Association of Personal Photo Organizers Offering APPO Certification Process

Photo Organizers are independent business owners, offering photo services that may include a wide variety of services ranging from printed photo organization, digital photo organization, archiving, video conversion and the creation of either printed or digital albums.

Professional Personal Photo Organizers bring a high level of personalized, care and attention to each project. They also apply their expertise to help make good decisions about which photos to use or delete and how to showcase them. They can even train and educate on photo management and digital photo basics.

There is an organization for that!
In his article; The Value of Professional Organizations, William Fischer, identified 2 valuable attributes a group of like-minded individuals all involved in practicing the same discipline can have when they bind together to form a professional organization.

“One  of these is the idea that a profession is built around a substantial body of theory and knowledge, which must be continuously tested, revised, and expanded. Thus one  value an association can bring to its profession is to encourage and support research that feeds the theoretical/knowledge  base of the profession.  The second attribute of a profession deals with its members constantly pursuing the new o r  re-validated knowledge that is a result of research efforts in the field or from cognate fields. A second value that an association can bring to its profession is to encourage  and support the  professional  development  of  its members."

In the Fall of 2010, Cathi Nelson, a then practicing  photo organizer in the Northeastern U.S., clearly understood the attributes Fischer outlined. She set out and founded the Association of Personal Photo Organizers (APPO). Here is an early YouTube video offering a brief description of the organization and this emerging business opportunity. Today APPO continues to grow, adding members and opportunities for those associated in photo organizing related products or services.

APPO - not just an organization - now a certifying body!
While it is true the value of an association that brings together those involved in similarly related professional pursuits has merit, the recognition of professionals who have
met specific minimum standards, and proven through examination and client interaction that they possess the body of knowledge and experience required for certification goes a long way in demonstrating professional commitment.

In keeping with this idea of striving towards on-going excellence within the profession, APPO has announced a voluntary certification that is designed to benefit the members of the photo organizing profession, as well as the public it seeks to serve. This program is one that recognizes the individual as possessing specific knowledge pertaining to industry standards, practices and ethics. For the public, while the APPO designation is not an endorsement or recommendation, certification of personal photo organizers maximizes the value received from the products and services provided by an APPO Certified Member.

Some reasons to become APPO Certified include:
• Display a high level of professionalism.
• Confirm your dedication to the personal photo organizing industry.
• Differentiate yourself from other photo organizers.
• Attain recognition from clients, and peers within the industry.
• Contribute personally to strengthening the profession.
• Commitment to your personal development and education.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Learn more about photo organizing, scanners, training, and service options for you or your organization.Blog Contributor, Richard (Rick) Lippert, is a Certified Appo Member.

The Search to Find Who We Are Fueling A Flurry of Pictures Scanned Daily

Finding our roots is big business! Growth to family history websites is soaring. Take for instance the scanning of images as part of a family archive project. Sources indicate more than 1,000 pictures are digitized daily and incorporated into digitization projects currently underway.

Browse more Lifestyle infographics.

Organizing and preserving photos is important, and Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help! Learn more about how photo scanning can help you to keep, protect, share, and connect with your photos.

ALCTS & Library of Congress Online Digital Photograph Preservation Huge Success

During Preservation Week 2012, this past April, the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) and Library of Congress (LOC) teamed up to present an outstanding online program highlighting the key points regarding the digital preservation of photographs.

A Subject Matter All Can Relate To
Digital photos are fragile and require special care to keep them accessible. But preserving any kind of digital information is a new concept that most people have little experience with. Technologies change over time and become obsolete, making it difficult to access older digital photos.  This makes the topic of preserving them a timely subject and one to which most everyone can relate.

A Host & Speaker With Real Expertise to Share
ALCTS hosted the online program that drew many hundreds of attendees. Bill LeFurgy, from the Library of Congress, was the presenter.

ALCTS is the premier resource for information specialists in collection development, preservation, and technical services. It is comprised of nearly 4,000 members from across the United States and 42 countries from around the globe. ALCTS prides itself in being the leader in the development of principles, standards, and best practices for creating, collecting, organizing, delivering, and preserving information resources in all forms.

Bill LeFurgy is the Digital Initiatives Manager for the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program at the Library of Congress. Bill’s topic; Preserving Your Personal Digital Photographs was one the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program has provided personal digital archiving guidance for the last couple of years on the NDIIPP program website. The presentation offered information about the nature of the problem and some simple, practical tips and tools to help you keep your digital photos safe.

The Power of Digital e-Learning
After the program aired on April 26, 2012, both the ALCTS and LOC made available links to the recorded session and slides for those unable to attend the original offering. Since then, the presentation has been downloaded and distributed to many other individuals and groups.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to take advantage of this unique experience through the free learning gift offered by the ALCTS and LOC, Digital Directions would encourage you to do so...TODAY!



Digital Directions is sponsored by E-Z Photo Scan. Get started photo scanning today by renting or purchasing a Kodak Photo Scanner, or by using our photo scanning services.

Museum Monday: A Museum of Memorial Day Proportion: U.S. Military Heritage Memorialized in Photographs

USAMHI allows online visitors to search its digital collection

Telling your story with photographs is compelling. This fact is not lost on the U.S. Military as it engages its audience - the American public - in telling its story of the brave men and women who have served to protect their country in ways both mighty and modest.
The U.S. Army Military History Institute (USAMHI) holds well over 1.5 million photographs in its onsite Photograph Archive Collection. Over 10,000 images have been digitized and are available in their digital archive.

The Digitized Document System (DDS) of the Army Heritage and Education Center and the Military History Institute provides online access to images of a selection of materials in our collections such as: photographs, archival documents, oral histories, military publications, audio/video material and finding aids to its holdings. The collection continues to add more digitized photographs ever increasing the number in the digital archive.

The materials available online represent many different periods of American military history, branches of the Army, activities military forces take part in, and documentation. Some reference works are provided, including finding aids we have generated to help you find materials on topics of interest to you. In general, the materials selected for inclusion in the DDS are considered public domain and are not covered under copyright.

Search Digitized Materials Photographic Holdings Photo Gallery

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Click to learn more about photo scanners, training, and service options that are right for you, or your organization.

Friday's Video: Memorial Day - Honoring the Nation's Finest through Photography

Image courtesy: Gazing at the Flag Blog

As the United States prepares to turn attention to remembering those who have paid the ultimate price in serving their country in military service, Digital Directions salutes all those who have served as part of the military.

Military Photographer of the Year, Jeremy Lock was recently interviewed by CBS’s Bill Plante about his ability to capture and document for the rest of us, what we cannot - or choose not - to witness first hand.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Click to learn more about photo scanners, training, and service options that are right for you, or your organization.

Camera Mad? - or - Story Ready?

When the nearly 24,000 attendees to the annual SXSW arrived in Austin, TX, this past March, they found in this year’s program an interactive panel tackling the topic of; Is Our Photo-Madness Creating Mediocrity or Magic?

Why not such a topic?
The topic seemed relevant when you stopped to consider the facts. Over 100 million photos are uploaded to Facebook every day. There are 3.5 billion cameraphones in use around the world. Instagram reached 13 million users in just 13 months. Some analysts had us nearing the end of what Philip Gourevitch, of The New Yorker called “the decade in which the world went camera-mad...the decade where everything is depicted, and every picture must be shared.”

Camera-mad...really?
So, the panel assembled and the program went off as planned. They addressed the many ways in which the rise of mobile photography is affecting how we express our creativity, and how we connect and communicate every day. In fact, someone even captured the thing on their cellphone’s video and posted it to YouTube (sweet!).

But, have we really become camera-mad, as Philip Gourevitch suggests?

One fact they may have overlooked!
Since the beginning of time, we have always used whatever we had at our disposal to tell our story. Humankind has continuously sought to improve our communication skills in order to tell our story more effectively. So, what is it about our stories?

According to Frank Rose, writing for WIRED, “Anthropologists tell us that storytelling is central to human existence. That it’s common to every known culture. That it involves a symbiotic exchange between teller and listener — an exchange we learn to negotiate in infancy.

Just as the brain detects patterns in the visual forms of nature — a face, a figure, a flower — and in sound, so too it detects patterns in information. Stories are recognizable patterns, and in those patterns we find meaning. We use stories to make sense of our world and to share that understanding with others. They are the signal within the noise.
So powerful is our impulse to detect story patterns that we see them even when they’re not there.”

Having the technology to tell our story with visual cues provided from pictures only reinforces and magnifies the innate pattern building sense that resonates from our very core of humanity.

Photo Elicitation Techniques
Now, if you aren’t a true believer in how pictures can evoke and enhance the power of telling stories, sharing and connecting with others, then perhaps you haven’t heard about Photo Elicitation Techniques.

Photo-elicitation is a qualitative inquiry approach that provides a means for deeply understanding the perspectives and experiences of people, their beliefs, and how they understand their worlds. In photo-elicitation, participants create or use images as a means of presenting conceptions.

In a research study conducted at Purdue University, Photo Elicitation Techniques were used to investigate people’s perceptions of engineering. Photography had been applied to research in fields such as sociology, education, mass communication, and anthropology. However, now photographs provided information about settings and factual information to probe participants about how they define their world in a much more practical manner.

Photographs are icons that represent objects in the photographed scene. Photographs are also symbols, the meaning of which people must explain to others. When combined with other data sources, image-based research can improve qualitative research. Using multiple forms of representation, such as visual, written, and spoken forms, can increase knowledge about people’s conceptions.

Story Ready!
So, in the end we could conclude that perhaps our society is not emerging from a “camera-mad” phase, but instead just simply following the well trodden path that has been traveled for eons before us, in seeking out whatever can help us tell our stories more effectively.

Do you have stories and pictures that help tell them? Then perhaps you may wish to consider contacting a local Association of Personal Photo Organizer (Appo) member. They specialize in bringing expertise, knowledge and skill sets that can help to sort through your photographs, find connecting themes, neatly catalogue and edit them into photo narratives and albums you will be proud to share with family or friends – telling your stories now and for years to come.

If you need some help getting your photos and memories organization project launched, there is an Appo member in your area ready to take on the challenge.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Learn more about photo organizing, scanners, training, and service options for you or your organization. Blog Contributor, Richard (Rick) Lippert is a Certified Appo Member.

Made of Cardboard, Single Use & Digital - A Camera Linking You and Inspiration!

Image Courtesy: Digital Trends

Seems we just can’t get enough of recording our life’s experiences in pictures!

Now, Ikea, the owner and worldwide franchiser of the concept to offer functional, well-designed furniture at low prices is also looking at offering a single-use digital camera with a cardboard exterior.

According to Digital Trends, the camera is “designed by Jesper Kouthoofd, the KNÄPPA (which incidentally sounds like Snap-pa) disposable digital camera measures 4.13 by 2.56-inch and is held together with two plastic screws. It is capable of taking 2.3 megapixel images, and the entire system runs on a single circuit board that contains the functionality programming and camera sensor. The memory, as we know, is capable of up to 40 pictures before users have to manually transfer them out to their computers using the foldaway USB stick on the upper corner. To clear the photos, insert a paper clip or a similarly thin stick into the reset button and hold for five seconds to reset the memory.”

Since the battery design does not allow for replacement without ripping the cardboard body apart, once the charge is depleted the camera is destined for the recycle bin.



Digital Directions is sponsored by E-Z Photo Scan. Get started photo scanning today by renting or purchasing a Kodak Photo Scanner, or by using our photo scanning services.

Photos in the Cloud? Keep Feet on the Ground to Prevent “Lost-In-Space’ Syndrome!

Cloud storage of photographs has skyrocketed! 20 million of us are viewing photos, while 3,000 new photographs are uploaded online each minute.

Are My Online Photo Safe?
Having your photos online seems like the best way to share and connect with family. But, is online storage safe as an archival option?

The answer can be a resounding mixed bag of both yes and no!
Online service providers are spending millions of marketing dollars to convince you they are doing everything possible to protect your photos and keep them safe. However, since you do not have physical control of the media upon which your photos are stored, it is possible something could happen that could hinder you from ever accessing your photos, despite a valid claim to them.

Living Through A Nightmare!
Currently, 25 million gigabytes' worth of ‘in-the-cloud’ data sits on more than 1000 servers that have been powered down. It's a cache of data roughly equivalent to half of the Library of Congress and nobody quite knows what to do with it.

According to the Associated Press,"Tens of millions of digital files kept on Megaupload.com went dark earlier this year. Megaupload was a cyberlocker of sorts, a service that offered individuals and businesses storage space for digital files. But in January, the federal government seized most of the company's assets and charged its founders with running a criminal enterprise designed to facilitate the illegal sharing of copyright-protected movies, music and TV shows.”

Before its closure MegaUpload had 180 million registered users and an average of 50 million daily visits, claimed a total visitor history of more than one billion, and accounted for about four percent of all global Internet traffic, according to the indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia.

The MegaUpload seizure shows how personal files hosted on remote servers operated by a third party can easily be caught up in a government raid targeted at digital pirates.

Keep Grounded With the 3-2-1 Back-Up Plan
The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) was awarded funds by the United States Library of Congress through its National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) for the Digital Photography Best Practices and Workflow (dpBestflow®) project. Included were the development of best practices using simple guidelines for backup of your photos.

Behind the concept of backup developed by the ASMP was the 3-2-1 Rule, designed to make it easy and simple to remember how to backup your images safely. This rule included the guidance of;
3 - Keeping 3 copies of any important file.
2- Keeping files on 2 different media types.
1- Keeping 1 copy of the backup stored offsite.

While all 3 concepts are are important, the focus of this article is to remind you that your photos need to be backed-up using some OTHER media than just an ‘in-the-cloud’ solution to avoid the potential ‘lost-in-space’ syndrome!

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Click to learn more.

Photos & Sensory Rich Exhibits Key to Success at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

DAYTON, Ohio -- Early Years Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The National Museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the service's national institution for preserving and presenting the Air Force story. Each year more than one million visitors come to the museum to learn about the mission, history and evolving capabilities of America's Air Force.

The museum is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum featuring more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles on display amid more than 17 acres of indoor exhibit space. Thousands of personal artifacts, photographs and documents further highlight the people and events that comprise the Air Force storyline, from the beginnings of military flight to today's war on terrorism.

Galleries
The museum's galleries present many rare and one-of-a-kind aircraft and aerospace vehicles and thousands of historical items that chronicle the evolution of military flight from the Wright brothers to today's stealth aircraft.

Sensory-rich exhibits, featuring mannequins, artifacts, sound effects and theatrical lighting, place aircraft in context and bring history to life by dramatizing and personalizing the events depicted. Visitors walking through the museum can view multiple galleries focusing on the various eras of military aviation and Air Force history, including the early years, World War I, World War II, Korea, Southeast Asia, the Cold War and the present.

Virtual Tour
The museum's interactive 360-degree virtual tour gives online visitors a chance to explore the museum at their leisure, plan future visits and share their experiences with friends and family. The tour includes 92 high-definition panoramic "nodes," and within each node, aircraft and artifacts are hyperlinked to factsheets, supplemental information and educational tools. The tour is located at www.nmusafvirtualtour.com.

Museum Operations
The U.S. Air Force operates the museum complex. The commander of the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base maintains operational oversight of the museum, with the History Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C., providing policy guidance.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. John L. Hudson serves as director, and Mr. Terry Aitken as senior curator. The museum's 96 federal civil service positions cover a variety of areas, including exhibits, collection, research, aircraft restoration, operations, education, special events, planning, public affairs and administration. More than 500 volunteers provide an important contribution in diverse areas from greeting and assisting visitors to leading tours and helping restore aircraft.

Location, Hours and Website
The museum is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Parking and admission are free; however, there is a charge for the IMAX Theatre. For more information, visit the museum on the Web at www.nationalmuseum.af.mil. To experience a virtual tour of the museum, visit www.nmusafvirtualtour.com.

Point of Contact
National Museum of the United States Air Force, Public Affairs Division, 1100 Spaatz St., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 45433-7102; (937) 255-4704.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Click to learn more about photo scanners, training, and service options that are right for you, or your organization.

The 3P’s of Photo Organization

If you have photos, then more than likely you have faced the challenge of keeping them organized.

With an estimated 4-5 trillion analog pictures having been taken around the globe and as many as 250 million photos being uploaded every day - to just Facebook - we are drowning in a sea of photographs! Is it any wonder finding that special picture can nearly be impossible?

Organizing Help is On the Way!
However, just when you might think you are about to perish in the sea of photo organizing, a lifeline has been tossed your way. It comes in 3 basic forms. These are; Products, Programs, and People...better known as the 3P’s of Photo Organization.

Products
Physical, analog photographs require safe archival storage that preserve and last a long time. Items such as albums, scrapbooks, archival storage boxes & cases are a must. Supplies, protectors, envelopes, sleeves, folders & other tools also comprise the list of products used to keep and protect these type photos.

Programs
According to 1000memories.org, “Every 2 minutes today we snap as many photos as the whole of humanity took in the 1800s. In fact, ten percent of all the photos we have were taken in the past 12 months.”

Digital photography has allowed this to happen. As a result, the proliferation of software programs and applications to organize this onslaught of digital photos has also skyrocketed. Today, photo organizing software gives you the ability to keep track of your photos with a system that makes sense to you. Sort your photos by assigning them keywords, putting them into categories, rating them according to how much you like them and more. A quick review of the top 10 favorites indicates all the best photo organizing software allow you to edit your photos, backup the files and share the images multiple ways.

People
Dealing with photo organization can be a bit overwhelming! Where do you start? What is the best way to approach organizing your photos? Many individuals try dealing with everything all by themselves. However, there is no need to suffer a feeling of being overwhelmed and isolated. It’s simple – get some help!

Consider hiring a professional with expertise, knowledge and skill sets. Look to outsource parts of the project that you just can’t seem to get excited about or are holding you back. And finally, surround yourself with a support team to brainstorm ideas, plan and strategize.

That’s where the Association of Personal Photo Organizers (Appo) can help. Its members specialize in bringing expertise, knowledge and skill sets that can get - and keep - your photo organizing project on track. Photo Organizers work with clients on a personal level. They help to sort through images, find connecting themes, neatly catalogue and edit them into photo narratives and albums you will be proud to share with family or friends – now and for years to come.

If you need some help getting your photos and memories organization project launched, there is an Appo member in your area ready to take on the challenge.

A Complementing Trio
As you work through organizing your photographs, this trio of P’s complement one another. You will certainly need products for organizing your analog photos. Software programs will unlock a world of powerful tools for you organize your digital photographs and create personalized photo gifts of all sorts. You may even want to consider digitizing your analog photos so they can also be included in this new and fascinating digital world!

Finally, a professional Personal Photo Organizer can help you navigate through the various options to find solutions that meet your needs and help to organize your photos in a manner that works best for you.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Learn more about photo organizing, scanners, training, and service options for you or your organization. Blog Contributor, Richard (Rick) Lippert, is a Certified Appo Member.

You’ve Got Pictures - Preserve , Archive & Share using Disc Technology

In August of 2007, the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) was awarded funds by the United States Library of Congress through its National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) for the Digital Photography Best Practices and Workflow (dpBestflow®) project. Included were the development of best practices using simple guidelines for backup of your photos.



3-2-1 Strategy
Behind the concept of backup developed by the ASMP was the 3-2-1 Rule, designed to make it easy and simple to remember how to backup your images safely. This rule included the guidance of;
3 - Keeping 3 copies of any important file.
2- Keeping files on 2 different media types.
1- Keeping 1 copy of the backup stored offsite.

Using Disc Technology
Disc technology as one of the media types is an excellent choice. While migration to another media is inevitable, you should consider keeping your data on one media as long as possible. Starting with media that has the longest expected lifetime helps to assure the expense of migration is kept to a minimum.

Investing in high quality CD, DVD, or Blu Ray disc technology that meets consumer demands for high capacity, long life data storage is vital. When considering disc storage for preservation, archiving and use in sharing your photos these guidelines can help direct you to selecting the proper product;

• What speed recorders will the discs work best?
• Are discs covered under a manufacturer’s warranty?
• Does the CD disc use Phthalocyanine dye guaranteeing very precise recording?
• Is the outer layer enhanced using a diamond coat protective surface to withstand physical and environmental assaults?
• Does the CD or DVD disc use a pure 24-carat gold reflective layer to maximum resistance to chemical breakdown -- one of the major causes of disc failure?
• Does the Blu Ray disc use recording layers made from highly stable inorganic dye?
• Does the disc manufacturer submit its products for longevity tests conducted according to ISO 18927-2002 guidelines titled: "Imaging materials – Recordable compact disc systems – Method for estimating the life expectancy based on effects of temperature and relative humidity." ?

A little planning ahead will go a long way in helping to preserve and protect your pictures for years to come. To learn more about disc storage technology from industry leader MAM-A, click here. To purchase archival CD’s or DVD’s from E-Z Photo Scan, click here.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Click to learn more about photo scanners, training, and service options that are right for you, or your organization.

National Archives Allows You to Upload Photos on Citizen Archivist Dashboard

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. As the nation’s record keeper, it is NARA’s vision that all Americans will understand the vital role records play in a democracy, and their own personal stake in the National Archives. The stories of our nation and our people are told in the records and artifacts cared for in NARA facilities around the country.

Citizen Archivist Dashboard
The NARA has created a Citizen Archivist Dashboard on its website to allow individuals to actively contribute to its mission. These include:

Tag
Add tags to images and records of National Archives. Tagging is a fun and easy way for you to help make National Archives records found more easily online. By adding keywords, terms, and labels to a record, you can do your part to help the next person discover that record.

Transcribe
By contributing to transcriptions, you can help the National Archives make historical documents more accessible. Transcriptions help in searching for the document as well as in reading and understanding the document. The work you do transcribing a handwritten or typed document will help the next person discover and use that record.

Edit Articles
The Archives Wiki is an online space for researchers, educators, genealogists, and Archives staff to share information and knowledge about the records of the National Archives and about their research. 

Here are just a few of the ways you may want to participate:

• Create new pages and edit pre-existing pages
• Share your research tips
• Store useful information discovered during research
• Expand upon a description in our online catalog

Upload & Share
Upload and share your digital images of National Archives records. Researchers scan and photograph National Archives records every day in our research rooms across the country -- that’s a lot of digital images for records that are not yet available online. If you have taken scans or photographs of records you can help make them accessible to the public and other researchers by sharing your images with the National Archives Citizen Archivist Research Group on Flickr.

Index the Census
Citizen Archivists, you can help index the 1940 census! The National Archives is supporting the 1940 census community indexing project along with other archives, societies, and genealogical organizations.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Click to learn more about photo scanners, training, and service options that are right for you, or your organization

Museum Monday: The World’s Art Museums and the Googleplex

Google engineers capture the
 Street View images at the White House
Image courtesy:pcworld.com

Google calls its campus the Googleplex, which combines the words Google and complex. It has been purported by bloggers like Jonathan Strickland, that the Google campus is what you'd get if you combined a typical high-tech Internet company's headquarters with an intellectual think tank and a heaping helping of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

But What If?
However, what if you were to release some of that wonderful geekiness towards bringing together the world’s art under a single space on the World Wide Web?

Suppose for just a moment, the works of the art masters from around the globe could be available at the click of a mouse for you to view, explore in fine detail, or even create personalized digital collections you could share with family and social networks?

Well, it has happened. Introducing the Google Art Project!

Online Project Expands!
Early in 2011, Google announced it was aiming to opening the world’s art collections to online viewers. 'Google Art Project’ included over 1000 works of old world masters from 17 museums around the world.

The project had been 18-months aborning, Google announced; a spokeswoman for the company. Google engineers captured the Street View images of the museums with a special cart with mounted cameras, similar to the gear found on the Street View cars gathering imagery across the world. These images are then compiled into a high-resolution 360-degree panorama that you can zoom in and out of.

At the time of its initial launch Google indicated it would look to add more museums as time went on but offered no information about the timetable for expansion. On April 3, 2012, Google announced the expansion of ‘Google Project Art’ to over 150 museum collections from 40 countries. Now, online viewers have over 32,000 works of art available to them.

Discover the Magic of Art in New & Innovative Ways
Google has taken photography, digitization and combined it with a helping of that Willy Wonka factor to make art available in a way never before possible.

In the Washington Post, Elizabeth Merritt, founding director of the Center for the Future of Museums, called the walk-through technology an interesting experiment, and the kind of experiment that most museums can't produce on their limited budgets.

When asked about the Chicago Art Institute joining the Google Art Project, Director Douglas Druick told the Huffington Post, "By sharing works of art in this way, all it will do is increase the interest in visual works of art and the desire to come to institutions like the Art Institute."

View and Share
The Google Art Project makes the experience of viewing art online more than a solitary experience.

Instead, it seeks to involve the community around us as it allows online viewers to not only personally appreciate these works online and up close, but also permits us to share our favorite artworks with family, friends and social networks. It uses all the major sharing tools, such as Google+, Twitter, Facebook and eMail.

Finally, it is possible to create our own personal collections forged from the vast online selections. Using the ‘My Galleries’ feature, Google Art Project lets you become an art collector par excellence. It is then possible to include your own personal perspective note cards, share your collections, or keep them private.

Digital Directions sponsor E-Z Photo Scan can help you get started archiving your photos digitally! Click to learn more about photo scanners, training, and service options that are right for you, or your organization.