How to Capture, Store and Share Your Family Memories

Ed note: How many photos are on your phone? I have more than 1,000 and I bet 75% of them are terrible and will never see the light of day. That’s why I need these tips from Jeanette Kaplun on taking better photos and making the most of them. Leer en español.

Family memories are priceless, but sometime we forget to treat them like the treasures they are. Ever since digital photography became the norm and not a luxury, it has been easier than ever to capture those special moments to revisit over and over again, like birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and the other milestones that bring families together.

Want to get the best candid shots of your loved ones? Three key tips:

• Use natural lighting whenever possible
• Don’t be afraid to get closer to your subjects
• When snapping pictures of adults, position the lens at their eye level or higher for more flattering results.

If you use your smartphone or tablet to take pictures, the best part is that you can have your camera with you at all times. Even better: you can edit and improve your photos on the go with free apps that allow you to adjust the lighting, the colors and even crop imperfections. I recommend Snapseed and Aviary, which are available for both iOS and Android platforms. Both offer amazing results!

Keep in mind that storing photos on your phone, computer or camera often means you don’t see them.

Share your family memories easily

How can you make sure you not only capture those memories but also see and share them? Here are three great options:

• Make a photo book. Upload your best pictures to a photo printing service such as Shutterfly and make your own book. You can order extra ones to give to abuelita as a gift!
• Create online albums that you can share. By uploading your pictures to services such as Dropbox, you can also create virtual albums that you can share via a special link with your loved ones. The best part is that the first 2 GB of storage are free! There are also many apps you can download on your smartphone to organize your photos and share them.
• Make a video. Using basic video editing software, you can do a sophisticated slideshow with music and special effects. On the iPhone, the iMovie app is especially useful and even allows you to directly upload to YouTube in case you want to share your video with your entire family. You can also use Animoto to do basic videos.

You can also print your pictures on canvas, make personalized calendars and even order puzzles with your favorite shots. That way everybody can have fun and remember those beautiful family moments you captured with your camera.