Make, Capture, Keep | Why you’re Almost a Memory-Keeper
I think lots of us get scared off by the thought of memory-keeping. We think it has to mean scissors and glue and way too much time (that we don’t have).
It doesn’t. Hang with me.
If you’re making memories with your loved ones and taking lots of pictures but you don’t have a plan for what to do with the thousands of photos stored on your phone, then you’re almost a memory-keeper.
Memory-keeping is the process of getting our photos off of our devices and into some kind of tangible project we can share and enjoy.
Most of us aren’t writing letters or journaling anymore, so our memories live only in our heads and on our phones and in social media feeds.
Memory-keeping provides a simple record, a way to recall the past and be grateful for it in the present.
It can be beautiful without being complicated.
Here’s how I think about memory-keeping in three parts - make, capture, and keep (and why I think you’re almost a memory-keeper!).
Part 1 | Make
Memory-keeping starts with making memories.
Travel, holidays, rituals and traditions count. Little League, gymnastics, vacations, and years of Halloween costumes count.
First days of life, first foods, first steps, first birthdays, first days of school.
In other words: you’re already doing this first step.
It’s all about recognizing the good in what’s happening around us: the baseball practices and movie nights, the trips to Disney and trips to the Farmer’s Market.
And if we aren't happy with our present?
If you're looking around, feeling like life doesn’t look the way you hoped, then make a memory.
Establish a tradition. Decorate the porch. Buy your favorite ice cream. Do something today that helps you remember it, something that sets it apart in a way that delights you.
Root yourself in the present by intentionally making a memory.
It doesn't take a vacation to Bora Bora to do this. There’s so much value in the ordinary, in daily routines and annual traditions.
Memory-keeping starts with being grounded enough in the present to appreciate the memories we’re making as they happen.
Part 2 | Capture
Some of those memories are worth capturing - with a photo, a video, a note jotted in our phone. And to that I say: “snap away.”
Don't stress about the perfect pic for Instagram or your family photo book. Don’t worry about capturing every aspect of a trip or experience or date night.
Take the photos, capture the meals, snap a selfie with your sister, line up the kids and make them say cheeeeese.
Take video (and try to capture it horizontally so you can edit it into videos for your family!).
Video your kids singing or praying, reading or playing. Video your spouse uncorking a bottle of wine on your anniversary. Take a video of your mom blowing out her birthday candles or your best friend opening a special gift.
And then?
Put your phone away.
Be present. Enjoy. Capture the moment then let yourself be in the moment.
Part 3 | Keep Your Memories
You’ve made a memory, you’ve captured it. Now what? This is where most of us get stuck - and our memories get stuck on our phones.
It’s time to “keep” those memories. How do you do that? It’s as simple as organize, edit, and design.
Organize Your Favorites
Every once in awhile, scroll through your camera roll and take some time to cull your photos, deleting those you don’t need and marking your favorites.
Which memories mattered most over the last month or few months?
Which make you smile?
Which do you want to remember?
Add your favorites to a folder or album labeled as that year's greatest hits.
That's it. You don't need to do anything else, for now.
Edit Your Favorites
Editing isn’t necessary, but it’s always on my list. I think a little bit of editing really elevates the look and feel of any design project.
I use an app on my phone (A Color Story) to edit lots of photos at once or I use Lightroom on my desktop.
Just a few simple corrections can really level-up your photos. I like to
brighten
bump up the contrast
straighten alignment
convert any with terrible lighting to black and white
Again, not necessary, but editing really does elevate the quality of your printed projects.
DESIGN YOUR PROJECT
Once you have your memories organized and edited, you can start designing.
Choose your format: a photobook, video, slideshow, traditional album, whatever your heart’s content.
You can always mix it up, so just go with what makes sense for that particular project.
I like video for vacations and photobooks for bigger chunks of time, like family annuals or catch-up projects that cover many years. And I do a traditional album every December to document our holidays.
The format you choose doesn’t matter nearly as much as getting it done!
Why this matters.
Somewhere, in someone's basement or garage, are the countless videos my grandpa captured over the years. The man always, always had a camera on a tripod. He captured holidays, vacations, family get togethers, and school performances.
The problem is that no one ever put them in a format we could easily access. I have no idea where those tapes are and no idea whether I'll ever see them.
Wouldn't it be cool if I could show my kids; hey - that's what I looked like at your age. That's how I moved and spoke.
That's me, learning to ride a bike; or me, playing Wendy in the school play.
That's my Dad, tap dancing on Christmas Eve; or Mom, setting the plum pudding (and her acrylic fingernails) ablaze.
Technology has made it easy to acquire lots of digital clutter, and it’s time to choose what matters, organize it, and document it.
Whether you're printing a few photos every year and hanging them in a hallway or printing a photobook to document a family vacation, the time and effort you put into this will matter - to you, to your family, if not to anyone else.
