After over two decades of working with client photos, I’m rarely surprised when I hear someone describe the frustrated state of their photos. They’re all unique to the individual, however there are always common threads of frustration that unite a large concentration of photo lovers. The common pain point I’m referring to is “Not finding what someone’s looking for” and I feel for them. Do you count yourself among that group of people?

Strangely, the solution is often overlooked when a particular moment is rediscovered. We celebrate when we find a particular memory (woot woot!) but do we go a step farther to avoid that situation from happening again? Or do we move on to the next subject, and dismiss the time and energy wasted? The problem that lurks in the shadows of our captured moments and the root of the “not finding” pain remains, and possibly deepens if we don’t make a shift in our systems. Who knows if you’ll be that successful next time???

We see contributing factors all the time- especially when…

  • Changing devices 
  • Changing storage platforms
  • Photos are being stored in different locations
  • Technology changes or we upgrade our devices
  • We keep buy more memory devices and external hard drives when one fills up
  • We don’t commit to a backup system
  • We don’t have a plan at all

There are two changes we can make NOW to shift out of the frustration and into a better space.

  1. We need to DECIDE to choose a better way, [a system] that is simple and easy to stick to. So first ask yourself if you’ve reached the point where you are unwilling to continue in this direction of frustration. Is this the time to let go of that pain that’s nagging and festering and allow relief to come in, knowing that you’re going to invest a bit of time, money or both to get that resolution. 
  2. Secondly we need to CHOOSE the system that serves you best and how much you’ll do and how much you’ll have done FOR you. What system will work for you? Are you one to learn and do it on your own, and self motivated to see it through? And will your lifestyle allow you to dedicate that time and attention? Or, do you know that while you may be perfectly capable of doing it yourself, you need that coaching and accountability to keep at it until your system is fully in place with ease and routine is established? Maybe you know yourself and you’re not willing, or capable or simply don’t have the bandwidth to deal with this task and you simply need an expert to get it done and then hand you the reins. 

Whether you decide it’s time to work on your photos alone, or with help from a professional, I hope this “think session” helps you identify your next step with some clarity, greater intention and follow through! If you know you have concerns and not sure where to start, I’ve included a fun Quiz to help you find a better way to remove those ongoing frustrations. 

Take the quiz HERE.

Happy Reminiscing is just a decision away!