Gathering photos and videos from family: a simple plan for a memory page
The best memory pages have photos and stories from lots of people. Here’s a simple way to collect them without it becoming a chore.
2 min read
A memory page is at its best when lots of people have added to it. One person remembers the holidays, another has the old wedding album, someone else has a video from last Christmas. Bringing all of that together can feel like a big job, especially at a difficult time. Here’s a simple plan that keeps it manageable.
1. Choose one person to collect
Pick one person to gather everything. It saves things getting lost across lots of messages, and it means there’s one person to email us when it’s ready.
2. Ask in one message, with a date
Send one message to the family group or by email. Say what it’s for, what you’d like (photos, videos and a line or two of words) and when you’d like it by. A gentle deadline, a week or two away, helps everyone get round to it.
3. Make it easy to send
Most people will send photos straight from their phones, and that’s fine. Videos can be large, so a shared folder online is often easier than email for those. If a video is already on YouTube or Facebook, the link is enough, because links from both can go on the page.
4. Don’t forget the old prints
Some of the most treasured photos are in albums and shoeboxes. You don’t need a scanner: lay a print flat near a window, hold your phone straight above it and take a photo. Avoid flash, which leaves a glare on glossy prints.
5. Gather the words too
Ask people for a favourite memory, a saying they always used, or what they’d like to tell them. Quotes from loved ones make a page feel warm and personal. A poem or a reading from a service is lovely to include as well.
6. Add a little order
Once it’s all in, have a quick look through. Take out any duplicates, and note anything you’d like first, such as the photo for the top of the page. If some pictures go together (a wedding, a holiday, a birthday), let us know. You don’t need to cut it down much, as there’s no limit on the number of items.
7. Check everyone is happy
If photos show other people, it’s kind to check they don’t mind being on the page. And if you’d like only family and friends to see it, the page can be password protected.
8. Send it to us
Then just email us the media and the wording, and we’ll do the rest. You can read more about what goes on a dedication page, or see some ideas for what to include.
Got everything together?
Email us the photos, videos and words, and we’ll take it from there.
Send us a message
