Every photo has an expiration date
Photo by Apolo Photographer on Unsplash.
It used to be, with film, that there were only two kinds of photos. The Keepers and the Discards. Either a picture was worthy of printing or it wasn’t. Yes, developing a roll of print film came with a set of prints (even doubles!) but that was just a visual convenience. Whether you made your picks right away or the next time you decluttered your closet, it was always a yes/no process. The Keepers made it into an album and the Discards never again saw the light of day.
The thing is that there was always a sense of permanence with the Keepers. It was like photo tenure. Once chosen, those pictures were right there in/on the album/shelf/table/wall/drawer for all time.
The iPhone has changed all that.
Now we take photos for a whole host of reasons that go way beyond preserving memories. We snap labels, furniture options, dented fenders, sunsets, screenshots, price tags, dinners, breakfasts, drinks, and our friend’s cute puppy.
Photo by Susanne Martinus on Unsplash.
Then there are the supporting pictures of some genuinely important life moment. Say, 351 photos of the Grand Canyon that would have been a couple 24 frame film rolls worth back in the day. Most of those pictures are unnecessary. We just take them because we can. But they also add texture and context to the memory and some might be great in a photo book or slide show. We don’t know yet. And skimming through a few hundred digital photos is actually pretty quick. So, fair enough. Now we’ve got the Keepers, the Discards, and the Maybe’s.
But even that’s too simple. Looked at another way, all our photos now have expiration dates. Every one. Some photos will outlive us. Others will be unnecessary clutter by the time we get home.
Most of our photos will have less and less importance over time. Ten years from now, that trip to the Grand Canyon will be eclipsed by trips to the Galapagos Islands and Paris. It won’t need as many supporting photos. But right now, while it’s fresh in your mind, it does.
So here’s how to manage that and keep your Photos Library under control:
Create a list of shorthand words for any grouping with a shelf life of 4 weeks or less. “temp,” “food,” “rmdr” (for reminder) are examples. Don’t get too granular here, just simple, broad categories. You’ll use these words to search on.
Every day you take photos, or once a week if you prefer, skim your latest photos and add appropriate shorthand tags to the Caption field. Even better if you do it as you take the photos. Any that have already “expired” just delete.
Once a week, spend 10 minutes doing a look back for your Caption shortcuts and delete expired photos. Go to Search and type in your shortcuts.
Once a Month, go to this month Last Year and spend 15 minutes deleting expired photos for that month. Just put the month and year in the Search field to see everything from that time span.
Every Year, do a look back for 5 or 10 years ago. Whatever seems right. Same thing. Find the expired photos that no longer add value and delete them. You could even share some with an acquaintance or family member.
It's a lot like fine wine. Laying down some bottles that just get better with time. Enjoying others right now that are at their peak.
With this process, not only will you keep your Library “fresh,” you’ll get to enjoy a regular stroll down Memory Lane.
Which is the point, after all.
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash.