Sometimes pictures need words

Sometimes I take photos to remember everyday stuff.  Like last night during dinner, I wanted to remember the name of the bottle of wine we were drinking so out with my iPhone and snap – an image that I’ll be better able to locate than a scrap of paper used to scribble down it’s name.

Of course I also take pictures to remember the momentous occasions – the birth of my new baby daughter for one – lots of pics 🙂

And sometimes, I take pictures to remember the little things that will in the future become the big things. But I really need to do more of this,  It hit me during this past week – several times. I’ve been gently reminded of the importance of picture taking as a way of preserving the past for the future.  We’ve been gathering up pictures for my MIL’s surprise birthday party.  These tiny square blurry images, from my husbands childhood tell such lovely stories.  By examining what’s in the backgrounds we get excited about a favorite toy that can be seen or the memories come flooding back about that particular birthday party.  These little squares with rounded off corners are windows into the past – Goodtimes and happy memories.

But a lot of the time we were left guessing.  Who is that? What ever happened to her? Was that you or your brother?   If only there was a little journaling to go with them, those pictures would have sound.  Back in the shop at home, we spend a great deal of time restoring and copying old photos.  These pictures are all people have left when loved ones pass and time moves on.  The really special ones are those with a little bit of handwriting on the back with the who, where, when and sometimes why – Great Aunt Bessie, Endenfell, Oct 1938  – Annual Boxing Day party.

I take so many photos compared to most people but I am so bad at cataloging them.  These days I feel proud of myself if I even get them printed never mind put into an album.   I am terrible about journaling and even when I have done so, I hardly ever record more than  just the facts  I’ve tried to scrapbook but always feel overwhelmed.  But, I’m resolved to change this.  I’m going to do it for my kids – even if if they don’t appreciate it for years to come they will, one day.  How I’m going to do it I’m not yet sure.  Maybe I’ll scrapbook.  Maybe I’ll do more photobooks.  Maybe I’ll make a blog.  Whatever way I do it, they won’t have to fill in the blanks.

It’s important.  Life  is short.  And I’ll record more than just the facts.  Just so they know the why…

How do you record your memories for the future? Are you a scrapbooker?  Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Ingrid