Seven Ways for Saving Your Digital Images Forever! [an error occurred while processing this directive] So, you have taken lots of pictures with your new digital camera, the memory card is full, and you are wondering how to store and archive your images. 1 Buy another memory card The method of storing your images with least effort is to buy a new memory card and keep your images on the first card. Taking into account that memory cards are currently expensive, this seems a costly way of archiving the images. In the longer term, however, there may be some argument for this method as memory card prices fall, which they progressively have. However as time goes by the digital size of images (measured in megapixels) will increases partly offsetting this factor. 2 Transfer your images on to your computer Most if not all digital cameras come with a cable for connecting the camera to a personal computer. The manufacturer has probably provided software with that cable so that you can install the software on to your computer, connect the cable and transfer images from your camera onto your PC. Don't forget, if all else fails - read the instruction booklet! Once safely on your computer hard drive, you can erase the memory of the camera and start taking new photos all over again. However do check that the images have been successfully downloaded to your computer before you erase them! 3 Burn your images onto a CDRom Many home computers are now equipped with a CDRom writer. This is probably the preferred way of archiving your images for years to come. One word of warning though. Do not buy cheap recordable CDs - CDRs. Cheap discs are less reliable and we have found some to be problematic. We have also found that rewritable disks - those that can be written once and then overwritten - do not work well in certain CD Drives. Best to use good quality write once CDRs and carefully label them, storing them in cases for protection. In due course CDs will be replaced by DVDs providing greater memory capacity as image files increase in size. 4 Store your images on a public web site If you are connected to the internet you will be able to find sites on the world wide web which will store your images for posterity. Furthermore, they may let others view your images, or restrict access to them by a password. Some sites charge for this service. What the long term prognosis is for any of these sites is - well - who knows. But they might be useful in the short term. 5 Print your images at home for viewing You might want to put your images in an album to keep for yourself and to show family and friends. Photo printers are available for home use - either from the manufacturer of your camera or from another. The convenience of being able to print your own images at home immediately will be offset by the cost of consumables, which can be high, and the slow print speed of many home printers. Further there has been discussion regarding the longevity of the prints made at home compared with conventional prints made on photographic paper. 6 Use a professional laboratory to make photographic prints A more practical way of printing your images is to take your camera memory card or a CDRom to you local film processor for prints. You will be able to collect your printed images either the same or the next day and they will be photographic prints with a very long life expectancy. The laboratory will be able to crop your images or enlarge the full image or a section of it to further enhance your photo. 7 Put your pictures on to a photo gift For a lasting memento, why not put your pictures into a frame or even get your laboratory to put them on a gist such as a mug or mouse mat. Such object will have a long life and attract interest and attention. To see some of the possibilities when it comes to photo gifts feel free to visit http://www.view-link.com/photogifts.html Christopher Thomas is both keen photographer and company director of Viewlink Ltd based in Amersham, Uk. The company focusses on digital photo developing for both amateur and commercial photographers. For more articles by Christopher Thomas please visit the company website at http://www.view-link.com [an error occurred while processing this directive]

RELATED ARTICLES To Camcorder Enthusiasts: What Does Reality TV Really Mean? - Great News for the Camcorder User! Reality TV is experiencing an upsurge in popularity and its presence has conditioned the public's acceptance of a number of things: That lead actors being trained and polished 'performers' is no longer a necessity. Camcorder movement. Getting The Right Digital Camera For You There are really great advantages in digital photography:You can shoot till you dropTaking digital images on your camera has no implication other then you have captured the image. Then you can review each image on the small screen on the back of your camera. Exposure Compensation The digital camera is in reality a great possession with many facets of its utilities and not only that knowing these utilities makes the understanding the digital camera complete. The utilities are also so very diverse that they too offer further introspection of details in their varying applications. How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera Getting the most out of your digital video camera can mean being able to create some really cool stuff. You just have to step outside the manual a bit and find the cool things you can do with your digital video camera and your editing software. Digital Camera Disc Formats As it is a fact that digital cameras are comprised of miniature computers that have storage discs for retrieving the images as digital information, so a certain amount of knowledge is necessary regarding the digital camera disc formats. A proper understanding of the disc formats of the digital camera memory can help the photographer or user make efficient use of the device in a correct and useful fashion. Photography Business: Taking Baby Photos - for Professionals & Families Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph. They are the best for two reasons, people are more tolerant at looking at baby photos, as well as the fact that babies are not aware their image is being captured, and therefore they do not tend to put on the "camera face" so typically used by elder children and adults. Getting Rid of Red Eye The photos you took of the party are really great - except for one thing: "red eye" makes everyone look like extras from a low budget horror movie! Red eye can be a real problem if you're taking photos with a flash. It's caused by the reaction of light from the flash on the inner workings of your eye. Digital Camera Bags - Purchasing and Using Some compact cameras are small enough to fit in your handbag or pocket, but I still recommend purchasing a camera case. It will save your camera from unnecessary wear and tear. Optimize Your Photos for the Web It doesn't matter if your emailing photos of your grandson or putting images of your latest product on your online store. Too many people don't consider optimizing their photos for the web. Specialized Styles of Photography Outlined below is a list of genres that call for specialized treatment in the process of creating outstanding photographs. These thematic approaches will be discussed in detail here, though there are few more categories and sub-categories in thematic photography like ad messages, corporate brochures, under-water photography and so on. Take Spectacular Nighttime Photos with your Digital Camera - Part I Night photographs express a special something that cannot be seen in normal daytime photography. Whether it is a photograph of a moon and starlit sky over a windy deserted beach, the excitement of a downtown cityscape when the lights go on, or just a picture of you and some friends in front of a favorite hangout, nighttime photos, when done right, are sure to attract attention. Buying the Best Digital Camera for Your Needs Choosing a digital camera can be a daunting task with the wide number of choices available in today's market place. There are lots and lots of things that you need to keep in mind while going to choose a camera for yourself. The Truth About Pixels, Part 2-1: Printing 4x3 Inch Photos Why is a 3 megapixel camera better than a 1 megapixel camera? It really depends on how you intend to reproduce the picture. The reason cameras produce pictures at 72 pixels per inch is that this format is standard in video uses such as television and DVD. Is Digital Photography Expensive? Being such a fascinating device as the digital camera, this technological masterpiece is of course a precious and priced possession. And acquiring it also means that one time achievement feeling. Stitching Memories Sometimes, usual photographs look so common and boring. Converting your pictures into charcoal or oil painting is a welcome change but then, a lot of people have been into these crafts already that there are times when these portraits too, look clichéd. Infrared Photography and the Car Thief - Successful Digital Imaging Infrared photography is sometimes placed on the outside edge of the mainstream photographic world. To the uninitiated observer infrared photography conjures up television images of car thieves speeding away from police helicopters during the dark hours of the night, only to be caught hiding beneath bushes beside a darkened home as their hot bodies light up the camera monitor in the police chopper like Bedouin camel herders atop a Sahara sand dune. A Guide to Underwater Camera Cases If you are buying a new underwater camera or video camera, you will need an underwater camera case. And this case needs to be watertight, airtight, dustproof, crush resistant and designed to keep your valuable equipment safe from all the elements. Photographs Everywhere, But Is It Really Art? I once heard a lady say to a photographer that she would have bought his work if it had been a painting. She liked the image, but for whatever reason didn't consider the medium suitable for her "it's just a photo". Sepia Toned Prints from Your Colour or Black and White Photos - 5 Minute Digital Fix Quite often I will have clients bring in old photographs of their "elder" relatives that were taken before colour photography was around.This generally means that the photos in question are either black and white or, in many cases, the photos have been tinted, usually a muddy brown colour better known as Sepia. Get Closer to Your Subject Almost any shot will look better if you take two or three steps closer to your subject. Filling the frame entirely with your subject will make a terrific difference to your photos.