This one is alot for the parents (but I sure hope my seniors will read this too):  First a little spoof about where this came from . . .

I'd like to be serious with you guys for a few minutes.  This is extremely important to me, and I'm sure it will be to you if you really think about it. 

Did you know that this generation is currently being predicted as "the lost generation"?  Our kids are the most photographed, but their kids will probably never see most of those images.  Think about it.  They are on our phones, on our computers, on social media. 

What happens when we drop our phone in the pool? When our hard drive crashes?  When social media decides to charge us to use their platform? We've put the images out there.  They have been compressed to low quality files & they technically aren't ours anymore.  They belong to wherever you just posted them, because that's what we signed over when we created that free account. 

Do you still have your boxes of photos?  I love digging through mine from time to time.  Our kids don't have those.  And the saddest part is that their children won't have them either.  They won't know what their parents looked like growing up.  Maybe a few have been printed, but nothing like we used to do. 

So here is my challenge to you. Print your images!!  Media changes.  Digital is only good as long as their is a device to read it.  Protect your memories.

Andddd to take it a step further, how do you make your decision when hiring a professional photographer?  Are you purchasing only a cd or a usb?  Think long & hard before doing that please.  Yes, our company offers digital collections but NEVER without prints AND a wall portrait.  We believe your images should be displayed.  In our eyes, digital versions are merely for archival purposes.  What happens when that cute little USB that your photographer gave you can't be recognized by a computer?  Does that photographer have adequate & multiple backup strategies?  Please make your photographer decisions carefully & not simply on price alone.  Yes, digital is the least costly route right now (excluding time, skill level and vision of the photographer, but I won't go there now).  Think about the long term investment you are making to preserve memories for your children and theirs.  

Stepping down from my soapbox.  Now let's fill up our shoeboxes again :)