What to Do With All Those Photos

Do you have a favorite photo that brings a smile to your face every time you view it? Share your thoughts or memories in the comments below.


My new favorite commercial features a smartphone with pictures singing to its owner: “Don’t let me go” while the owner’s finger hovers over the delete button. Not only does the owner resist the temptation, but they snap another. Those could easily be my photos singing to me. I have 32,611 images and 3,003 videos on my phone. And I’ll whip it out anywhere to show or send pictures and videos of what happened ten minutes or ten years ago. But that immediacy comes with a trade-off. I miss sitting on the couch with a three-pound photo album across my lap and a stack of six more at my feet with whoever has the pleasure of my storytelling about the ‘good old days.’

Things changed when smartphones came on the scene. Now, I can capture any moment, all the time. But that, too, came with a trade-off. I take more pictures than is possible to print and put into photo albums. Now, my albums are on my phone and social media platforms. But, while I enjoy them when I post them and read the comments, I eventually forget about them.

I’m on a quest to get those photos off my phone and into my life where I can enjoy the milestones, memories, and special moments again and again.

My favorite one is a digital display. When we got home from my son’s wedding in Punta de Mita, we had loads of videos and pictures because everyone shared what they had on their smartphones. I let our Gen X and Gen Y combine my favorites into reels, uploaded them to the cloud, and played them on our refrigerator. The reception dancing made me laugh, the tender moments between the newlyweds made me cry, and the beach scenes had me planning the next family getaway. Our guests love them too at every gathering. Next up, a digital desktop frame and a generational collage that will stream on the family room TV.

I’m not stopping there, though. Here’s my to-do list:

1. Use them as decor Swap the old-school photo albums for custom coffee table books or children’s books using photo services like Shutterfly or Snapfish. Reserve space on your home bookshelf to switch your display copies often. Or, create gallery walls to tell your family story. Framebridge claims to have walls you can “design in 5 minutes and hang in 10”. Check out more ideas for decorating with photos on Pinterest.

2. Give them as gifts you can put them on anything from chocolate candy bars to blankets to phone cases to pet beds. And don’t forget the personalized gift wrap. Head to Walmart or your local grocery store to get edible images on cakes, cookies, chocolates, and more. Better yet, make your own with a cake-decorating printer complete with wafer paper and sugar sheets.

3. Manifest the life you want Create vision and gratitude boards for every part of your life; no magazines needed. Print photos from your phone and attach them to poster boards the traditional way. Use Canva’s free online vision board maker for environment-friendly versions or build a digital one on Pinterest.

4. Start a hobby by recycling old photo frames (They make great gifts, too) Get rid of the plain black and white mats and use scrapbook paper that complements your décor. Add color and texture by drawing simple shapes and patterns on frames, or, even easier, use washi tape.

Do you have a favorite photo that brings a smile to your face every time you view it? Share your thoughts or memories in the comments below.