Marie Kondo, the author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and “Spark Joy”, talks of how the process of sorting photos with her family was the project that brought her the most joy. She highly recommends viewing photos together as a family to encourage storytelling. Even the expert of decluttering realizes how important our personal photo collections are!

Research in psychology repeatedly shows that investing in making and sharing happy memories with family has a positive return on investment. A series of studies conducted by researchers Marshall Duke and Robyn Fivush at Emory University found that children who knew more of their family’s history had a stronger sense of control over their lives and higher self-esteem than children who did not know these stories. Further, the children with the most self-confidence had what the researchers call a strong “intergenerational self.” In other words, these children felt part of something bigger than themselves.

Children, even grown-up children, can draw on a bank of positive memories and family stories to help cope with more stressful or turbulent times. When families revisit memories with loved ones through photographs, bonds are strengthened, relationships deepen, and memory improves. It is also just plain fun to look back at the way things used to be, as time was passing before you realized it, as the children grew overnight, and as traditions were practiced over the years.

Here are 4 ways Grandparents can connect with their grandchildren:

1. Create Photo Albums: Printed photo books, scrapbooks, and photo albums don’t require technology to be enjoyed. You don’t need an internet connection, and you won’t need to migrate them to a new format to view them fifty years from now. When you combine images and words into a documentary-like narrative, you are creating a historical record for future generations with stories that you can celebrate and enjoy today.

2. Video Slide Shows: When you combine photos, videos, oral narratives, and music into a slideshow or montage, you create a living album filled with emotion and fun. Try adding music, oral narratives, or both, and the result is a living album filled with movement and sound that triggers your senses. Slideshows are a great option for family gatherings, special events, and celebrations. They can also be a fun option to enjoy on family movie night. Popcorn, PJs, and precious family memories—can it get any better than that?

3. Wall Galleries:  Are you looking for instant gratification while you work on that family archive or photo album? Decorate your home with the people you love! While you organize photos, you’ll come across pictures too good to keep hidden. Look for frame-worthy images that you can display on walls or turn into photo gifts for others.

4. Digital Photo Frames: This is an excellent choice for technology-challenged family members. This way of displaying image slideshows is perfect for people who want a quick, easy way to showcase their memories. It’s also really easy to regularly send photos and videos to your frame, adding to your family story as you go, especially with Nixplay’s easy to use digital frames.

Organizing, telling, and retelling the stories of your family’s good times as well as the stories of bouncing back from the difficult times, can result in more confident children and happier families. And nobody can do that better than Grandparents.

Cathi Nelson is the founder and CEO of The Photo Managers, but most importantly, she’s passionate about helping people organize their photos so they can share their photo legacy. If you need help or more ideas, check out Cathi’s best-selling book “Photo Organizing Made Easy: Going from Overwhelmed to Overjoyed”

How to Stay Connected When Grandparenting From a Distance

Kimberlee Kiehl, Director of Operations, The Photo Managers

Next to the birth of your children, the birth of your grandbabies is one of the best moments in life. These little humans who share your genetics, remind you of your own children when they were little, and bring you so much joy are truly a gift. When they live far away it can be tough not to get to see them, hold them, and watch them grow in person. Three of my four grandchildren, my daughter’s children, live 10 hours away and have lived far away since they were each born, sometimes living all the way across the country. But we have managed to develop close relationships, and I feel like I am getting to watch them grow, thanks to a variety of technology. Notably, photos have played a huge part in building these relationships.

As a certified photo manager and a long-time scrapbook maker, I very much value photos. I believe they tell a story and that each of us has our own memories when we look at those photos. This love of photos has passed down to my daughter, and now to my grandchildren as well. One of our favorite “together” activities is to look through the scrapbooks I have made for them and share the stories that go with the pages. But when we are apart, we must find other ways to stay connected. Facetime, “snail mail” and our Nixplay frames play a huge role in helping us build and keep these connections.

Video calls are great for all generations

My 6-year-old granddaughter knows how to Facetime me on her mom’s phone and will often take the phone to her room for some “girl talk” or to read a book to me. My 4-year-old grandson wants to show me his latest Lego build. Even my 6-month-old granddaughter knows who I am on Facetime and gives me her huge smile when we chat! They also Facetime with my mom, their great grandma, on her iPad which allows her to feel connected to them too.

Printed gifts for special memories

I will often print photos and mail them to my grandkids after I have visited their house or they have visited mine. After a recent trip to Disneyland, where I surprised them by joining the trip, I sent each of them (even the 6-month-old) a small plastic 3×4 box with their name and embellishments on the outside and 3×4 printed photos of their individual experiences at Disney inside their boxes — including some photos with me in them. They can pull them out anytime and remember our experience together and the fun we had.

Nixplay frames for a daily connection

On a day-to-day basis it is the Nixplay frame that I have in my kitchen that provides me with the most consistent and updated photos of their lives. Both my daughter and I have one (mine was a gift for Christmas from my daughter!) and that frame is the first thing I see when I walk into the kitchen to get my morning coffee and the last thing I see when I turn the lights off to head to bed. Throughout the day, I see photos from years ago intermixed with ones from yesterday. And even better, I can watch short videos of my grandchildren as well! The three of them on the beach, the first day my newest granddaughter sat up, first grade concerts and preschool graduations. I can send them photos of what I am doing as well. These shared photos build connections between us and allow us to share life stories, even when far apart. These are the true joys of life.

Kim is the Director of Operations for The Photo Managers and the owner of Stories of a Life, LLC, a photo and story organizing business in Columbus, Ohio. For more information on managing your photo collection join The Photo Managers for Save Your Photos Month in September 2023 at https://thephotomanagers.com/save-your-photos-month/

Für die meisten Tierhalter ist es selbstverständlich, ihren pelzigen Freunden Wertschätzung zu zeigen. Schließlich tragen sie dazu bei, dass wir uns jeden Tag glücklicher fühlen. Doch das Leben kann sehr hektisch sein, weshalb nicht immer genügend Zeit bleibt, um unseren Haustieren die Aufmerksamkeit zu schenken, die sie verdienen. Deshalb möchten wir dir einige Tipps und Tricks zum Fotografieren verraten, mit denen du die besten Fotos von deinem Haustier machst. Wir haben eine Mischung aus witzigen Porträt- und Schnappschuss-Ideen für dein Haustier zusammengestellt. Anschließend kannst du die Bilder in deinem Portemonnaie aufbewahren, mit Freunden teilen oder in eine öffentliche Nixplay-Wiedergabeliste hochladen.

7 Lustige Ideen für Haustierfotos 

1: Fotos vom besten Trick deines Haustiers

Das ultimative Hundefoto! Zeige die Fähigkeiten deines Haustiers mit einem Schnappschuss von seinem besten Trick. Ganz gleich, ob es sich auf die Hinterbeine stellt, Hände (oder Pfoten) schüttelt, eine Rolle macht oder einen anderen lustigen Trick vorführt – dieses Bild ist mit Sicherheit ein echter Hit. Wenn die Fotos unscharf sind, versuche, sie im Serienbild- oder Live-Modus aufzunehmen. Denke daran, dass du mit den Smart- und Touch-Rahmen von Nixplay sowohl Videos als auch Fotos anzeigen kannst – mach dir also keine Sorgen, wenn dir nicht das perfekte Standbild gelingt und wähle stattdessen ein Video!

Dein Haustier kann keine Tricks? Kein Problem! Ein süßer Schnappschuss, auf dem es sich von seiner besten Seite zeigt, ist genauso gut.

2: Fotos von deinem Haustier an der frischen Luft

Es ist bei jedem Wetter schön, Fotos von deinem Haustier unter freiem Himmel zu machen. Ob beim täglichen Spaziergang, an seinem Lieblingsplatz im Freien oder bei einem kleinen Fotoshooting im Garten – wenn du dein Haustier in seinem Element festhältst, erhältst du mit Sicherheit ein fröhliches Foto, das du mit deiner Familie und deinen Freunden teilen kannst.

3: Fotos von deinem lächelnden Haustier 

Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass ein bezauberndes Foto eines in die Kamera lächelnden Tieres zu Herzen gehen kann. Warum also nicht einen Schnappschuss von deinem Haustier teilen, auf dem es sein schönstes Lächeln zeigt? Einfach, aber wirkungsvoll ist die Verwendung eines Schwarz-Weiß-Filters, um einen zeitlosen und professionellen Look zu erzielen.

Das könnte ein bisschen schwierig sein, aber wir sind sicher, dass ein kleines Leckerli nicht unbemerkt bleiben würde!

4: Fotos von deinem Haustier mit seinem Lieblingsspielzeug

Eine weitere großartige Möglichkeit, ein tolles Foto von deinem Haustier zu machen, ist ein Fotoshooting mit seinem Lieblingsspielzeug. Von Quietschspielzeug und Kuscheltieren bis hin zu Spieltauen und Hüpfbällen – jedes Haustier möchte sein Lieblingsspielzeug zur Schau stellen und dies ist die perfekte Gelegenheit dazu. Warum also nicht einen Schnappschuss (oder zwei) von ihm machen, wie es mit seinem Lieblingsspielzeug spielt oder sogar im Schlaf damit kuschelt? 

5: Fotos von deinem Haustier zur Fütterungszeit 

Du servierst deinem Haustier seine Lieblingsspeise zum Abendessen? Dann präsentiere ein Foto, wie dein Haustier eine Gourmet-Mahlzeit genießt. Ein Schnappschuss eignet sich gut, aber du kannst auch eine lustige Szene kreieren, in der dein Haustier wohlerzogen am Esstisch sitzt. Oder noch besser: Nimm einen anderen Blickwinkel ein und zeige deinen pelzigen Freund mit einer Kochmütze bei der „Zubereitung“ des Essens! 

6: Fotos von deinem Haustier in einer Verkleidung

Zieh deinen Haustieren Sonntagskleidung oder ein lustiges Kostüm an, um deinen neuen Fotos eine besondere Note zu verleihen. Von falschen Brillen bis hin zu Pullovern und Hüten gibt es eine Reihe von Kleidungsstücken für Haustiere, die du ausprobieren kannst – aber zwinge sie nicht dazu. Wenn sie sich nicht wohlfühlen, platziere sie stattdessen einfach in einer lustigen Szenerie! Ob sie nun ein Buch lesen, am Computer sitzen oder auf einem Liegestuhl im Garten ein Getränk zu sich nehmen, es entsteht mit Sicherheit ein unbezahlbares Foto.

7: Fotos von deinem Haustier mit dir

Hab keine Angst, ein Foto mit deinem Haustier zu machen! Auch wenn du lieber hinter der Kamera stehst, verdient dein Haustier ein Foto mit seinem Lieblingsmenschen. Wir sind davon überzeugt, dass auch du dich darüber freuen wirst. Ganz gleich, ob es sich um ein Selfie, ein professionelles Porträt oder einen Schnappschuss von dir beim Faulenzen im örtlichen Park handelt – ein Foto mit deinem Haustier wird für viele Jahre eine wertvolle Erinnerung sein.

Tipps und Tricks für die Haustierfotografie

Du fragst dich, wie du deine Fähigkeiten beim Fotografieren von Haustieren verbessern kannst? Haustiere sind unberechenbar und bewegen sich oft ziemlich schnell, daher kann es schwierig sein, den richtigen Moment festzuhalten. Hier sind einige unserer besten Tipps für die Haustierfotografie, um dir den Einstieg zu erleichtern:

Nimm deine Fotos im Serienbildmodus auf:

Wenn dein Haustier nicht still sitzen kann, steigerst du deine Chancen auf das perfekte Bild, indem du mehrere Fotos auf einmal machst.

Halte Ausschau nach dem besten Licht:

Wie bei jedem Bild ist gutes Licht von entscheidender Bedeutung – besonders bei Haustieren mit dunklerem Fell.

Biete eine Belohnung an: 

Wenn dein Haustier so viele Mini-Fotoshootings mitmacht, verdient es auf jeden Fall eine Belohnung! Ein paar Streicheleinheiten oder Leckerbissen sollten ausreichen.

Der wichtigste Tipp ist jedoch, stets auf die Sicherheit deines Haustiers zu achten, denn es lohnt sich definitiv nicht, es in Gefahr zu bringen, um das „perfekte“ Foto zu machen.

Schau dir unsere 4 besten Tipps zum Fotografieren von Haustieren an, um noch mehr darüber zu erfahren, wie du gute Haustierfotos machst.

Haustierfotos teilen Denke daran, die Freude an Haustierfotos nicht für dich zu behalten und deine tollen Bilder mit Freunden und Familie zu teilen. Lade deine Fotos in deine Social-Media-Profile hoch, sende sie in einer E-Mail oder, noch besser, teile deine Fotos mit anderen Nixplay-Nutzern! Gestalte den ultimativen Haustier-Fotorahmen mit einer liebevollen Diashow deiner Lieblingsfotos von deinem pelzigen Freund. Erinnerungen zu teilen war noch nie einfacher.

Q&A with Nixplay Founder Mark Palfreeman: What Sets Nixplay Digital Frames Apart

We sat down with the founder of Nixplay, Mark Palfreeman, to talk about what sets Nixplay apart from other frames on the market, and learned a lot about the world of digital photo frames and how to select one that fits your family’s needs.  

Where does Nixplay store the photos uploaded to digital frames? Where do other brands store their photos?

Palfreeman shared that, “One thing that differentiates us from most other brands is that our servers are in the U.S. and our servers are encrypted. With cheaper brands, most of them are hosting users’ content in China, and even then, not even by the company that sold you the frame. So you don’t even know who’s actually got your photos and video content.” 

Does properly storing your photos affect the cost of digital frames? 

Palfreeman elaborated that, “yes, it’s more expensive for us to store them in the U.S, but for us that’s a non-negotiable.” 

Regardless of where you purchase your digital frames, it’s important to know the company’s privacy policy and how they are incorporating security as a top priority in their product from day one.

What kind of software do digital frames use?

Palfreeman explains it like this, “it’s no different than say, a mobile phone, sure you want a nice, shiny phone…but really what makes a phone special is the software behind it, and the apps that support it. Nixplay is no different in that it’s really the software that drives it, it’s the functions and the ability for it to perform what it is you need it to do.” 

Palfreeman elaborates, “It’s really about your photos, your memories, your moments that you want to celebrate with your family, that you want to share with your family, and so really it’s about the platform that supports that.” 

What kind of special features do Nixplay frames have? 

Palfreeman explains two unique features that come with Nixplay frames, “We just released preload gifting last year. So what that means is I can buy a frame, gift it to my mom, and before my mom even receives the frame, I can create a shared playlist, which is basically a curated playlist on Nixplay’s mobile app. I invite friends and family, and they can add photos, videos, video messages, to the playlist. And when my mom turns the frame on, it will automatically start playing that playlist.” 

What’s the takeaway?

When you’re choosing a digital frame, you are investing in the software, the hardware, and most importantly the housing of your most precious memories. Nixplay offers a variety of frames that are secure, supported by amazing software, and come with many unique features. Check out our shop to start sharing treasured memories with loved ones near and far.

For most pet owners, showing appreciation to your furry friends comes naturally. After all, they help to make us feel happier every day. Although life can get pretty busy, time isn’t always on our side when it comes to giving our pets the attention they deserve. That’s why we wanted to share some photography tips and tricks for getting the best pictures of your pet.. We’ve put together a mix of witty portrait and candid shot ideas for you to take of your pet and store in your wallet, share with friends, or upload to a shared Nixplay playlist. 

7 Fun Pet Photo Ideas 

1: Photos of your Pet’s Best Trick

The ultimate dog photo! Show off your pet’s skills with a snap of them doing their best trick. Whether that’s them up on their hind legs, shaking hands (or paws), rolling over, or another fun pet trick, this one is sure to be a crowd pleaser. If the photos are turning out blurry, try taking them in burst or live mode to try and get the best shot. Remember, with Nixplay smart and touch frames you can display both videos and photos – so don’t worry if you can’t get the perfect still shot, choose video instead!

Your pet can’t do any tricks? No problem! A cute snap of them looking their best is just as good.

2: Photos of Your Pet in Fresh Air 

Whatever the weather, it’s great to get pictures of your pet enjoying the great outdoors. Whether you’re off on your daily W-A-L-K (walk), at their favorite outdoor spot, or you’re trying your hand at a mini photoshoot in the backyard, capturing them in their element is sure to produce a happy photo that’s worth sharing with family and friends.

3: Photos of Your Smiling Pet 

It’s no secret that an adorable photo of an animal smiling into the camera can pull on the heartstrings. So why not share a snap of your pet showing off their best smile? Simple yet effective, you could even use a black and white filter for a timeless and ‘pawfessional’ look.

This one might be a bit tricky, but we’re sure a little treat wouldn’t go unnoticed!

4: Photos of Your Pet with Their Favorite Toy

Another great way to get a great photo of your pet is having a photoshoot with their favorite toys. From squeaky toys and cuddly animals, to tug of war ropes and bouncy balls, every pet wants to show off their favorite toy and this is the perfect opportunity to do it. So why not capture a quick shot (or two) of them playing with or even cuddling their favorite toy as they sleep?

5: Photos of Your Pet at Dinner Time

Serving up their favorite treat for dinner? Share a snap of them indulging in a gourmet meal. While a candid shot will work, you could also style it up to create a comical scene of your pet politely sitting at the dinner table. Better yet, take a different angle and show off your furry friend in a chef’s hat “preparing” dinner!

6: Photos of Your Pet Playing Dress Up

Dress them up in their Sunday best or a fun costume for a twist on a new set of pet photos. From fake glasses to jumpers and hats, there’s a range of pet clothes out there to try – although don’t force them into it. If they’re not feeling comfortable, simply set them up in a comical scene instead! Whether that’s reading a book, sitting at a computer, or having a drink on a deck chair in the backyard, it’ll be sure to create a priceless photo.

7: Photos of Your Pet with You

Don’t be afraid to take a photo with your pet! Even if you prefer to be behind the camera, your pet deserves a photo with their favorite person in the world, and we think you’ll be happy to have it too. Whether that’s a selfie, a professional portrait, or a snap of you lounging in the local park, a photo with your pet will be a treasured memory for years to come.

Pet Photography Tips & Tricks 

Wondering how to improve your pet photo taking skills? Pets are unpredictable and often move about quite quickly, so capturing the right moment might be tricky. So, here are some of our top pet photography tips to get you started:

Take your pictures in burst mode: 

If they can’t sit still, shooting a burst of photos in one go will increase your chances of getting the perfect shot.

Look for the best light: 

As with any image, good light is everything – especially when it comes to pets with darker fur.

Offer a reward: 

Putting them through this many mini photoshoots most definitely deserves a reward! A few cuddles or treats should do it.

But the most important tip is to always remember to keep your pet safe, because putting them in danger to get the “perfect” photo definitely isn’t worth it.

Check out our top 4 pet photography tips to learn even more about how to take good pet photos.

Sharing Pet Photos

Remember not to keep the joy of pet photos to yourself, and to share your awesome pictures with friends and family. Upload your photos to your social media profiles, send them in an email or, better yet, share your photos with other Nixplay users! Create the ultimate pet photo frame with a loving slideshow of your favorite furry friend photos. Sharing memories has never been easier.