Today is a sad day for my family. 12 years ago today, on September 24, 2001, my cousins Erin and Colleen were killed in a tornado in College Park, MD when they were just 20 and 23 years old. Every time I’m in my aunt and uncle’s home, I spend time looking at the frames pictures that are everywhere. A few are formal portraits, but most are snapshots: memories from graduations, trips, or just fun times with friends and family.

As a portrait photographer, I of course love formal pictures, but as someone who lost family members suddenly, the snapshots are just as, if not more special. They passed away before digital cameras were the norm, so all of the pictures we have of them are printed. I can’t help but think about all the pictures we all keep on our computers, unprinted, and the possibility that a crashed hard drive or corrupted memory card will erase those memories forever.

I admit that I’m not always great about this. I just printed pictures recently for the first time since December. I ordered several hundred pictures and even though I’ve looked at them on my computer and on facebook or wherever else I’ve shared them, there’s something about having them in your hands that makes them more special  I admit to being a bit of a printer snob, especially if you’re paying for professional photography, but when you’re printing your personal picture, the most important thing is that they’re THERE.  I know my personal pictures are completely disorganized, but they’re there, and they’ll be there when my kids are grown and want to show their kids, who have no idea what a CD or USB drive is or how to use them.  I store my favorites on my computer and then back them up in 2 places, an external hard drive (which are known to fail) and also on crashplan (which I highly recommend!).  But in all honesty, in 50 years, those things will most likely be gone, replaced by technology we can’t even imagine.

So, my PSA for the day is to print your pictures. Whether you purchase them from a professional photographer or take them with your own point and shoot. Don’t just store them on your computer. Print them so that future generations have them to look at and remember, whether your family has been impacted by tragedy or not.