Manage Digital Photo Overload

Smartphones have made it easier than ever to shoot photos at a moment’s notice, but with this ease comes a new problem: What to do with all of those images? Organize them with these simple tips: • Junk the bad photos as soon as you take them. Don’t save anything you won’t print, use, or look at later. • Upload photos to your computer regularly and sort them into organized folders. Create folders for each year, and within each year, make sub-folders for specific events or holidays. Use simple names, like “Family Reunion.” Move relevant photos into the folders, and delete them from your phone. • Share as appropriate. Don’t overload email messages with data-heavy images. Instead, upload select photos to a photo-sharing site like Picasa (picasa.google.com) or Flickr (flickr.com) and distribute a link to family and friends. Continue to print your favorite photos for framing or create an annual photo book. • Invest in a cloud service or use an external drive to back up photos. Services like Mozy (mozy.com) and Carbonite (carbonite.com) automatically backup copies of computer files.