Apps to Use While on Vacation

Picture App

Most phones typically come with a picture taking app preloaded, and in many cases this is the only photo tool you need.  Before you depart, clear out any existing pictures you have saved to make room for new pictures.  There's nothing worse than discovering you have no space left and no way to remove the old pictures on your camera. Do you delete old pictures to take new ones or forego taking new pictures? Avoid the a hassle completely and upload your pictures to your web photo album before leaving home. Some phones have the ability to have additional storage space via a removeable SD card. Invest in one if you plan to use your phone to store a lot of media.

Word Lens

If your travel includes an international visit, download the Word Lens app and set it up with with the language of your destination.  When you open the app and place text in front of the camera it will translate the text on screen from the selected language to the desired language. The app is still somewhat new and not all languages are available yet. The all works offline so you don’t need an internet connection for it to work.

Skype or Google Hangouts

Staying in touch on the road can be difficult and expensive.  If you're traveling domestically this may not be a problem. For international travelers, find a wifi connection and open up one of these apps. Be sure to take the time before departure to register and set up your account. When youre on the road you can simply dial another users web account or phone number and be connected.

Tripadvisor

Almost all travelers today consult Tripadvisor when in someplace new and looking for a place to stay, something to eat, or to find something to do.  Locations are peer reviewed and rated. You may not want to plan your entire trip around the site but if you're stuck it can be a good spot to see what's popular or may not be in the guidebooks.

Weather App

This Is another app that comes preloaded on most phones but there are dozens of others available for free download or a small fee. The other apps have a variety of different features that can be customized based on your needs.

Maps App

There are plenty of good mapping apps on the market. Some cater to those driving, while others focus on public transportation, and still others on walking routes.  Depending on your needs while traveling find an app or apps that best fit your specific needs. If you plan to do  a lot of walking having driving directions won't be very useful.

Your phone is a powerful tool that can help take your trip from good to great. Take lots of pictures to remember this special time and take time afterwards to download your images and add them to your favorite online photo galleries. You'll be ready for the next time wanderlust strikes!

Tips for Setting up Your New Website

You’ve taken the big step to create your own website. Maybe it’s for professional reasons, you want an online space to share your thoughts, or you’re starting a small business. Whatever the reason here are three tips to make sure you start off on the right foot.

Think it Through

Before you start adding loads of content, think through what you want your page to be about. Sit down and create a statement that sums up your page. Then brainstorm as many potential topics as you can. All of the information you add should relate to this overarching goal and theme. It’s easy to stray off path but you’ll end up with a website that is a mess and readers who are confused. You may want to implement a content calendar to make sure you’re staying on track, keeping users informed about sales, or other pertinent information that relates to your business or topic you are writing about.

Appearance

You want to make sure your website looks nice and is easy to read. Avoid dark colors and styles that include too much to look at. Your readers want to be able to find and read the information you are posting and if there’s too much clutter they won’t be able to find it – and the won’t come back. You may want to hire a graphic designer to help you with the layout and appearance of your site.

Visual Aids

In today’s online world images and video are important. Create online photo galleries to house the images that you plan to use. You might have one dedicated web photo album that shows up on your actual website. Incorporate video if it adds to your site but be careful with any video that automatically plays. It’s better to let the user decide if they want to click play or not.

With web photo albums and online photo galleries you can even separate them into special folders to house important information for your customer base.

Money Saving Tips for Photographing Kids and Family

Taking yearly pictures is a tradition in many families. This year instead of investing in a professional photographer and paying for expensive prints, try another route. By creating a web photo album for sharing your pictures, asking friends and family with a keen eye, and having a print it yourself motto you’ll have family pictures without breaking the piggy bank.

The most important part of the equation is having a photographer who can take good pictures. Ask around to see if you have any friends or family with photography talent. You can offer them dinner out or some other (though smaller) financial compensation than a professional. They might be interested in a barter if you have a skill that you can trade.

Next, create a web photo album for the pictures. Once they are done shooting the images they can upload them to your album or share the memory card allowing you to upload them. Use online photo editing software to adjust any problems or add highlights to the pictures. Remember even professional photographers rely on retouching tools to get the final product you see!

Finally share the address of your online photo galleries with family and friends who may want to see or have print pictures. Allow them to make the choice about which image they want and let them print the picture at their favorite printing shop. This way you don’t end up with lots of pictures that you won’t use. You can of course select any images you like and have them printed or add them to your digital scrapbook. In the future you can go back to the photo album and make reprints anytime.

This is a great way to still have nice pictures taken of your family without the sometimes excessive costs of professional photography.

Online Gifts for Friends and Family Far Away

If you’re like millions of other people who live far away from their family and friends you know what a struggle it can be to give gifts to them for special occasions. If you want to mail something you need to plan far in advance to purchase and ship it in time, not to mention how expensive this can sometimes be. There’s also no guarantee that your package will end up at its destination – meaning lost time, money, and opportunity! Instead consider gifting one of these virtual gifts.

Gift Cards

There are lots of online gift cards that can be used around the globe and only require an email address to receive. Amazon, multiple restaurants, flower delivery services, and other online retailers allow you to purchase gift cards to their store and then deliver them automatically through email. The transaction will take you only seconds!

Pictures

A picture really is worth a thousand words. Put together a web photo album for your loved ones packed full of your memories together. Not only will this gift only cost you the investment of time, your loved one will be able to select any images they may not have a copy of and have it printed to keep.

Recipes

Maybe you’re too far away to make your special batch of chocolate chip cookies but you could send the recipe to your friend, along with a few others in a digital recipe book. Think of a few different recipes that they’ve been keen to have or you have tried and think they would enjoy too.  Put them together in a small digital book and send it with a nice note, maybe expressing how much you wish you could be with them to enjoy the food.

Vacation Vouchers

Is your loved one planning a vacation or someone that just loves to travel in general? Many websites offer gift certificates or travel vouchers for their products. Maybe you can’t afford to buy a plane ticket to visit you but you can afford to buy a portion of the ticket. You can even gift your frequent flyer miles to someone else. What could be a better gift for both of you than the chance to get together? Be sure to watch specials with cruise lines and sometimes airlines that offer a 2 for 1 deal. You might be able to snag a great vacation for the both of you. Surprise them with the news!

A Letter or Card

Of course maybe the most personal and touching thing to send might be a handwritten letter or card. So few of us take the time to do this, thanks to technology that allows instantaneous communication however, people still love getting a handwritten note. Sure it’s not a big gift, but it might be the sentiment that means the most.

Whether you purchase a gift card, create a web photo album, or send a letter just knowing that you made the extra effort to remember someone even though you’re far away will mean a lot!

7 Tips for Beginning Photographers

If you’re just getting started in the field of photography you have likely found yourself overwhelmed with all the choices. Just choosing which camera to use can be a headache, and a heartbreak on your wallet. Believe it or not you don’t need to purchase an expensive, fancy camera. But there are some helpful tips to keep in mind while you begin to fill your web photo albums.

1. Carry Your Camera. Yes this sounds like a no-brainer but the best way to get better at photographer is to practice, practice, practice – and you can’t do that if you’ve left your camera at home. Having it with you at all times will make sure you have it at the ready should a great opportunity present itself.

2. Don’t Max Out Your Card on Equipment. There are a lot of very expensive cameras on the market. Don’t go out and buy top of the line equipment if you’re not sure yet what you’re looking for. Spend some time getting a feel for the practice so that you know what you want and then make the purchase.

3. Don’t Neglect Everyday Objects. You don’t have to travel to exotic places or have only unique images to take. Practice your skills of composing pictures and learning your camera functions on everyday objects you find in your backyard or in your home. You might be really surprised to find what amazing images you can capture.

4. Know What You Like. Not all people like to take pictures of the same thing. Maybe you really love landscapes or you have aspirations to become a wedding photographer. Whatever you enjoy shooting is what you should spend your time doing and practicing. For example if you want to be a portrait photographer but all you take pictures of are flowers you might struggle when your human images sit down to be photographed

5. Understand Composition and Staging. Sure some photographers are able to capture the perfect image as it unfolds, but many others rely on basic techniques like composition and staging to take their pictures from good to great. Take some time to research and learn more about these two techniques and begin to apply them in your photography.

6. Lighting. The photographer’s best and worst friend is lighting. Too much and you’ll have images that blow out, not enough and they’ll be dark and lifeless. Learn how to adjust your camera for different types of lighting and learn which angles are best to work with the natural light you have.

7. Keep Track of Your Progress.  Those first shots you took may be awful but ignore the urge to just delete them. Create a web photo album that’s devoted to uploading a few of your images every week or every month. Don’t just add your great images but a mixture. Spend time looking through them to see what you do and don’t like and how you can improve them. If you have a friend who is a photographer or know someone that would be willing to sit down and look at them with you even better. Two eyes and opinions are better than one!

3 Cheap Summer Vacation Ideas

If you want to take a vacation this summer you don’t have to plan for a far flung getaway. There are many ideas that will cost much less and still guarantee you will have a lot of fun and a chance to escape your day to day life. Making long lasting memories to share and preserve in your online photo galleries is right around the corner!

Here are three ideas for the kinds of vacations you can take.

Camping

This is THE summer vacation isn’t it? All you need is a tent or two (or even borrow one from a friend or family member). Invest a little money in food, an expense you would have at home anyway, and rent a camping spot. Kids will love sleeping outside, cooking over the campfire and maybe even swimming in the lake. Who knows it might become a regular family activity!

Take a Road Trip

If you have a large family you know driving is cheaper, often much cheaper than flying. It also gives you the chance to enjoy the journey and see things you’d otherwise be flying over. Take lots of pictures along the way for your web photo album.

Try to make frequent stops. Kids can get a little antsy if they're asked to sit in a car for many hours at a time. If you can find fun things to do every few hours rather than drive for long distances at a time, that'll go a long way towards preserving your sanity.

Visit a Family Member

Today’s families are spread out all over the world. Get in touch with some of your family members and see if they would be open to a visit. Hopefully they’ll be willing to open their home and allow you to stay with them. Not only will you be able to have a nice visit, your kids will have the chance to get to know this part of their family and the place where they live.

Tips to Capture Wedding Memories

It's one of the most memorable days of your life but the time goes by very quickly and without a good plan and an excellent photographer those memories may fade faster than you would like. Along with creating photo galleries after the event here are a few ideas to make sure your big day is documented and remembered for years to come.

1.Hire a Good Photographer. It is really true that in most cases you get what you pay for. Begin looking for a photographer well ahead of your big day and get to know them. Make sure they share your vision and you're clear on what they will do leading up to, on your wedding day, and deliver afterwards so there are no surprises. If you can't afford a professional photographer talk to friends who may be amateur photographers or get recommendations for photographers that might work for an exchange. If you have a skill or service to offer they may be willing to trade or give you a discount.

2.Encourage Guests to Take Pictures. Your photographer can't capture everything and some candid shots from your guests may end up being your favorites.  Create a web photo  album that has access for guests to upload their pictures after the event. This way you can have all of the images in one place.

3.Think Outside the Box. There are standard pictures that are taken at every wedding but if you want something different discuss this with your photographer and come up with some new ideas. Think of things that are important to you and your fiancé and what captures your personalities.

4.Take the Pictures. Even if you think you don't want the hassle of posing for pictures you may look back in a few years and wish you had spent more time documenting your wedding day. Parents and other loved ones may also want nice photos to remember.

5.For years ahead you will look back at your web photo album to see all the captured memories of your special day. 

Bedroom Organizing Ideas

Doesn’t it feel like when your bedroom is organized, your whole day starts out better?  Not only is it easier to rest, but you’ll feel more relaxed and peaceful when you come home. Let’s face it a room full of clutter is not comforting! It might seem daunting to tackle a disorganized and cluttered room but once you do, you’ll be much happier.

Toss the Trash

It should be so simple to toss the receipts and scraps of paper that quickly takeover the dresser but what if you’re saving them for tax time or need to return something? For those receipts you need, place them in a basket or box and regularly scan and upload them to an online web photo album. That way when it comes to be tax time you’ll have a digital record of your receipts. Regularly sort through your papers and toss out anything that you truly don’t need or have already been recorded. Keep a trashcan close by to make this task easy.

Have a barrage of photos laying around the bedroom? Why not create an online web photo album.

Revenge of the Clothing Piles

Dirty laundry should immediately go in the laundry basket and once it’s full don’t hesitate moving it to the laundry room. Once the laundry has been washed and dry fold it while taking it out of the dryer or place it on hangers. If you immediately put it away it will be out of sight and out of mind. Avoid the temptation to “do it later.” We all know that time rarely comes!

Closet Organizing 101

Are your dresser drawers cramped with clothes? Do you have a pile of shoes in the corner of your room or filling up the floor under your bed? Does your closet look more like a tornado came through than a cohesive space? If this is the case then you’re certainly not going to find a sense of peace in your room. Closets are a space to tuck everything away neatly so it’s not causing you unneeded stress. There are many different closet organizers available, just like there are lots of ways to set up your closet. Choose something that is simple and fits all of your needs. That way you’ll be most likely to use it properly! Not to mention that by hanging things up and keeping them tidy, clothes and other items will likely last longer.

Drop and Run

When you’re in a hurry it’s easy to toss things on the bed and run. How many times have you changed your shirt and left the first one at the end of the bed? Or last nights’ jeans sitting on the bedspread after you crawled under the covers? Take the extra minute to put things in the proper space to keep your living space nice and neat.
By keeping your room organized and clean you will be on your way to a more restful nights’ sleep. Not only that you may discover you enjoy spending time with your loved one in the bedroom or time alone relaxing in your room.

Create a Grab and Go Emergency Pack

What do you do as soon as an emergency strikes? What if you only had a few minutes to get the most important things to you and leave the house? Most of us wouldn’t know where to start and would be grabbing at straws. Instead create a pack that is stocked and ready to go in case of an emergency or sudden evacuation happens. You can even prepare your documents ahead of time by creating dedicated online photo galleries where your important documents and photographs are scanned and saved. Here are some tips for things to remember when planning your own family's emergency packs.

Each member of your household should have his/her own pack with essentials, plus any specific items they need.  If you have children, prepare the essentials for their packs first and then talk with them to discuss any special items they would also like to include – items like a stuffed animal for comfort can be just as important as emergency survival gear.

Purchase or find a durable backpack for each survival pack. If you have small children you won’t want to over pack their bags. They won’t be able to carry as much weight as an adult. You may have to walk a distance, so it's important to plan for this comfort. Backpacks with lots of pockets are very handy to separate and store specific items.

Some of the items you should make sure to include are;

Water - FEMA recommends that each person have 1 gallon of drinking water per day. It’s important to be sure everyone stays properly hydrated. You may struggle to find clean drinking water. One gallon of water is 128 ounces, which is about 6 to 8 store-bought bottles depending on the size of the bottles. You can purchase portable small filters and water cleaning tablets which will take up less space.

Food - Pack nonperishable airtight packaged food. Things like granola, trail mix, snack and protein bars, beef jerky, nuts, dried fruit, or individually canned meat along with a manual can opener are good ideas. Plan enough to last several days.

Clothes – You’ll want to have a few options including plenty of clean socks, underwear, thin layers of shirts, a windproof and/or waterproof jacket, and a hat.  In a disaster situation you may have to walk for long distances, so, if your budget allows, pack an extra pair of good walking shoes.

Shelter - If you have a small pop up tent, this is the best solution. Include one small roll of plastic sheeting in each person's pack to form a waterproof layer on the ground for sitting and sleeping just in case you need to sleep outdoors.

What else should you pack? 

Besides water, food, and shelter, there are essentials that everyone should have access to when an emergency situation occurs. You’ll want to have a notebook with a list of all of your important passwords to things like your web photo album. If you’ve scanned your important documents you’ll need access to them.

Copies of identification, or any other important papers you may need, in a Ziploc plastic bag or waterproof containers can be very important. Write out and laminate one card for each person with important information.

Pack each bag carefully and mark with each person’s names. Regularly evaluate and update your packs. In the event of an emergency evacuation, each person can easily see which pack is theirs and will be able to grab it. You may never need to put these packs to the test, but isn't it better to know that they are ready if you do?

Budget Dorm Decorating

Heading to college this year? It’s an unwritten rule that dorm rooms are boring. Typically the 12 x 12 boxes are plain with bad lighting and if you’re lucky you have a bed and a desk – oh and maybe a closet too. But think of it is a blank canvas to add your own touch to. Start by creating a web photo album now with ideas of styles you like. You can pull up the images while you’re shopping to get inspiration and find the right pieces for your room.

You won’t be able to paint your walls, but you can add reusable decals, posters, or other wall art. Add the items that speak to you – but don’t forget you may need to check with your room mate before you go overboard. If you want to make an investment your bed may be the place to do it. Dorm beds are not known for being comfortable. Buy some bedding that you love, throw pillows, and maybe an accent rug to dress things up.

Ask if you’re allowed to loft your bed. Make sure to include images in your online photo galleries that show rooms in this style. You’ll get a lot more room by raising your beds. Don’t forget storage is at a premium so buying organizers or a dresser is something to consider.

Floor lamps and mirrors are a few other pieces that can really make your dorm feel homier. Don’t forget to bring items which remind you of your family or life at home. Pictures and plants are a few things that may help you with homesickness but also make your dorm feel more like a home than a hotel room. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve these things. Watch sales during the summer and hit up thrift sales to find great deals.

Creating Books Using Your Images

Have loads of pictures taking up your online photo galleries? Why not turn them into a book? There are many services that will help you turn your digital pictures into a printable photo album but what I’m talking about is a little different. There are many ways to take web photo album to physical book. Here are some great ways.

Alphabet Board Book

If you have a little one you can create a unique board book that will not only help them learn their alphabet but also recognizing family members or other objects. Purchase a board book, they’re often sold at craft stores or can be purchased online. Then scale and print the images you’ll be using. Use craft seal to adhere them to each page. You can either hand write or print each alphabet letter onto the picture. Try to have them correlate to something in the picture. Let the book dry and you have a unique and wonderful book!

Picture Book

Have you looked at the cost of picture books lately? A hardcover book can easily cost $20+.  Instead why not make your own? Take a series of images, maybe it was your last trip to the zoo or vacation. Sequence them together and add text onto the pictures just as you would find in a picture book. Print and have it bound or do it yourself. Your child will have a truly unique book. If your children have names that aren’t often found in books this can be a great way to give them a story that has a character with the same name!

There are lots of other ways to turn your images into books. In fact you may be able to sell your creations to publishers or others looking for something similar! A great money making opportunity to consider. 

Be Prepared For an Emergency With The Proper Tools

When an emergency or disaster strikes, people often first think about the manual labor they’ll need to do to deal with the situation.  Clearing trees, branches, dirt, snow, ice, and debris from your yard or living area may be your first chore after a disaster.  It’s impossible to prepare for every emergency imaginable, but if you know the types of possible natural disasters that can happen, you can plan and prepare wisely for those events. This preparation includes having the right tools available. This includes preparing all your documents for an emergency by putting them somewhere like a web photo album.

You may have to move around to different locations to help yourself or others, so it’s a good idea to have some lightweight, multi-use tools on hand. You'll find many styles on the market that provide several functions in a single tool.  A basic list of tools for emergency use would include:

• Shovel
• Hammer
• Handsaw
• Utility knife
• Crowbar
• Wire Cutting Pliers
• Wrench
• Flashlights

You may have many of these tools already.  However, the problem with relying on tools that you use every day, is that they may not be with your emergency preparation gear when the time comes that you need them.

Instead of having them scattered all over your property, store your tools with your emergency disaster supplies. This may make the regular use of these tools a bit frustrating, so it may be worth the investment to buy an extra set of the items.

Consider purchasing emergency specific tools to avoid the headache. In the short term, this may seem like a waste of money.  You don’t have to go out and buy everything brand new. Look at garage or estate sales to buy second hand items that are in good condition. Most people do take some time to build up their safety “bank” because to do so overnight would be too much of a financial drain.  Be frugal and fit tools into your family budget by checking out the resale and thrift shops too.

Tools may not be first and foremost on your mind when thinking about planning for an emergency. But don’t limit yourself to tools for manual labor. You also need tools to manage your documents and other important materials. Online photo galleries are a great way to save precious items that can easily be destroyed by the elements. In the event of a natural disaster, you will have all of the tools in place to help remove debris or clear paths. You’ll also have the tools in place to recover important documents like your homeowners insurance policy. If you don’t like the idea of having these document online invest in a safety deposit box to keep everything safe.

As you can see, tools are very important to survival in the short term as well as in the long term. You may think it will never happen to you but it’s simply impossible to predict what will happen. 

Think Beyond Food and Water When Planning Your Emergency Kit

The first thing we often think of when it comes to preparing for an emergency is evacuating our homes without the usual comforts and where we’ll be able to find food and water. However, there are times when an emergency situation lasts longer than a day or two. In those cases other skills and needs emerge.  When you’re preparing for an emergency keep these things in mind.

Along with food and water, shelter is a basic need that should be put at the top of your list. It’s hard to know what kind of shelter you’ll need as you can’t be sure what the emergency is. Being prepared with a variety of materials and supplies that work in different situations is the way to go. Some things that may be helpful include; tarps, rope, nails, hammer, and a handsaw. If you have the means purchase a pop up tent or two for your family. Don’t forget you’ll also want documents related to your home.

Keep a hard copy in a waterproof folder or bag. You also can scan your home owner’s policy, rental documents, and anything else relating to your home to a web photo album. This will live online and be accessible wherever you end up.

Tools make life easier and when a disaster happens knowing you have these already on hand will make everything easier. Make sure to have plenty of things that will let you move debris and cut through materials that may have fallen on your home. Consider looking into purchasing lightweight, multi-use tools that can easily be taken in the case of an emergency evacuation.

Unless you’re facing a very short term evacuation or emergency you won’t be able to carry enough water with you. This is where a filtration system comes in handy. You don’t need a top of the line system but you will need something. A large pot can be your best friend by allowing you to boil water you’re able to acquire.

People often forget the little things that make day to day easier and more comfortable. While priority should be given to the items needed to survive having personal care products will make life in an emergency situation easier. Put together a kit with things such as toilet paper, soap, toothbrushes, lotion, shampoo, a hairbrush, feminine care products, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit. Even though they seem like basic everyday items it’s very easy to overlook adding them to a survival kit.

When thinking of personal effects saving your family photographs and important documents can be overlooked. Take the time to save everything to a web photo album before disaster strikes. While it may be sad to lose the original copies of heirloom photographs you can rest at ease knowing the photos aren’t lost forever and you can have new copies printed. The same is true for things like diplomas, certificates, and other paper artifacts that can easily be ruined in an emergency. 

Tips for Capturing Motion Shots

One of the most difficult images to catch is of people and things in motion. From sporting events to race car events and everything in between, no one wants to end up with photo galleries full of blurry images. It’s not a secret that you’ll need to practice to get the pictures you want but with some effort you’ll fill your album in no time.

1. Focus elsewhere. Don’t’ just focus on the action at hand. For example instead of focusing on the action of running, move your focus to the expression on the runner’s face, or a glimpse at another racer over the shoulder. Get creative and look for ways to capture the moment without needing to directly capture the motion at hand.
2. Shoot close. If you have a long lens it will be helpful in situations where you don’t have direct, close access. The closer you can get the better your images will be.
3. Rapid Shooting. Most cameras have settings that will take multiple pictures over a period of time. Set your camera on a tripod, and anticipate where the shot will go and set it to rapid shot. You won’t use all the images but you’ll have a better chance at capturing one!
4. Shoot wide. Just like shooting close brings emotion into the photograph, shooting wide expands the focus and brings in a different feel. Having a broad view can also help your viewers get a feel for the overall environment.
5. Angle. Adjust the angle you’re shooting from. Instead of straight on try shooting up or shooting down.

Not everyone will have a great web photo album full of action shots but when you work on some of these techniques and use a little creativity and innovation you’ll be on your way to live action success! 

4 Ways to Use Online Photo Galleries in your Office

You’re familiar with having picture frames and maybe even albums in your office, but what about web photo albums FOR your office? There are lots of web sharing options and apps available for every purpose but sometimes all you need is a simple way to share images across the office. This is why using online photo galleries can be so powerful. Today’s companies are spread over large spaces, and often include many people who telework from home. They need a way to share without having to come into the office.  Here are a few ideas.

Share Project Documents

How many times have you been working on a project with another team or even a single individual and needed a piece of information or an image that they have on their computer. Today more and more people telework making it much more difficult than just walking down the hall to retrieve the image. Create a web photo album for each project you’re working on and upload the shared documents there. This way both people have easy access to the information.

Create an Image File for Social Media Manager

Your social media manager plays a pivotal role in your organization. The role often needs input from all of the different departments, not just one. In order to provide them with stories and information to share, there needs to be a central repository to gather information. Create separate photo galleries for each department or team and be sure to keep it loaded with fresh images and information that they can pull from. This will make everyone’s job easier and keep the public and potential clients excited and interested in what is going on at your office.

Employee Directory

Do you have a large office this is spread out either on different floors, in different areas, or in different geographical locations? People don’t often have the opportunity to meet those who work with the organization. If they had a place to get to know people, or search for those with the skills they need for a project it might make the business run even better. Create an employee directory using a web photo album! Each person can share a brief biography in the comments and provide a contact email.

Integrate into Presentations

Studies have shown that more and more people gravitate to visual images instead of text. For your next project build up photo galleries to illustrate your points and highlight your findings instead of relying on a long-winded written report. Images can make any report stand out and have a bigger impact. When materials are available for everyone it makes creating these visually appealing components of a presentation easier.

These are just a few of the ways that businesses can use web photo albums to make their businesses work better. Whether you use a remote service or one that is only accessible via a private intranet connection, sharing means more than putting together photo galleries of your latest vacation. They truly can make day to day operations run more smoothly and effectively.

Tips for Parents on Split Schedules

In today’s world many parents work on a split schedule, with one working during the day and another working at night. In their off hours they care for the children. While this reality is not always easy on a relationship it can be the only cost effective way for parents to raise their children without paying huge amounts for childcare or trusting their children to someone they don’t know well. Technology has made it easier than ever to keep in touch and share day to day life. One way to do this is by having a web photo album.

Maybe you and your spouse like to text images of your children to each other while one parent is at work. Why not upload those images to a web photo album instead? That way the images are preserved in one place and you can call up the images anytime you would like!

You could also create an album that is dedicated to shopping. Upload pictures of your favorite brands or varieties of things so that your partner knows exactly what you want when they are doing the shopping. This can save both of you a lot of time and stress. You’ll get exactly what you want and your partner won’t have to worry about what they’re looking for – it’s right there!

Of course working on split shifts also means one parent will likely miss out on some of the kid’s events. Online photo galleries are the perfect spot to upload all the images from that event so that both parents are able to enjoy them, even if they weren’t able to be there in person.

These are just a few ideas to make online photo galleries work for you and your family. What other ideas do you have that can make the struggle of working split shifts easier?

Teaching Children to Read with Photo Galleries

No that’s not an oxymoron, you really can teach your children to read by using photo galleries. It’s not a secret that we are visual creatures. Images are the first “reading” children are exposed to. They learn to identify facial expressions as a means of communication. They learn that when they see their bed it’s time for sleep. They also use word association with objects. When they hear the word apple, the associate it with a red or green shiny fruit. So, it makes sense that when they begin to learn words, having strong visual cues will aid them in the process.

Picture books are a seminal childhood experience. Children love to look at illustrations and discoverer the story or create their own. But you don’t need to invest buckets of money in purchasing a library of books. Instead why not create your own picture books. Gather several different images that all work together to build a story. Create a web photo album and place them in order. You can access the album on a tablet and share the story with your emerging reader. You may want to start by creating your own story that goes with the pictures. This way children will begin associating the words that you are using with the pictures they are seeing. As they grow or become interested they can create their own stories or edit your versions.

Flashcards, love them or hate them, are a valuable tool for many children. Attaching a word to an image lets children see the picture and the word that matches that image. You may want to highlight sight words that you are targeting or larger words that children may not be familiar with. The repetitive process of seeing an image and associating it with the written version of the word is powerful.

You could create a photo album that focuses on a word or several words. Then help your child search for images that they thing describe or aid that word. While really small children may struggle with this, older children may enjoy the challenge more. If you’re teaching a second language to an older child this could be a great way for them to stretch their learning muscles with a fun activity. They can create their own picture stories based on the words and pictures they have collected.

If your child has a learning disability imagery may have an even greater importance. Not only can you use web photo albums to teach reading but to get across ideas and points on other subjects as well. Describing a historical event may leave them in the dark, however if you can present photo galleries of images of the event, coupled with an audio description or hands on project, the lesson will likely sink in much easier.

All children learn in different ways, and finding what works best for your child can be a struggle. Web photo albums provide endless opportunities for teacher and student-driven learning and should be an integral part of any curriculum or learning setting. 

How Photo Galleries Can Help You Lose Weight

Ok, so maybe they can’t help you actually lose the weight but they can be a powerful aid as you do the hard work to drop the extra pounds! We all have seen before and after pictures of people who have lost dramatic amounts of weight. These are amazing to see, and even more amazing when you’re the subject of the photos. There are several ways that you can use imagery to help you on your weight loss journey.

First, before you begin have someone take a photo of you. This is your starting image, Upload it to a progress gallery ( an online photo gallery) and include information in the comments such as starting weight and your measurements. Do the same thing every month of your journey. When you’re looking at yourself in the mirror it can be hard to see changes, but when the pictures are compared next to each other the results are much more visible. Some months you may not see a big visible change, but rearrange the photos and put it next to your starting image – the change might be much more drastic than you thought!

You can create another online photo gallery that you upload a picture of your meals. Doing this is a way to remain accountable to what you’re eating and how big the portion size is. It also is a good way to remember what you ate and liked for future recall.

Finally, why not create a dream board? It can be loaded with images of inspirational quotes, clothing that you want to wear once you reach your goal size, exercises you want to try, anything really! Pull up this web photo album when you are feeling low or need a little extra push.

The only way to reach your goal weight is to actually do the work but the work can be much easier when you’re using tools like photo galleries to remain accountable and inspire you along the way! 

3 Tips to Save Time Creating Web Photo Albums

Remember those shoeboxes full of photographs waiting to be sorted and stuffed into albums? While this is an idea of the past we’ve got a new problem in the technology driven world. Today, we take more pictures than ever, but what do you do with them? For many people they simply sit on memory cards. While no longer taking up the same physical space, they still are not being utilized. The common reasoning for this is, “I just don’t have the time to sort and upload them.” With the ease of online photo galleries there’s no reason to leave those pictures getting covered in virtual dust!

1. Take Fewer Shots. It may seem counterintuitive when it costs almost nothing to take a picture but by taking more time to take very good quality shots you’ll have fewer images to sort through. You don’t have to photograph everything just because you can. Slow down, only take valuable pictures, and you’ll not only have images you want to look at but will have fewer items to deal with later when when you are loading to an online web photo album. 
2. Sort. As soon as you’re home, go through your pictures. Create a file that’s random images, and then group the rest of them together. All birthday party pictures in one area, all photos from your California vacation in another, etc. If you have duplicate or blurry images delete them. If you have pictures you aren’t sure why you took set them aside. 
3. Upload. Upload your sorted pictures. The sooner you do it, the sooner it’s done! Now that you’ve taken fewer shots, and sorted out the bad pictures, you have less to upload. Saving you time!

The time you spend on your images depends on how many you have and what is important to you. However using an online web photo album shouldn’t make your life more complicated! Make it more quick and easy by following these steps.

Tips for Relators to Use Photo Galleries

If you’re in the business of selling homes and property then using photo galleries should be a standard part of your practice. But, having good images and optimizing web photo albums to your advantage is a skill that takes a little more work. In today’s market most people spend a significant amount of time researching potential homes before they decide where to actually visit. If you don’t make a good impression with your pictures than you’ll never see those potential buyers walking into your open house. Here are three tips to get you started;

1. Lighting – Nothing is worse than dimly lit pictures full of shadows. Not only will they make the house appear older than it is, they’re very unattractive. Open all the windows to let in as much natural light as possible. Shoot each room from several different angles. Also take shots that show how the house flows from one room to the next. 
2. Staging – An empty house? No! If at all possible take pictures that show the house with items in it. Having an empty room is difficult for people to envision how they will live in the room. It also is very hard to judge size and proportions even if you provide measurements. People want to be able to see how they will live in the home – use images to help them do this. 
3. Living – Many pictures of properties do not show people. There are plenty of arguments for and against this. But, consider including some everyday living shots like kids playing in the backyard, cooking in the kitchen, etc. This goes back to the idea of showing people how they will be able to fit themselves and their life into the house. 
4. Professionals – If you don’t have a good camera or aren’t the best photographer, investing in a professional to come and take images can be a great way to not only get good pictures but network. Word of mouth advertising is still critical and working with other people in your communities’ business network is a great way to spread the word about your services. You may even be able to work out some type of a barter system so no money actually ever has to change hands. 
5. Be Creative – Put yourself in the shoes of a home buyer. They’ve likely looked at dozens if not hundreds of listings, many of which are identical and follow the same “script”. It can be tempting to do the same thing but be creative! You’ll make your listings stand out and likely pique the interest of buyers. If you can get them to an open house and through the door you can use your charm to make the home appeal to them. 

There are many ways for today’s realtors to use technology in capturing sales. It takes time, creativity, and effort but by using web photo albums to showcase your properties you will be on your way to finalizing the sale!