Why hire a certified photo manager?

Many people are overwhelmed by their photo + keepsake collection – where do you start to tame the beast? Boxes + boxes of photos, slides + old videos; digital photos on a variety of phones, cameras + computers + stacks of photo albums + scrapbooks. Don’t forget to add in other memorabilia like kid’s artwork, military medals, family history documents + more.

How do you figure out what scanning or organizing program or hardware you’ll need? So much to learn! Your time is valuable. Let’s face it – it’s overwhelming to try to tackle it on your own.

A Certified Photo Manager will first take the time to understand you + your collection, your family history + how you want to capture your stories — then find the best solution for you. Photo Managers have the tools + technology to make things go faster; are trained + experienced in efficient organizing processes + use only industry best practices. We have learned creative, interesting + powerful ways to tell your story.

As a Certified member of the Photo Managers, we’ve agreed to follow the Best Practices + Code of Ethics endorsed by this industry association.

Your memories are very personal + professional Photo Managers work hard to earn your trust. No sending off your private photos to a big box or faceless photo organizing or scanning service.

What kind of clients do you work with?

We work with all kinds of clients – individuals, families + businesses. We’re experienced with both physical + digital collections – large + small. Some clients have large + varied collections to organize, while others have a specific photo need, like scanning, a photo book or book series, or a life celebration slideshow.

All in all, our clients love + value their memories + they’re willing to invest in them. They’re not looking for the least expensive option, but someone who truly cares about making sure memories are preserved for generations to come. Our clients trust us to provide the best solution to fit their needs.

How do I prepare for my assessment session?

Prior to our first meeting, we’ll send you a checklist, questionnaire, and a family history form for you to complete. Your only other task is to gather your collection in one place – all those dusty boxes, scrapbooks + albums; framed + loose pictures; slide carousels; phones + computers; memorabilia + keepsakes – as well as having passwords handy for any cloud services. We’ll take it from there!

How can you organize my photos when you don’t know the people in them?

It’s magic.

Okay, it’s not really magic. We take the time to get to know you, your family history + learn who the people are we’re likely to see in your photos. We also have some special tricks — like using children’s school photos to see how they looked growing up + even counting the number of candles on birthday cakes! With our attention to detail, it doesn’t take us long to know what Aunt Mary looks like, that you grew up in that red + yellow two-story house in the country + that Fido really was the name of your first family dog.

How long will my project take?

That depends on a few things – including the size and complexity of your collection + how much organization already exists. For example, older family heirloom photos require more attention + time than the digital photos on your camera roll. And, having to remove hundreds of photos from those sticky, 30-year old, yellowing albums takes some time. It also depends on the level of organization or the project goals we are working toward.

How much will it cost?

We recognize that this is an investment in your memories + we treat it as such. Your photo collection is unique + your investment will be as well. That’s why after your paid Assessment + Discovery Session, we provide you with a detailed Photo Management Plan that shows estimated costs, the work to be completed, the materials to be provided + options for moving forward based on your budget + your needs.

With this investment in preserving + protecting your photos + stories, you’ll be:

• working with a Certified Photo Manager who has organized + preserved thousands of client photos.

• getting the project done. No more “I’ll start tomorrow. . .” You hand it off + we do the heavy lifting.

• keeping your photos safe.

• rediscovering the joy of forgotten memories.

For more detail, you can review our online pricing information.

Can’t I just do this myself?

Yep. You can. Will you? It can take time to figure out how to get started, what tools + technology you’ll need to do the work + to find the commitment + perseverance to keep your project moving. Let’s face it – life has a way of throwing hurdles + challenges at our very best intentions.

How much of my time will this take?

We start with a free, 20-minute consultation. Our Assessment + Discovery Session usually takes a couple of hours [depending on how big the collection is]. From there we’ll dive into the work but may need to contact you with questions here + there. We’ll also provide you with regular, written project updates or status reports – you’ll always know how work is progressing.

If you’d like us to provide recommendations of photos you could eliminate to downsize your collection [think 14 photos of your child’s eighth birthday cake or the 11 photos of the beautiful mountain scenery taken from the passenger seat of the car], we may need a bit more of your time to review our recommendations. You always have the final say of what is in or out of the collection. That blurry photo of Aunt Mary may be the only photo you have or her – so precious memory always trumps photography skills.

Do you discard my photos?

No. You are the one who decides what stays + what goes. Any photos pulled from your collection will be kept in a separate digital folder or photo bin for you to review + decide to keep or discard.