It’s summertime, which means making memories… beach days, popsicles, and the occasional al fresco nap. Back in the day, all these snapshots of summer would be captured in a photo album once the kids were back at school in September, but things have changed. Sure, it’s possible to save every picture and video in the cloud, which is a game changer. But what do you do with it next? For many people the answer is: nothing. These days it’s both easier to access our memories—and harder to make sure we keep track of them and share them with the people who matter.
In this blog, we’ll explore ways to capture your summer so that you can enjoy it now and for years to come.
- Start by editing as you go. It’s easy to take ten quick pictures of your sister-in-law blowing out birthday candles or the kids running through a sprinkler, but you’re likely to only get one or two that are worth keeping. You can save time by glancing at them each evening and tossing the eyes-closed pix, rather than maxing out your storage with a bunch of photos you’ll never need.
- Send them off right away. The block party’s over or the weekend at the lake is coming to a close–now what? Text the best pictures or videos to the people who will want to see them so that they can start compiling their own summer memories.
- Go super old school. Time to start thinking about what to do with all those pictures. Well, why don’t we print out photos and slide them into those plasticine sleeves anymore? While it’s true that local photomats have gone by the wayside (they sure were fun places for camera lovers), it’s now possible to print pictures directly from your phone, whether at a big box store like Target or Staples, through a pharmacy, or on a home printer with high quality photo paper. Photo albums are inexpensive, and there’s something satisfyingly tactile about slipping the pictures inside. You can also add memorabilia—ticket stubs, concert programs, even a pretty leaf found on an early morning hike. If you miss the ease of low-tech living, this may just be the perfect solution for storing your summer memories.
- Go sorta old school. If you’re into the idea of a photo album but want one stop shopping, websites like Canva, Shutterfly, and Snapfish make designing an album fast and easy. You choose from tons of templates and colors, drop in your photos along with any copy you’d like to include, and get the final product shipped to your house. Plus once you’ve uploaded the photos, you can make personalized gifts—anything from wall calendars to coffee mugs to tee-shirts. You might even become known as the memory-maker for your whole family, which means helping others capture their summers too.
- What about video? We’re the video experts, so of course we have opinions about this. People often use free apps like Memento to celebrate a milestone birthday or anniversary by including clips from friends and family all over—but it could also be a fun way to build a summer-themed video as a keepsake for yourself or to share. Send a link to everyone in your family or friend group, let them share a peek at their summer, and then compile the results. Sounds like a great way to plan a virtual reunion.
- Take a page from the influencer playbook. Apps like PhotoGrid, PicCollage, and Mojo offer filters and effects that can take your video collage to the next level. For an even more professional look, try building a video montage using simple editing software from companies like Vimeo and Adobe. You can store them in the cloud or on your laptop, but you might also have a gagdety way to play the videos—like on a smart fridge—which hopefully won’t be too distracting to whoever’s making dinner.
- Start thinking about the holidays. Whether you’re planning on printing and sending cards in December or posting a virtual Happy New Year message, you may have a little extra breathing room over the summer to think about the things that sometimes pile up by end of year. Snap some cute pictures or film a fun vacation video and have it ready to go long before you need it. If you’ve never sent a holiday message before, maybe this is the year to start: it’s amazing how much joy we can spread just by sharing our smiling faces.
Did we forget anything? If you have an idea of how best to capture your summer photos and videos, let us know. When it comes to tips and tricks related to still photography and video, the Front Runner Team is always here for it.
