Photos are the foundation of any scrapbook, so it’s important to keep your photos in order while they wait to be added to a layout. Whether you’re a film or digital photographer, the same basic filing systems can be used to keep your photos organized.
Chronological. This is probably the simplest approach, but if you’re organizing piles of heritage photos it can be difficult to determine their appropriate order.
Categorical. With this approach you can sort by general thematic categories such as birthdays, vacations, and everyday moments. Organizing your photos according to this method will allow you to create layouts that celebrate connections between family members instead of merely listing the order in which events happened.
Project-based. If you’re making separate albums for each of your children in addition to your family’s album, it might work best to sort your photos according to project.
Film photographers can purchase acid-free photo storage boxes to keep their photos protected from light, dust, and other potentially damaging elements. If your family likes to look at photos waiting to be scrapbooked, consider temporarily placing them in archival quality photo albums while they await a permanent home. Never label the backs of your photos with a felt-tipped marker or ballpoint pen, use a special photographic permanent marker.
Digital photographers don’t have boxes of photos taking up room in their scrapbooking workspace, but keeping computer files organized presents a different set of challenges. Setting up a system of folders is the most inexpensive way to keep digital photos organized, although serious photographers might consider investing in a program such as Adobe Photoshop Album. Programs of this type will let you attach multiple keywords to specific image files, enabling you to quickly find the appropriate photos for any type of scrapbooking project. No matter what method you use to organize your digital photos, remember to regularly make backup copies of your files. Don’t let a computer error destroy your precious memories.