family legacy


First of all, thanks for having me creating these beautiful childhood memories for you. These are not just beautiful photos, they will be your family legacy for future generations!


For my family, our most priced possessions are a single print each of my mother in law's photo (captured 1962), and of her father's (captured 1933). How I wish I had any photos of my own parents when they were younger!


I am sharing some important tips and ideas below about what you can do with your digitals and prints so you may enjoy your child's memories even more, and preserve them for this lifetime and beyond.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH my DIGITALS?


DIGITALS = UNLIMITED Use and Printing!

There are plenty we can do with the our digitals as they are so versatile!

With all the gorgeous images of our children the last thing we want to do is to leave them on the computer. Below are some examples of what we can do with them, the only limit is our imagination! Many parents print them as soon as they receive the files, some even well in advance of special occasions (such as Christmas, Birthdays etc). These gifts are thoughtful and personal, plus they are super popular with grandparents including loved ones overseas.

Digital photos open up even more creative possibilities. Here are some ideas:

  • Create a digital photo book
  • Use sites like Shutterfly or Blurb to design a printed photo book — like a polished, professional album.
  • Make a digital photo frame slideshow
  • Load them onto a digital frame that cycles through your favorite memories.
  • Organize into folders and archives
  • Create milestone folders (eg. Lily_2022, Lily_2023, Lily_2024 etc.) and back them up to the cloud or an external drive.
  • Design wallpapers
  • Make custom desktop or phone backgrounds with collages or single favorite shots.
  • Send photo postcards
  • Apps like Touchnote let you turn your photos into real, mailed postcards.
  • Create a private photo blog or journal
  • Use a site like WordPress or even Notion to document stories and moments alongside your photos.
  • Use them in art projects
  • Edit them into digital collages, poster designs, or layered artworks.
  • Turn them into GIFs or short movies
  • Make little time-lapse style videos of years passing by.
  • Custom merch
  • Print your photos onto mugs, T-shirts, tote bags, or phone cases.
  • AI scrapbooking
  • Use Canva or other AI tools to generate gorgeous, scrapbook-style layouts super easily.

Sentimental Uses:

  • Memory Videos
  • Use apps like Animoto or CapCut to create emotional slideshows with music and little text captions. If you have purchased a full digital package I have already done that for you! :)
  • Family Tree Collage
  • Design a visual family tree with photos of you child, family members and relatives across generations.
  • Milestone /Memory Gift
  • Create a timeline of your child's milestone using a series of photos.

Super-Creative Uses:

  • Glitch Art
  • Use apps like Glitché to intentionally "glitch" your photos into dreamy, surreal images.
  • Digital Collage
  • Mix your photos with vintage textures, magazine clippings, and graphics using Photoshop or Canva.
  • Photo Zine
  • Make your own tiny photo magazine! (You can even print them and trade with friends.)
  • Projection Art
  • Project your digital photos onto walls, people, or objects and take new photos of the projections!

Some Free Tools You Might Love:

  • Canva (design anything, easily)
  • Fotor (collages and editing)
  • CapCut (video slideshows)
  • Unsplash + your own pics (for cool overlays)
  • Google Photos (for easy automatic albums and movies)
WHAT CAN i DO WITh my prints?


Frame or place them in an album - Frame or place your prints in the photo album.

Create a photo wall or collage - Arrange your prints into a collage on a blank wall — you can go neat and grid-like, or more organic and scattered.

Make a scrapbook or photo album - Add captions, stickers, little notes — super nostalgic and personal.

DIY photo garland - Clip prints onto string or fairy lights with mini clothespins and hang across a wall or window.

Frame a series - Frame a collection or a series together, like a gallery wall.

STORAGE FOR LONGEVITY


Good digital photo storage = keeping your memories safe, organised, and easy to find later. Here are the best options:


Cloud Storage (automatic backup + access anywhere):

  • Google Photos (Free up to 15GB; super smart search, easy albums)
  • Apple iCloud Photos (great if you’re an iPhone/Mac user; automatic syncing)
  • Amazon Photos (free unlimited photo storage if you have Prime)
  • Dropbox (good for organizing, sharing, and backing up originals)
  • OneDrive (perfect if you’re using Microsoft 365 already)

External Hard Drives (physical backup you control):

  • SSD Drives (faster, more reliable — like Samsung T7, SanDisk Extreme)
  • HDD Drives (cheaper for massive storage — like WD My Passport, Seagate Backup Plus)
  • (Tip: Always keep at least two copies — one on a drive, one in the cloud.)

NAS Systems (Network Attached Storage = "your own personal cloud"):

  • Synology or QNAP devices
  • (They let you access your photos from anywhere, but you own the server.)


if you want photo prints to last decades (or even centuries!), here’s how to store them properly:


Choose the Right Materials

  • Archival photo boxes or albums
  • (Look for acid-free, lignin-free, and PVC-free labels.)
  • Use photo-safe sleeves
  • (Polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene — NOT cheap plastic that sticks.)
  • Avoid adhesives
  • (No glue, tape, or sticky albums — use photo corners if needed.)


Protect from the Environment

  • Store in a cool, dry, dark place
  • (Ideal: around 65–70°F (18–21°C) and 30–50% humidity.)
  • Avoid attics, basements, garages
  • (Too hot, cold, humid, or prone to flooding/mold.)
  • Keep them away from direct sunlight
  • (UV light fades prints over time.)

Have fun and enjoy these beautiful memories!

- Eetane