What if I told you that all online and digital media storage systems were gone all of a sudden? What if I told you that Facebook was closing up shop in 24 hours? What if I told you that the cloud was lost somewhere in the atmosphere and Apple or Google couldn’t get it down? What if all of your photos were in the cloud or uploaded to your phone or computer. What if your computer crashes – and your backup hard drive fails – and the worst – you can’t get back your family vacations and photos of your kid growing up – for the last 3 years? How would you feel and what would you do? I may have a solution for you!!
BTW, Have you seen the trailer for Sex Tape? The movie with Jason Segel & Cameron Diaz? It looks Hilarious, and I am definitely going to see it when it comes out!
Here is the trailer!
I was thinking… and that thinking can get me in trouble… it can always lead to projects, and more ideas than I have time to try. Talk about acting like pinning on Pinterest is my second job!
When I actually do take the time to do a project or do something fun, I have become a part of the digital and Facebook world, and have found that I have been just as guilty as the average digital age human – and NOT printed out my memories to have an actual copy.
Back in highschool, and even before that, I used to take photos of my friends every time we got together. Remember the Kodak disposable cameras? Well, I used to buy one or two every time I was going to do something with friends or family. Then I would fill it up, take it in, and get a bunch of 4×6 prints. I filled up photo boxes, and I can still tell you today, that I still get a kick out of opening a box, and flipping through the thousands of photos in there. It brings back memories, reminds me of what I was doing – how happy I am as a person and how carefree I was, and brings back that joy from the time when the photo was documented.
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Of course that was before cameras on cell phones, and also before I was doing black and white film photography, but has that idea died off? I don’t think so… I think people just think that their images that live on their phones are safe, and will be there forever… Think about it though… when you walk into your parents’ or grandparents’ house, look around. Don’t they have photos hanging on their walls? Don’t you feel like that is something that will just never go out of style – or does Facebook cut it for you?
Let’s just be real here – I haven’t even printed out photos from my own wedding. They are all on zip drives, and I feel like their safe… Really Tosha?!?
This with being a photographer, it is just unacceptable. I am all about having tangible products- something that I can hold, touch and smell (no, seriously – I like to smell things). Haven’t you ever walked into a big book store like Borders or Barnes & Noble, and taken a big wiff? I LOVE LOVE LOVE the smell of books!
I want to be able to blog about things that are happening in my life, but then I was thinking – well, what if these horrible things described above happened to me – and if I blog it, don’t I want a copy of that to read at a later time??? Aren’t we all guilty of the mentality that, “yeah, it’ll never happen to me!”, at some point? I know I am. So I went in search for some ways to print those memories that photographers and just the average everyday person could see as affordable and easy to produce.
I remember watching SharkTank about a year ago, and heard of an awesome App available from Google Play Store called Groove Book. This product actually allows you to upload up to 100 images from your phone to print in a book for only $2.99 a month! And your first one is free!!
I’m really excited about a fun new app called GROOVEBOOK! The app allows you to choose 100 photos each month from your phone to be put in a 4.5″ x 6.5″ flip photobook. Each month it cost $2.99 for the book including shipping! Download the app from the iTunes or Android stores, and start selecting the photos on your phone to print.
It will take about 5 mintues and you’ve got your first book ready to go!
If this is your first time trying it out use code SSGROOVE and you’ll get your book completely FREE! They will even ship it free.
After the first book you will be charged $2.99 each month. Make sure to select what 100 prints you want each month and you’ve got them printed and mailed for less than 3¢ per print! If for any reason you want to cancel, you may choose to do so by simply emailing them.
Personally I love that at the top the pages are perforated so you can take them out easily and they have a time and date stamp above the picture.
There really is no reason to not GRAB THE FREE TRIAL and get 100 prints for FREE. After the trial the 2¢ per print is still pretty awesome too!!
You can download the app here
For Android
Then I was thinking… well, what about people who blog? What about all of their awesome family vaca photos, and food that they made that they talked about, their kid, and their first steps? I guess they could print out all of their photos and scrapbook them… Right? For me, I think scrapbooking is definitely only for someone who has MUCH more PATIENCE, TIME and MONEY than me. I mean, scrapbooking is great – if you’re looking through it… but doing it, having a place to do it, having the time for it and paying for all the cutesy little embellishments… Not my thing. If it is – you are WAY more awesome than me!!
I got excited that I found something that can put all of your blog posts into a book! Now you know how much I like books… I like smelling books, remember? I found a site called Blog2Print!!
For only $14.95, you can get a 20-page soft-cover blog book!
Blog2Print offers professionally printed options for everyone’s blog book needs! The hardcover color book starts at $24.95 and extra pages are only 35 cents. Did you know Blog2Print has both a color and black and white softcover book? Have a blog that’s primarily text? The black and white blog book might be for you! They start at just $10.95 and extra pages are 10 cents. What kind of book will you pick for your blog?
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So please – do me and mostly yourself a favor and get some real tangible product in your hands!!
Here is great article about Why Digital photos are so easy to lose from Daily Mail
Where do YOU print your photos, and what are some other ways to make sure that you have your memories in your hands, instead of just the digital files up in the cloud or on your phone or Facebook! I would love to hear your suggestions and stories!
