Education

By Cathi Nelson

As a passionate advocate for privacy, I’ve witnessed firsthand the importance of protecting our most treasured memories. Our digital footprint has never been more extensive or vulnerable in a world where our lives are increasingly lived online, from social media interactions to e-commerce transactions. Among the most intimate aspects of our digital identity are our photos—snapshots of our lives, encapsulating emotions, experiences, and memories. With the rise of smartphones and cloud storage services, how we store and share these precious moments while protecting our privacy has become more pressing than ever.

For me, privacy isn’t just about keeping secrets; it’s about asserting control over our personal information and deciding who can access it. This control becomes even more crucial when it comes to our photos. Our photo libraries often contain snapshots of our most treasured moments, offering glimpses into our private lives and innermost thoughts. Therefore, how we manage and safeguard our photo collections can have profound implications for our privacy and security.

At the heart of photo privacy lies the need to ensure secure storage. We must shield our images from unauthorized access, data breaches, and exploitation. While cloud storage offers convenience, it also poses risks to our privacy and security. This is where services like Mylio Photos+ provide a secure platform that prioritizes privacy and puts users in control.

Mylio Photos’ decentralized approach to photo management sets it apart from traditional cloud storage services. Instead of relying on centralized servers, Mylio Photos utilizes a peer-to-peer network architecture, allowing users to store their photos locally on their devices or external hard drives. This reduces dependence on third-party servers and minimizes the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access.

Furthermore, Mylio Photos employs end-to-end encryption, ensuring photos remain encrypted in transit and at rest. Even if intercepted, unauthorized parties cannot decipher the contents of the images without the encryption key. As someone deeply invested in privacy advocacy, this commitment to encryption gives me peace of mind, knowing that my photos are shielded from prying eyes and potential security threats.

In addition to secure storage, Mylio Photos offers advanced privacy features such as facial recognition and geotagging controls. These tools empower users to manage their photo metadata, including location data and identifying information, enhancing their privacy and control over their digital assets. By allowing users to customize privacy settings according to their preferences, Mylio Photos ensures that individuals can tailor their photo-sharing experience to align with their privacy concerns.

Regarding sharing photos, Mylio Photos prioritizes direct sharing and peer-to-peer communication over centralized platforms. Mylio Photos ensures that images are shared only with intended recipients by facilitating private sharing through encrypted channels, minimizing the risk of unintended dissemination or misuse of personal data. This approach protects user privacy and fosters trust and intimacy in photo-sharing experiences.

Moreover, I am thrilled to watch hundreds of professional photo managers invest in training and becoming Privacy Advocates. They have passed an online Privacy Advocate Training course, a testament to their commitment to empowering individuals and businesses to safeguard their data and reputation in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Whether you’re a photo manager, business owner, or individual seeking to stay ahead of emerging privacy risks, this course offers valuable insights and practical strategies for protecting sensitive information.

In conclusion, preserving privacy is paramount, especially when managing our photos. Mylio Photos emerges as a beacon of privacy in the crowded landscape of photo management solutions. It offers users a secure and intuitive platform to store, organize, and share their photos while prioritizing confidentiality and control. By embracing Mylio Photos’ decentralized architecture, encryption protocols, and privacy features, individuals can protect their most cherished memories and assert their autonomy in the digital realm.

As we navigate the complexities of the digital landscape, let us remain vigilant in safeguarding our privacy and preserving the sanctity of our digital memories. Together, we can ensure that our data remains just that—personal.

Cathi Nelson is the CEO of The Photo Managers Association, a role in which she channels her passion for preserving memories and facilitating legacy storytelling. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Cathi has devoted her career to assisting families and businesses in navigating the constantly evolving field of photo management.

When to Use One vs the Other and How to Combine Them for Even Better Results

By Angela Andrieux

Managing and finding the right photos, videos, and documents from a vast collection can be daunting. Mylio Photos simplifies this process with two powerful features: Dynamic Search and QuickFilters. Understanding when to use each feature and how to combine them can drastically improve your ability to find the perfect image or file. Let’s dive into the details of these features and explore different ways you can put them to use.

What is Dynamic Search?

Dynamic Search in Mylio Photos offers a fast and intelligent way to locate specific files within your media collection. As you add and import media into your Mylio Photos Library, the application dynamically indexes your files. This process leverages a high-speed database, ensuring that search results are delivered faster than traditional methods. What sets Dynamic Search apart is its ability to learn from your search habits. Over time, it tailors its indexing to suit the types of data you frequently search for, enhancing the efficiency and speed of future searches.

Dynamic Search is particularly adept at handling various types of data, thanks to features like AI SmartTags, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Face Detection, and extensive metadata analysis. This comprehensive indexing occurs locally on your device, ensuring your media remains private and secure.

Using Dynamic Search

• Finding Specific Images or Videos: When you need to locate a particular photo or video based on detailed criteria like activities, objects, or people recognized through AI SmartTags and Face Detection. For example, search for a friend’s name, a place you visited, or for objects like a mountain or dog.
• Searching Text in Images: Utilizing OCR to find documents or images containing specific text.
• Advanced Metadata Searches: Looking for media based on detailed camera settings, copyright information, or GPS data.

What are QuickFilters?

QuickFilters in Mylio Photos help you rapidly narrow down your media library based on various criteria. These filters can be applied in any view and can sort through folders, dates, events, file types, albums, people, categories, ratings, and more. QuickFilters are particularly useful for swiftly accessing photos and videos by utilizing metadata and user-added information like tags.

The ability to stack filters further enhances the precision of QuickFilters, and the option to save sets of filters as custom QuickCollections streamlines future searches.

Using QuickFilters

• Refining Search Results: After using Dynamic Search to find a broad category of images, QuickFilters can narrow down the selection to the exact file you need. Try searching for an object like a Dog or Cat, then narrow the search using QuickFilters > By Year to find your favorite pet from a certain chapter of your life.
• Organizing and Viewing Collections: Easily grouping media by event, date, person, or other criteria to quickly access related files.
• Rapid Access to Frequently Used Media: Using saved QuickCollections to access regularly needed images or documents. Try using one of the built-in QuickCollection presets like Awesome Selfies or Sharp Cats to see how it works.

Combining Dynamic Search and QuickFilters for Optimal Results

Mylio Photos allows users to combine Dynamic Search with QuickFilters for the best of both worlds. This approach is ideal for managing large libraries, enabling users to quickly zero in on the desired media.

1. Start with Dynamic Search: Begin by finding a broad category of media using Dynamic Search’s powerful indexing capabilities. Imagine you’re looking for photos from a specific trip to Paris. You might start with Dynamic Search to locate all images with metadata relating to France.
2. Refine with QuickFilters: Narrow down the search results by applying QuickFilters based on specific criteria like date, file type, or person. For example, you could apply QuickFilters to select photos taken with a particular camera or lens or during a specific date range within your Paris trip.

Conclusion

Mylio Photos’ Dynamic Search and QuickFilters are indispensable tools for managing and accessing your digital media library. Dynamic Search offers a broad, intelligent search capability that learns from your habits, while QuickFilters provide a means to quickly refine and access your media. By understanding the strengths of each feature and combining them effectively, you can significantly enhance your ability to manage and retrieve media in Mylio Photos, ensuring that the perfect image is always just a few clicks away.

By Cathi Nelson

Preserving family memories isn’t merely about safeguarding old photographs; it’s about ensuring that future generations have a profound connection to their roots and heritage. Too often, cherished family albums are discarded mistakenly perceived as insignificant for the future. Yet, these albums serve as invaluable repositories of familial history, offering glimpses into bygone eras and shaping our sense of identity. Here’s why saving old family albums is crucial for the next generation and how to do it effectively:

1. Store Safely with Archival Protection: Begin by storing your photo albums in archival-safe plastic bags. Shielding them from dust and sunlight preserves their integrity. If your albums already contain photos encased in photo-safe plastic sleeves or adhered to acid-free scrapbook paper, they require no further intervention. However, additional protection from plastic bags is advisable for long-term storage.
2. Beware of Destructive Albums: Act fast if your photos are encased in so-called magnetic albums. Despite their name, these albums utilize an adhesive coating that wreaks havoc on photographs over time. The acidic glue causes photos to turn yellow and become nearly impossible to extract. Removing your photos from these albums is crucial for their preservation.
3. Delicately Extract Stuck Photos: Liberating photos from magnetic albums demands patience and precision. Employ dental floss to dislodge them gently, sliding the floss beneath each corner until the adhesive loosens. Stubborn photos may require gentle heat from a hair dryer to soften the glue. Exercise caution to prevent damage during this delicate process.
4. Document Details for Posterity: As you free photos from their adhesive confines, document pertinent details such as dates and associated information. Index cards or archival pencils facilitate this task, ensuring that each photo is accompanied by its historical context. Additionally, preserve any accompanying documents, such as birth certificates or newspaper clippings, alongside the corresponding photos.
5. Create Digital Backups: Prioritize digital back ups by scanning your photos before transferring them to new, non-magnetic albums. This preemptive measure safeguards against unforeseen accidents or the gradual deterioration of physical prints. Digital copies afford accessibility and facilitate the creation of shareable digital scrapbooks, fostering intergenerational connectivity.
6. Display and Share: Select a few favorite photos to adorn frames throughout your home. These images display prominently as conversation starters and focal points of familial pride. Sharing anecdotes and memories associated with these photos reinforces their significance and strengthens familial bonds.

Research Proves Family Photos Builds Self Esteem

Research in psychology has consistently shown that investing in making and sharing happy memories with family has a positive impact. Studies conducted by researchers Marshall Duke and Robyn Fivush at Emory University found that children who knew more of their family’s history had a stronger sense of control over their lives and higher self-esteem than children who did not know these stories. Further, children with the most self-confidence had what the researchers call a strong “intergenerational self,” feeling part of something bigger than themselves.

Children, even grown-up children, can draw on a bank of positive memories and family stories to help cope with more stressful or turbulent times. When families revisit memories with loved ones through photographs, bonds are strengthened, relationships deepen, and memory improves. It is also just plain fun to look back at the way things used to be, as time was passing before you realized it, as the children grew overnight, as traditions were practiced over the years.

By diligently preserving your family’s history today, you ensure that future generations can partake in the joy of unraveling familial mysteries. These photos not only provide glimpses of past trends and hairstyles but also foster a profound connection to our collective heritage and future aspirations. Embrace the responsibility of safeguarding your family’s legacy, for it is a gift to be cherished and shared across generations.

Cathi Nelson is the CEO of The Photo Managers Association, a role in which she channels her passion for preserving memories and facilitating legacy storytelling. With a wealth of experience spanning over 30 years within the industry, Cathi has devoted her career to assisting families and businesses in navigating the constantly evolving of field of photo management.

By Cathi Nelson

We instantly capture moments at the click of a button, sharing them with the world. While this accessibility has its benefits, it has also led to a lack of appreciation for the value of preserving and organizing our photo collections.

Your photo legacy is more than just a collection of pictures; it’s a visual narration of your life, experiences, and the people you hold dear. Let’s explore why your photo legacy matters, tips on ways to share your photos and stories, and how to ensure the technology you use stands the test of time.

This leads me to my personal story of how I turned photos and videos into a memorable video montage. Keep in mind as I share my process that you can do this as well, and rather than creating something as a surprise gift, you can include family members in the process as well.

My Personal Story

When my son got engaged, I decided to surprise him and his fiancée Kate with a video montage of their lives. Here’s how I did it and a photo of their priceless reaction!

Five Steps to Sharing Photos and Stories

Step One: Set a Goal

I knew I had to complete this project before their wedding date, and I started the planning process in January, eight months before the wedding. I needed that time because my photos weren’t organized or scanned yet. I had loved creating scrapbook photo albums for my kids, but those needed to be digitized so everyone could enjoy the photos. TIP: Expect to spend at least 15 – 20 hours on this type of project or you can always hire a professional photo manager to do it for you. Hire a Pro

Step Two: Take Inventory

Next, I had to take stock of all the photos I had taken over the years. I gathered all my physical albums and loose photos and used a spreadsheet to make sure I captured all the details. You can download the forms I used here: Photo Organizing Check Lists. I also rounded up my digital photos from various places like Dropbox, SD Cards, and Apple Photos and moved them into Mylio. Then, I reached out to Kate’s parents for copies of her childhood photos. They were not prolific photographers like I was, so they only sent me 25 to scan. I was concerned with how I could ensure she had equal time in the video, and at her wedding shower, I met her aunt, the family photo historian. She went through decades of photos and sent them to me on a flash drive. TIP: Every family has a photo historian so don’t get discouraged if you don’t have many photos. Ask, and I guarantee someone was taking photos.

Once I had everything in Mylio, I created a timeline for the video. I knew I wanted two songs for Josh, two songs for Kate, and 2 songs for them as a couple. I wanted the slide show to be about 12 minutes and the average amount of time for each photo at about 2 seconds including 2 minutes of video clips. Thus I need 100 photos for each of them from baby to young adult, 100 as a couple, and a number of short clips from videos of growing up.

Step Three: Organize

This was the most time-consuming step. First, I scanned all my albums, ensuring I added the metadata and merged them with my digital photos in Mylio. As you can imagine, I had thousands and thousands of photos to curate.

TIP: To help me create a meaningful video that best demonstrated Josh and Kate’s personalities, I asked both families to send me 4 words that best describe Josh and Kate. Then, I looked for the photos that showcased their personalities. Josh is passionate, mischievous, and competitive. Kate is kind, loves kids and pets, and is silly.

Step Four: Choose the Music

The last step was to choose the music, and here is an important TIP about the music: You can’t use current songs and post the video publicly without the author’s permission. Otherwise, you are violating copyright laws. There are places to find music that is not copyrighted.

Step Five: Put It All Together

The video was a huge hit, everyone laughed and cried. One of the unknown gifts in creating this slide show was getting to know my future daughter-in-law from her childhood photos. I noticed right away that she always made silly faces, and her personality was obvious from the start.

Your photo legacy is more than just a collection of pictures; it’s a reflection of the relationships and values that shape your life. By preserving and sharing these memories, you’re keeping those connections alive for generations.

About Cathi Nelson of The Photo Managers
Cathi Nelson transformed her hobby of organizing photos for family and friends into a full-time business in 2009. Soon, she was helping others learn how to become professional photo organizers, eventually creating an association for photo organizers in 2011. Today, The Photo Managers boasts over 700 members worldwide, ranging from part-timers to those enjoying a second-act career to some six and even seven-figure businesses. The Photo Managers offers courses for hobbyists, a Certification program for professional photo managers, and assistance to companies in creating backups and workflows for their images. Cathi is the author of two books, Photo Organizing Made Easy: Going from Overwhelmed to Overjoyed,and A Business Roadmap for Professional Photo Organizers. Discover more at: https://thephotomanagers.com/

Everything You Need to Know

Selecting the right external hard drive is a crucial step in safeguarding your digital photos. While cloud storage provides accessibility, having a physical hard drive grants you complete control. If you’re delving into photo organizing or handling the task independently, the question arises: which external hard drive suits you best?

There are three primary types: Nonvolatile Memory Express (NVMe) hard drives, Solid State Drives (SSD), and Spinning hard drives. Each serves photo organizing admirably, with no distinct downside or brand superiority.

When it comes to choosing, the determining factor is speed. Let’s explore the options from the slowest to the fastest.

Spinning Hard Drives:

A spinning External Hard Disk Drive (HDD) operates like a portable version of your computer’s internal HDD. Although slower than SSD, it’s cost-effective and offers more storage space. Ideal for those not prioritizing lightning-fast data transfer.

Solid State Drive (SSD) Hard Drives:

Comparable to a high-speed thumb drive, SSDs use memory chips instead of spinning disks. This results in quicker data access and transfer, making them suitable for handling large files like photos and videos. While pricier, they provide a balanced option in terms of speed and cost.

Nonvolatile Memory Express (NVMe) Hard Drives:

NVMe drives, an advanced version of SSDs, boast a rapid NVMe protocol for high-speed communication with a computer’s processor. While pricier and potentially unnecessary for photo storage, they shine when moving large video files swiftly.

Choosing the right external hard drive hinges on your priorities. If cost-efficiency is paramount, a spinning drive may suffice. Opt for an SSD if you seek a balance between speed and cost. Consider an NVMe drive for lightning-fast transfers, especially with substantial video files.

Feeling daunted by the prospect of organizing your photos on a new external hard drive? Fear not – enlist the expertise of a Photo Pro! Our Certified Photo Managers, spanning the globe, offer services to help you organize and preserve your cherished memories. Let the journey to safeguarding your digital legacy begin!

Happy Organizing, Cathi Nelson