Good morning Fedi friends!
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Good morning Fedi friends!
Sorry I've been a little quiet around here but I just completed a labor intensive personal project: selecting the best of the year's photos, color-correcting them, laying them out, and ordering photo albums (my traditional Christmas present to family).
I typically have between 600 and 900 photos per month (1000+ in the summer), in between my smartphone and 3 professional cameras. It's a HUGE undertaking each year.
Nobody in my family prints out photos anymore, I feel like it's my responsibility to be the curator of family memories.
Parents and extended family members keep their photos on smartphones only, some locked inside messaging apps and not even downloaded to their photo albums.
Meanwhile, I spend two weeks a year curating photos and creating albums.
I love going through them with my little one and with family and friends.
The number one reason why I love photography so much is that a photo can freeze a moment in time and make it everlasting. Flipping through the pages of my photo albums is like going back in time... which is really bittersweet but also magical.
Maybe one day I'll write about my photo organization system... how to free oneself from the clutches of Big Tech platforms and reclaim power over photos and videos. (I say this because I have several friends and family members who won't quit Big Tech apps because they hold their photos).
YunoHost writeup first. And then maybe photo / video management tutorial in January.
Wishing you all a great day!
-
Good morning Fedi friends!
Sorry I've been a little quiet around here but I just completed a labor intensive personal project: selecting the best of the year's photos, color-correcting them, laying them out, and ordering photo albums (my traditional Christmas present to family).
I typically have between 600 and 900 photos per month (1000+ in the summer), in between my smartphone and 3 professional cameras. It's a HUGE undertaking each year.
Nobody in my family prints out photos anymore, I feel like it's my responsibility to be the curator of family memories.
Parents and extended family members keep their photos on smartphones only, some locked inside messaging apps and not even downloaded to their photo albums.
Meanwhile, I spend two weeks a year curating photos and creating albums.
I love going through them with my little one and with family and friends.
The number one reason why I love photography so much is that a photo can freeze a moment in time and make it everlasting. Flipping through the pages of my photo albums is like going back in time... which is really bittersweet but also magical.
Maybe one day I'll write about my photo organization system... how to free oneself from the clutches of Big Tech platforms and reclaim power over photos and videos. (I say this because I have several friends and family members who won't quit Big Tech apps because they hold their photos).
YunoHost writeup first. And then maybe photo / video management tutorial in January.
Wishing you all a great day!
@elena I totally understad you. Only this year I shot more than 10000 photos (so far), mainly with my mirrorless and only marginally with my phone, but nevertheless I'd scream if my photos weren't on my pc, my NAS and my backup disks as soon as possible!
And I force (kidding, bust just a bit) my wife and my daughters to backup their phones at regular intervals! -
Good morning Fedi friends!
Sorry I've been a little quiet around here but I just completed a labor intensive personal project: selecting the best of the year's photos, color-correcting them, laying them out, and ordering photo albums (my traditional Christmas present to family).
I typically have between 600 and 900 photos per month (1000+ in the summer), in between my smartphone and 3 professional cameras. It's a HUGE undertaking each year.
Nobody in my family prints out photos anymore, I feel like it's my responsibility to be the curator of family memories.
Parents and extended family members keep their photos on smartphones only, some locked inside messaging apps and not even downloaded to their photo albums.
Meanwhile, I spend two weeks a year curating photos and creating albums.
I love going through them with my little one and with family and friends.
The number one reason why I love photography so much is that a photo can freeze a moment in time and make it everlasting. Flipping through the pages of my photo albums is like going back in time... which is really bittersweet but also magical.
Maybe one day I'll write about my photo organization system... how to free oneself from the clutches of Big Tech platforms and reclaim power over photos and videos. (I say this because I have several friends and family members who won't quit Big Tech apps because they hold their photos).
YunoHost writeup first. And then maybe photo / video management tutorial in January.
Wishing you all a great day!
@elena For photos, check out Immich.
I'm now selfhosting, but considering moving to their platform. Unsure yet, and I still have to move all my google photos, but so far so good ☺️🫣 -
Good morning Fedi friends!
Sorry I've been a little quiet around here but I just completed a labor intensive personal project: selecting the best of the year's photos, color-correcting them, laying them out, and ordering photo albums (my traditional Christmas present to family).
I typically have between 600 and 900 photos per month (1000+ in the summer), in between my smartphone and 3 professional cameras. It's a HUGE undertaking each year.
Nobody in my family prints out photos anymore, I feel like it's my responsibility to be the curator of family memories.
Parents and extended family members keep their photos on smartphones only, some locked inside messaging apps and not even downloaded to their photo albums.
Meanwhile, I spend two weeks a year curating photos and creating albums.
I love going through them with my little one and with family and friends.
The number one reason why I love photography so much is that a photo can freeze a moment in time and make it everlasting. Flipping through the pages of my photo albums is like going back in time... which is really bittersweet but also magical.
Maybe one day I'll write about my photo organization system... how to free oneself from the clutches of Big Tech platforms and reclaim power over photos and videos. (I say this because I have several friends and family members who won't quit Big Tech apps because they hold their photos).
YunoHost writeup first. And then maybe photo / video management tutorial in January.
Wishing you all a great day!
@elena this is amazing. It is something I have thought about but never yet actioned. Nice work ♥️
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Good morning Fedi friends!
Sorry I've been a little quiet around here but I just completed a labor intensive personal project: selecting the best of the year's photos, color-correcting them, laying them out, and ordering photo albums (my traditional Christmas present to family).
I typically have between 600 and 900 photos per month (1000+ in the summer), in between my smartphone and 3 professional cameras. It's a HUGE undertaking each year.
Nobody in my family prints out photos anymore, I feel like it's my responsibility to be the curator of family memories.
Parents and extended family members keep their photos on smartphones only, some locked inside messaging apps and not even downloaded to their photo albums.
Meanwhile, I spend two weeks a year curating photos and creating albums.
I love going through them with my little one and with family and friends.
The number one reason why I love photography so much is that a photo can freeze a moment in time and make it everlasting. Flipping through the pages of my photo albums is like going back in time... which is really bittersweet but also magical.
Maybe one day I'll write about my photo organization system... how to free oneself from the clutches of Big Tech platforms and reclaim power over photos and videos. (I say this because I have several friends and family members who won't quit Big Tech apps because they hold their photos).
YunoHost writeup first. And then maybe photo / video management tutorial in January.
Wishing you all a great day!
@elena@aseachange.com I used to print my photos once a year but I missed 2024 and not sure about 2025. I need to finish editing my photos first.
But it's 100% worth it. Looking at printed pictures is so much more engaging than scrolling on a touchscreen! -
@elena@aseachange.com I used to print my photos once a year but I missed 2024 and not sure about 2025. I need to finish editing my photos first.
But it's 100% worth it. Looking at printed pictures is so much more engaging than scrolling on a touchscreen!@nathan indeed!
I can't share photos of my photo albums because... I'm protecting the privacy and biometrics of my family members, but these albums are sooo gorgeous and a real pleasure to flip through.
It's a lot of work every year, but so worth it.
Maybe you can edit your 2025 photos during the Christmas holidays, when things are quieter?
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@elena this is amazing. It is something I have thought about but never yet actioned. Nice work ♥️
@nigel thanks! I've been making these albums every year... starting in 2011. I have a gap from 2012-2014 but I picked up the habit again in 2015.
It's amazing to be able to show my child what my life was like before she was born... when I met daddy, etc.
I've been devotedly curating her photos since she was born (21000+ pics the first year!) and she loves to see what she was like as a baby and her very first years.
82 pages this year (an average of 40 photos per month), sometimes it's super hard to make selections! 😅
I also used the best photos to make 2026 calendars for my in-laws, my parents, my husband (each their own personalized version), as well as fridge magnets...
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@elena For photos, check out Immich.
I'm now selfhosting, but considering moving to their platform. Unsure yet, and I still have to move all my google photos, but so far so good ☺️🫣@leonieke thank you! Yes, it's definitely on my radar / to do list. I heard so many great things about Immich.
But confession: I keep my photos organized offline. I can't trust cloud services for my most precious memories.
I have a 12TB hard drive that syncs media daily with a small portable drive. When I go to my in-laws' on weekends I sync the portable drive with one I keep there... and when I go to Italy (every 2 months) I sync the drive with one I keep at my parents'. So I basically have 4 copies of my photo library.
I know Immich is great for its search functions, etc... I'm just very cautious with relying on cloud services, plus my libraries are massive and would require major investments
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@elena I totally understad you. Only this year I shot more than 10000 photos (so far), mainly with my mirrorless and only marginally with my phone, but nevertheless I'd scream if my photos weren't on my pc, my NAS and my backup disks as soon as possible!
And I force (kidding, bust just a bit) my wife and my daughters to backup their phones at regular intervals!@omo_salvadego yes I totally understand! And good for you for instilling great tech habits in your family members. It's so important!
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@nigel thanks! I've been making these albums every year... starting in 2011. I have a gap from 2012-2014 but I picked up the habit again in 2015.
It's amazing to be able to show my child what my life was like before she was born... when I met daddy, etc.
I've been devotedly curating her photos since she was born (21000+ pics the first year!) and she loves to see what she was like as a baby and her very first years.
82 pages this year (an average of 40 photos per month), sometimes it's super hard to make selections! 😅
I also used the best photos to make 2026 calendars for my in-laws, my parents, my husband (each their own personalized version), as well as fridge magnets...
@elena I love your dedication. You're a wonderful example for us all ☺️
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@elena I love your dedication. You're a wonderful example for us all ☺️
@nigel Thank you ☺️ it’s mostly a thankless job but I see it as a fantastic investment… I never regret all the time I spend on it… and thank myself in the future because it’s so wonderful to get on this visual « time machine »
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Good morning Fedi friends!
Sorry I've been a little quiet around here but I just completed a labor intensive personal project: selecting the best of the year's photos, color-correcting them, laying them out, and ordering photo albums (my traditional Christmas present to family).
I typically have between 600 and 900 photos per month (1000+ in the summer), in between my smartphone and 3 professional cameras. It's a HUGE undertaking each year.
Nobody in my family prints out photos anymore, I feel like it's my responsibility to be the curator of family memories.
Parents and extended family members keep their photos on smartphones only, some locked inside messaging apps and not even downloaded to their photo albums.
Meanwhile, I spend two weeks a year curating photos and creating albums.
I love going through them with my little one and with family and friends.
The number one reason why I love photography so much is that a photo can freeze a moment in time and make it everlasting. Flipping through the pages of my photo albums is like going back in time... which is really bittersweet but also magical.
Maybe one day I'll write about my photo organization system... how to free oneself from the clutches of Big Tech platforms and reclaim power over photos and videos. (I say this because I have several friends and family members who won't quit Big Tech apps because they hold their photos).
YunoHost writeup first. And then maybe photo / video management tutorial in January.
Wishing you all a great day!
@elena that's really cool. How big are the albums that you're creating?
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@elena that's really cool. How big are the albums that you're creating?
@hikingdude 28cm by 21cm… with Vistaprint (I used to do the Apple iPhoto ones back in the day). And I only order them on Cyber Monday because they’re otherwise super expensive (I get them at 50-60% off in this period)…