addition to the hard copy, we can include the digital music files on the same flash drive.
Have some fill-in-the-blank fun.
Go a little Mad Libs with fun fill-in-the-blank statements scattered throughout your book. This is not appropriate for certain topics, of course, but there are a few that would benefit from the levity. One we love: A mini book in celebration of a half-birthday. Some ideas:
In these past six months, I have gotten so much more ________ and __________. I’m __________ now.
All I want for my half-birthday is ________________________.
Typeset the sentences and fill in the blanks with your handwriting, which makes the photo book that much personal, adding the human touch.
Animate your story with flip book corners.
Do you remember those little books when we were kids that you flipped the pages and the stick figures moved? I haven’t seen one of those in ages, but Pinterest and YouTube are filled with creative ideas for making them.
If you can draw, why not create a series of illustrations that grace the bottom right corner of your photo book, so there is an animated story running parallel to your photographic one? If you’re working with us and want to incorporate this idea into a book, we can hire an illustrator to customize your book corners with your own flip book. We especially love this idea for a Proposal book—share the story of your relationship through photographs and simultaneously show a cartoon-you going down on bended knee to pop the big question, flip-book-style!
We'd love to hear other creative ideas you have—or see the results of your own designs! Please share in the comments below or on social media.
How a struggle to tell my mother’s whole story turned into a more intimate portrait of love
The first legacy book I designed was as personal as it gets: a book honoring my beloved mother. But after struggling to find a way to tell her whole story, I realized that simply was not possible. And I didn't want some long, boring biography, anyway. What resulted is a book that is precious to me, and I hope will one day be inspiring to my son...and the children I envision he will someday have himself. May you be inspired to tell the story of one of your loved, ones, too!
Mother & daughter: an enduring friendship cut too short
When I was a teenager I gifted my mom with one of those split-heart necklaces declaring each bearer the other’s “best friend.” It never occurred to me to be embarrassed. My relationship with my mother was beyond special, and I always felt keenly aware of how blessed I was to have it.
Three months after I delivered my son, my mother died unexpectedly. At exactly the moment I felt most close to her, I lost her.
That was 2009. Every day since, well, I think of her. I ache for her, love her still. Remember her. And try to honor her memory by being the best person and mother I can be.
That my mother was able to meet her grandson, that I have a few beautiful photos of her holding my son, 12 weeks’ worth of memories of her bonding with him—just, thank God. Conversely, none of that makes up for the fact that my boy won’t remember his grandmother. He won’t know her purity of heart, her generosity, her surprising sense of humor.
I talk about my mom often, sometimes sharing stories that reveal her character or my favorite memories from my own childhood. Occasionally I just drop small references: Your grandmother adored daisies. She would have loved that dance move! I learned how to make this spinach quiche from my mom.
My mother’s spirit permeates my life. But without having other family members to talk of her with, without having relatives with whom I might be able to relive memories...I worry the memories will fade.
“Without having relatives with whom I might be able to relive memories...I worry the memories will fade.”
Procrastinating, or ruminating?
I spent countless hours going through boxes of old photos: black-and-whites of my mother, mostly from her teenage years. Many of my favorites were of her posed in some fashionable ensemble epitomizing the decade: festooned in a sleek belted dress in the late ’50s, donning a leopard-print faux-fur jacket in the ’60s, rocking a hand-crocheted pom-pom hat in the ’70s.
I cherish the scattered few pictures from her early childhood. And seeing photographs that showed everyday scenarios got me excited—they gave me visuals of her life before me.
When it came time to sit down and put together a photo book honoring my mother, though, I was stumped. At first I struggled with how to adequately bring this woman to life. How could I make others see—really see—how remarkable she truly was? How could I give a rounded impression of the person I knew and loved?
I couldn’t.
This depressed me for a while. I abandoned the book idea, and instead lost myself from time to time in re-examining the pictures in all those boxes. The sense of joy that came with happening upon a photo of her laughing, or again picking up one of her that reminds me of my son now, became addictive. I would begin to sort the photographs, setting aside a few favorites each time to scan, but would soon find myself down a rabbit hole, replacing the stacks back in the boxes to be rediscovered a different day. I was frustrated that I had made no progress in organizing the images or putting together a book. Yet I think I subconsciously relished the idea of being able to come back to the boxes anew, preserving some sense of serendipity: The boxes were a treasure chest, and I wanted to touch and feel the golden treasures within at will.
One day it dawned on me: Don’t make a book about her. Tell our story.
“Mommy & Me: A Love Story”
I knew I’d never be able to paint a full enough picture of my mother. And I didn’t want a boring (typically lengthy) biography, anyway. I had a trove of letters we each had saved over the years, from our correspondence when I was in college (at a time before the Internet made snail-mail almost obsolete) all the way until I got married and then pregnant. Despite daily phone calls, we both still felt compelled to share our love and feelings in writing. What a gift.
The process of putting this book together was cathartic and healing. I know now that I procrastinated in doing so because I needed time—time to let the ideas percolate in the back of my mind, and time to be ready to finish the grieving process. No, I’ll never truly be done grieving; but I do feel (almost) whole again, and proud of the book I have made in my mother’s honor.
This book, a gift to myself and eventually to my son, is as personal as it gets. Rather than post the entire book, I decided to share a slightly condensed version: I want to give you ideas for crafting your own story, plant some seeds of inspiration. And give you a glimpse into my relationship with my beloved mother.
The full book—with pages that reveal some incredibly personal letters and depict details from my life—I am reserving for my son...and hopefully the family he bears in the future.
Who would you like to honor?
I waited until my mother was gone from this Earth before endeavoring to tell our story in book form; but we were creating our story all along. As you are doing with those you love, I hope--living life out loud and mindfully, being present in the moment, allowing yourself to truly experience the full gamut of emotions.
Writer Allison Gilbert recently posted a quote that moved me on Instagram: “Make this year the year to remember loved ones intentionally.”
Who would you choose to honor with a legacy book? A grandparent who has recently deceased? A great-grandparent you’ve never met but heard plenty of family stories about over the years (preserve those!)? What about your living parents? What a gift to be able to interview your parents now, to not take their stories and wisdom for granted!
I can’t wait to “meet” the members of your family legacies and to help you honor them. Please reach out today to see how we can work together to create the book of your dreams.
Sometimes it’s the outtakes that matter. #unfiltered
From the crying baby to the teenage 'tude captured on Instagram, the less-than-perfect moments in our photo feeds should not be throwaways—heck, those are some of the most fun (and honest) pictures we have! Our top 5 reasons why the outtakes might matter more than your professionally posed pictures in the end.
That moment of pre-show jitters makes for as memorable a shot as her big recital debut! Photograph by Marc Goldberg
Why the photos you threw away might really be keepers.
That posed shot of your family sitting in front of the Christmas tree? Lovely, perhaps even frame-worthy. The one of your 3-year-old son looking wide-eyed and contrite after dropping a delicate ornament? Priceless.
Many a Facebook and Instagram feed boasts one near perfect shot after another—online, anyway, we’re living the life of our dreams. But putting aside “friend” envy and FOMO concerns, take note of what pictures you really respond to when browsing your social media feeds: You might LIKE the formal wedding portrait, but you smiled and laughed at the groom’s own boisterous snapshots from the reception. You probably LIKED your sister’s latest (professionally taken) profile picture, but you loved her imperfectly perfect #TT picture shot in your parents’ dark basement 10 years ago.
“Online, anyway, we’re living the life of our dreams.
When we sit down to consider what images to include in a photo book, it’s common to gravitate first to all those perfect shots. We want our family albums to be beautiful—hell, we want to look beautiful in all our pictures, right? And those shots just might make up the backbone of your book. Just don’t discount the outtakes. Here’s why.
1. It’s often the moments right before and after the “big moments” that matter.
Here’s an obvious example: After the wedding vows comes the kiss—a moment no wedding photographer worth her salt would miss. But how about after a graduation? The pensive times your graduate is reflecting on the imminent changes in his life—did you snap him looking a little lost? He might not think so now, but that picture is one he’ll want in later years, reminding him of the magnitude of the moment (and it’ll mean a little more to him upon reflection…and well past the time of worry!). So don’t post that one on Facebook now, but do hold onto it for a book he’ll cherish down the road.
2. Tears are part of life.
When your kid fell off his bike after taking off the training wheels, he cried; you captured the moment because you were snapping away. Include it in your book. Learning to ride a bicycle is a process, and the sense of accomplishment is best felt in light of that fall. You may consider a triumphant picture after he’s mastered his two-wheeler—make it big. Then complement that with a few smaller shots—like stills from a movie—adding color and detail: his tears, his dad removing the training wheels, your child adjusting his helmet.
And speaking of tears: Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride’s parents cried? Tears of joy, well worth recounting. A newborn? Come on—if your child’s baby book doesn’t include some wailing shots, something’s not right!
A smiling baby is always cute, but c'mon...is there anything cuter than a crying baby (sans volume)?
3. Creative cropping can bring a scene into focus.
And “bad” photos can be transformed into artistic images. With digital imaging so accessible these days—from Instagram filters and collage makers to PhotoShop Elements—everyone’s able to alter their pictures for the better. But so much of this post-processing is about making an already good picture stronger with light or subtle retouching effects. Never underestimate the power of good old cropping.
By cropping a picture, we redraw its borders and change the scale of its elements in relation to the overall picture. You can close in on a detail, crop out extraneous people or distracting signs, or just crop a touch from the edges to redirect the eyes. So even if Aunt Sally is smirking in the corner of the picture or a little imp photo-bombed your family shot, crop out what offends and hone in on an otherwise meaningful moment!
4. Everyone has a sense of humor.
Bloopers are a perennial TV hit for a reason. And you are familiar with Awkward Family Photos, are you not?! If a picture makes you laugh uncontrollably, smile knowingly, or blush with memory, chances are it’s a winner.
Like the baby who peed during his newborn session. The muddy dog who jumped on your pristine dress (animals can make for some of the most fun bloopers!). A trip-and-fall at a big moment, a dropped birthday cake, a twisted face as if she just tasted sour grapes…you get the idea!
These inopportune pictures might not make it onto your Christmas cards (though I’m willing to bet your friends and family would hang them front and center!) but they should have a place in your books and albums, for sure.
Photo by Kristen Livingston
You might not want to showcase that pout in a frame, but in a photo book? Heck, yeah!
5. Stars: They’re just like us. Well, so are we.
Us magazine tapped into just how much we all love to see celebrities doing everyday things—they get coffee, ride the subway, pump their own gas! I admit, I could flip through those photo pages for days.
No, I’m not advocating having someone photograph you at the gas pump. But remember that pictures that offer a glimpse into our everyday lives might be cherished in years to come. They’re revealing. They provide the truest sense of time.
Some of my favorite shots from my family’s archives are of the everyday variety—my grandmother cooking a roast in her housecoat (a “housecoat”!), seeing my father put together a bike in the driveway. These shots offer a glimpse into what their lives were like. It’s not as if our parents came of age in “the olden days,” as we used to say—but let’s face it, the ’60s and ’70s were a very different time! Just imagine what our ’80s hair will seem like to our kids in 20 years! (Oh, and phones had those long, twisty cords!)
When we had to pay to get film developed, every shot counted, so those everyday snapshots made their way into our albums and drawers. These days we can snap away forever, and deleting a shot that seems unremarkable is easier. Just remember to keep a few of them. Like the one of your kid doing the dishes—that’s a keeper, and will seem like a relic when he gets married.
Photograph by Colie James, a professional photographer who sees the beauty and importance of chronicling our everyday lives.
6. Remember that there are some shots that should be off-limits.
Respect your subjects’ dignity and privacy. It’s one thing for J. Lo’s wardrobe malfunction to go viral, it’s another entirely for your girlfriend’s see-through blouse or your sister's Marilyn-dress moment to be shared. Don’t save or share pictures that would embarrass or humiliate anyone. It’s that essential “do unto others” rule: Would you want a picture of you like THAT shared? Didn’t think so.
What are your favorite outtakes and photo bloopers? Do share!!
Tweet at us and use hashtag #photoblooper.
Share on our Facebook page and on Instagram.
We’ll compile the best into an updated blog post!
Why tell our stories? Wisdom from RootsTech 2016 & beyond
There are likely a million reasons to share personal stories. We've collected 10 nuggets of priceless wisdom from #RootsTech 2016, from inspiring love and empathy to helping us raise resilient children. Stories are gifts—are you sharing yours?
Sharing stories of your own childhood—including times your overcame hardships—helps your kids be more resilient (not to mention get to know you better!).
Stories help us connect with our loved ones, and glean insights into ourselves and our history. Stories have myriad benefits beyond that, too:
Studies show that kids with a knowledge of family history have higher self-esteem, lower levels of anxiety, and fewer behavioral problems. Children of parents who regularly reminisce about their own childhoods have been shown to be more empathetic to others. And teens who have been exposed to family stories are more confident, with better coping skills.
Fundamentally, stories help us remember. And photographs often provide that spark that helps transport us back in time—like the smell of your grandmother's banana bread or Hanukkah latkes. When combined, your pictures and stories have tremendous power!
Last week, tens of thousands of people gathered in Salt Lake City, UT for RootsTech 2016, where the theme was #STORYTELLING. Kudos! Some nuggets of wisdom on the topic from those who were there, and those who wished they were:
1. "Stories unite us; they help us recognize ourselves in others."
2. Family stories are gifts to our children.
Not only do the stories we tell our kids help them relate and feel like an essential part of the family, they strengthen them and make them undeniably more resilient. As keynote speaker and author Bruce Feiler wrote in a viral NYT piece from 2013:
"When faced with a challenge, happy families, like happy people, just add a new chapter to their life story that shows them overcoming the hardship. This skill is particularly important for children, whose identity tends to get locked in during adolescence.
The bottom line: if you want a happier family, create, refine and retell the story of your family’s positive moments and your ability to bounce back from the difficult ones. That act alone may increase the odds that your family will thrive for many generations to come."
3. Stories help us preserve our history for future generations.
"What will our grandkids and great-grandkids know of us?” wondered Jens Nielsen, president at Pictureline, in his talk at RootsTech 2016.
We love all the reasons that are designated in the above article shared by Family Search, but two of our favorites:
• You and your family are important to somebody, probably many somebodies.
• Family trees are abstract. Stories add depth.
4. Stories keep alive in spirit those who have since departed. #legacy
5. Stories uplift us.
6. Stories make us feel love.
7. Stories tap into the wisdom of humanity, impart lessons painlessly, promote empathy.
8. Stories are free entertainment.
“Best of all, unlike stories from books, family stories are always free and completely portable. You don’t even need to have the lights on to share with your child a story about your day, about their day, about your childhood or their grandma’s. In the research on family storytelling, all of these kinds of stories are linked to benefits for your child. Family stories can continue to be part of a parent’s daily interactions with their children into adolescence, long past the age of the bedtime story.” —The Atlantic
9. Stories are part of our everyday lives. #dinnerconversation
9. Stories are meant to be shared.
10. And last but not least: You gotta eat.
So tell your stories. Be generous with them. As we tell our young kids: “It’s good to share.”
Your search for “unique bridal shower gifts from the parents” ends here
Your daughter is engaged. Celebrate the girl she was and the woman she has become before she walks down the aisle. Or honor your own relationship with her and how it has evolved over time. Our Heirloom Original is a wedding shower gift that is as personal as it gets, destined to be cherished by the bride-to-be.
What did you feel when your daughter announced that she was engaged? Pride, astonishment, an overflow of emotions? Tears of joy? You’re not alone.
And while registering at Crate & Barrel and Bloomingdale’s followed by an at-home champagne toast is a memorable (if exhausting) outing, why not consider a wedding shower gift that will truly move her: our signature “Dear Daughter, on Your Wedding Day,” an heirloom book honoring the girl she was—the one you nurtured and watched blossom—and the woman she has become.
During your daughter’s engagement period, it’s inevitable that you’ll both be reflecting on her journey. Let yourself relish the memories. Pull out those old boxes of photos, the family albums, her baby book. Remember what she was like as a precocious toddler, an awkward tween, a graceful graduate. What characteristics did she inherit from you? What surprised you about her choices over the years?
Designing a Book in Honor of Your Daughter for Her Wedding Shower
Modern Heirloom Books can help you stitch the memories and observations together into a cohesive and emotional narrative. Together we will identify the most evocative pictures and prepare them for print. We’ll even help you identify gaps in the visual storyline and come up with creative ways to fill them in—sending your daughter’s bronzed baby shoes or old lovey to a professional photographer for inclusion in the book, for instance. Or helping you stage your own shots of framed images on your mantel or, say…her favorite comfort food!
Maybe we plan a “secret” get-together with a photographer and your daughter’s siblings and closest friends to take their portraits and record their favorite memories of your daughter as a child.
We’ll select a book style based on your daughter’s personality: Perhaps a Victorian damask fabric cover encased in a matching sheath box for your romantic girl, or a luxurious velvet-covered book with silver foil stamping for your traditional child. An array of rich leathers, Japanese silks, textured fabrics, and other unique design options offers something for every bride-to-be.
So before your daughter walks down the aisle, and before you get caught up in the storm of wedding favors and seating charts, why not embark upon a nostalgic journey that ends with a perfect wedding shower gift from the parents? (It’s an especially touching gift when crafted by a Daddy for his all-grown-up girl!)
Set up a consultation to see how we can work together.
To have the most efficient conversation, know your timeline (when would you need the book?) and consider where your photos are (you might be surprised that they're not always on hand!). Oh...
...and CONGRATULATIONS on your daughter's impending nuptials!
Using technology to help you share your family’s stories
There is plenty you can do to ensure that you are—easily!—capturing bits and pieces of your family history on a regular basis. Even if a photo book is way off in your future, take steps now to make life easier later with our recommended memory-sharing websites. With weekly emails prompting a family elder to share personal stories, and options for video, audio, and other customization, creating your personal digital archive is simpler than ever.
A recurring theme here at Modern Heirloom Books is that while we are drowning in our digital images, most people are not doing anything really worthwhile with their pictures. That’s a main reason we exist as a company—to help you curate your pictures and craft them into stories you can share through exquisitely designed books.
What of those stories, though? There is plenty you can do to ensure that you are—easily!—capturing bits and pieces of your family history along the way. Even if a photo book is way off in your future, take steps now to make life easier later.
“There is plenty you can do to ensure that you are—easily!—capturing bits and pieces of your family history along the way.”
In the last few years a host of memory sharing sites have arisen to help tech-savvy families record and share their family memories. Some have evolved over time, while new ones continue to hit the app store in an attempt to simplify the process with more elegant and engaging interfaces. Many of them are too labor-intensive or convoluted to warrant your time, however (and I doubt they’ll be around in a few more years).
One Memory-Sharing App That’s Worth Your Time—and One to Watch (IOHO)
You know those fill-in-the-blank memory books that tempt on Barnes & Noble bookshelves, or the beautiful journals that promise to leave your story for your children? (You know, the one that sits on your nightstand with just two pages filled in?) They’re a wonderful idea, if only we’d truly sit down and answer the questions. StoryWorth is like a digital version of these books, but with so many more benefits.
Options for good old-fashioned fill-in-the-blank memory journals abound—but they're useless if no one fills them in!
StoryWorth recipients receive a weekly email prompting them to answer a question based on their life experiences. The array of questions is vast and evocative, though users may always choose to answer a question they themselves craft. When a reply is input, answers are emailed to a preset list of people (so, as many family members and friends as you want to designate may receive your stories).
The value? It’s easy and fun to answer these prompts, whether a subject types a response on the website or via email, or chooses to record an audio clip over the phone. Photos and audio files can also be uploaded to the site, and stories—all saved on StoryWorth and available for printing or download at any time—are editable and secure. Remember: These aren’t biographies you’re crafting. They are nuggets from your (or your mother’s or grandfather’s) life—the time you hitchhiked across the state, the first time he flew on an airplane, that time none of the kids could find the hidden Easter eggs—colorful tales that the rest of there family will be thrilled to discover.
The site has a few packages ranging from $39 to $119 per year, and they offer a one-month free trial (you don’t even have to enter your credit card to start your trial). Check it out.
If your memories are all over the multimedia map and you want something more dynamic and mobile-friendly, I venture to guess that the imminent app I Rememba might be a good choice. I can’t say much more, though, as the app is still in development; I have signed up for access to their beta launch, so I’ll update you when I’ve eventually had time to test it. Why does it warrant my interest? Well, I am right there with the founder’s inspiration:
““Today, I’m 34 yrs old and have a 3.5 yr old daughter, of whom I have more than 25GB of pictures and videos…and due to the sheer speed with which we’re creating new memories, we don’t really care about them as much as we used to. Can you imagine, when my daughter grows up, what it would be like for her to Search and/or Share just the BEST memories of her life?? ….feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack…””
The launch site promises ways to preserve, capture, and share memories, in whatever format (video, audio, photo, text, and even family tree charts), and to “leave your legacy through time capsules.” I Rememba, like Modern Heirloom Books, is about preservation of memories and connecting generations. I’ll be watching them!
Family History vs. Family Stories
There is a place for memoirs and full-fledged biographies: the library.
Your own stories should not be told in minute detail, covering every life decision and milestone. I am not insinuating that your accomplishments and experiences are not worthwhile—truly, I am not. But for most of us, that…long…story would be rather…boring.
Perhaps it is important for you to chronicle your heritage, and I value a detailed family tree as much as any genealogist. For me, though, the personal tales that inspire a smile or reveal a person’s character are of even greater value. As the cliché goes, no one wants to sit through two hours’ worth of family vacation video, but a highlight reel is always welcome! Likewise, your descendants don’t want to feel like they are reading a 100-page history lesson, but rather as if they are being introduced to the interesting, unique people who came before them.
“No one wants to sit through two hours’ worth of family vacation video, but a highlight reel is always welcome!”
The memory-sharing apps mentioned above are great options for capturing the memories that matter. You’ll know which stories resonate when you get responses from your family members. “OMG I had no idea you were such a rebel soul!!” “I always knew you had a generous spirit, but this is above and beyond.” “LOL you are the same now as when you were 6yo!” “Now that I’m a mom I do the same thing!!”
“You’re not faced with thinking about your whole life or even what story you want to tell,” Nancy Mills told the NY Times about her experience with StoryWorth. “It’s like you’re having a conversation.”
And editing out stories that are less impactful—meaning that when you read them months later they don’t make you feel something—is easy.
I was lucky enough to inherit a book in which my mom recorded some memories the old-fashioned way—a true treasure.
Whether you actually sit down and use a good old-fashioned pen to record your memories (my mother did, and the book she left me will be forever cherished) or you subscribe to StoryWorth or another tech-aid, just do it. Get your stories down, and saved in one place.
Then, when you’re ready, let’s turn them into something even more special.
The power of pictures to make us feel: Remembering David Bowie
David Bowie will be remembered primarily through his evocative, powerful music, but the trove of pictures that show his shapeshifting self will continue to reveal his story.
Sometimes it’s not our own pictures that make us feel something profound, but those of others who have influenced us.
The loss this week of a consummate artist, David Bowie—who has made millions of us feel all kinds of emotions through his music—has resonated with more people than I would have imagined. My personal Facebook feed is flooded with links to the coverage of Bowie’s death. But it’s the posts that are rife with images that I am finding most powerful.
Classic photo: David and Angie Bowie taking their then 3-week-old baby Zowie for a walk, 1971
As a tremendous lover of music, I am never surprised by how a song can transform my mood—or make me cry. Bowie told stories through his infectious lyrics, and his music was emotionally evocative, to say the least. He had a larger-than-life personality; he lived life out loud. His songs will forever push and pull at us—make us dance, perceive acceptance, be inspired, viscerally feel.
“There’s something within his canon for each and every one of us,” said a fan outside Bowie’s NYC home, reports the NY Times. “He covered every aspect of the human heart, and I really will miss him.”
And the many, many images of him, like his music, will continue to reveal parts of David Bowie’s story. Rest in peace, Starman.
On St. Marks Place, NYC Photo by Jess Dukes
Are you a photo hoarder? Here’s help.
What’s the number in YOUR photo scroll? Here's help for getting your digital photos under control—so you can find that family photo gem when you want it (now!).
When the number of photos on your smart phone is in excess of—what, 10,000?—you’re in danger of being a photo hoarder.
We all take pictures (now more than ever: apparently one trillion photos were taken just this year!)—but what we do with them is highly individual. My mom always had her photos developed and every other year or so she’d sit down to the task of making an old-fashioned album (you remember the kind: with those clear magnetic page overlays to hold the pics in place?). My mother-in-law, on the other hand, stashed piles of pictures in drawers until they were so overflowing the drawers could no longer be opened (hey, that’s one way to protect your pictures!).
These days, technology has changed the game a lot, but there are still countless people who let their pictures languish somewhere—on their cell phone, on their social media feeds, on their camera’s HD card. (Do a Google search of “photo hoarder” and at the top of the absurd 1.56 million pages of results you’ll see that “picture hoarder” is even a term in the urban dictionary.)
20 years from now, you don’t want to feel like you are drowning in photos—you just want to remember!
Sound familiar? The first step is admitting you have a problem—say it: “I am a photo hoarder.” Next, take it a day at a time, starting with this plan.
Take out the trash.
One step at a time: Let’s start deleting images that you don’t need! Instead of playing Candy Crush or Hangman on your daily commute, scroll through your photo feed and start hitting delete. It may take weeks with this approach, but at least it’s a start!
Here are a few criteria that can help you quickly determine which photos to throw away first:
Duplicates. Did you take four shots of your lunch to see which one was best to post to Instagram? At least three of them are garbage (and that last one, really—will you need that for posterity?).
Screenshots. You took a screen grab of your text chat to email a friend, and another of a book on Amazon you wanted to remember to buy later. Smart phone technology definitely makes life easier, but it also makes it easier to hoard ridiculous images. Scanning your photo feed for these is simple and quick—do a batch delete!
Indecipherable. Dark, blurry, whatever—if you can’t remember what that shot is now, you’ll never need it later.
For all your other pictures that may fall into a grayer category, ask yourself these questions to help you determine if a photo is a keeper or should be dragged to the trash:
Does the picture tell a story that you want to remember?
Is it a spectacular photo? (If it doesn’t tell a story and isn’t really great, chances are you don’t need it.)
I don’t mean to oversimplify, but really, why would you need 3,000 average photos that don’t hold meaning to you? The real challenge lies in answering question number one honestly.
On a personal note: Avoid guilt! Don’t try to argue with yourself and find reasons to keep a photo. Deleting a picture of your child does not mean you love him any less. Your photo library is like your personal museum: You must be a curator. Trust me, 20 years from now if you want to reflect on a particular time in your family life, you don’t want to feel like you are drowning in photos.
Be vigilant going forward.
It’s a lot easier to maintain order than to have to clean out your photos in an overwhelming project every few years.
Set a reminder in your schedule every three months to do a quick cleanse of your digital photo libraries.
Consider hiring a professional photo organizer to help you keep things in check. I am happy to recommend someone near you, or if you are undertaking photo organizing as a precursor to creating aa book, I can help.
Get in the habit of deleting subpar photos right after taking them.
Recover your pictures from social media.
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter should not be considered backup for your precious images. They are sharing tools, period. If you’ve been guilty of uploading pictures to social media and then deleting them from your phone or computer hard drive, please, repeat after me: I will not let my pictures live solely on social media.
Then get to work. There are tools to help you recover your photos, though not always at as high a resolution as you had originally uploaded them. For Facebook, go to your Account Settings >> General Account Settings and at the bottom click on the option to “Download a copy of your Facebook data”; you will get a .zip file that should include all your photos and videos. Instagram does not allow direct download of your images, but there are a variety of tools outlined in this helpful article.
If you are not technically savvy or this job just seems too tedious or time-consuming for you, there are pros who can help.
How many pictures are on your digital devices? (Yes, I am asking about ALL of your devices combined!)
Make a sustainable plan.
If your phone really is your primary camera, as it is for so many people, make sure you connect it to your computer regularly to synchronize images. I recommend investing in cloud storage of some kind—there are plenty of inexpensive options, and you are able to back up not only your images but your contacts, calendar, and emails, as well.
If you have a DSLR or a digital point-and-shoot camera, do not rely on your camera’s HD card as the only method for storing your photos. Invest in an external hard drive such as the LaCie Porsche, which can store up to 4TB of data—that’s more photos than even most selfie-obsessed photo hoarders can take in a decade!
Free Guide to Using Your Photos as Writing Prompts
You’ve saved all those pictures for a reason—why not use them to help tell the stories of your life?
Dawn Roode’s curated roundup for the week of Sept. 23, 2026, is overflowing with recent reads on memoir, life story writing, and family history preservation.