Saving photos to DVD is one of the easiest, most reliable ways to store and preserve your memories. Storing photos
this way allows you to:
Store originals of your digital photos in a secure place.
Make space on your computer's hard drive by backing up photos stored there.
Share your pictures easily. Instead of mailing stacks of printed photos, you can mail lightweight DVDs
holding thousands of photos.
Make copies of your original photos and experiment in creative ways (edit and crop, fix red eye, or add special color effects like sepia—for an antique look).
Create slideshows—even set your photos to music.
Take your photos with you to get prints and projects made at
in-store kiosks.
All the photos you've taken with your digital camera are already in file form and perfect for
archiving (storing) on DVD. But what about all those aging prints from before
the age of digital photography? Consider turning them into digital files too. Time, light, and even humidity
all conspire to dull and damage old photos.
It's easier than ever to convert your images into digital files. HP's Scanjet scanners and
Photosmart all-in-ones
feature handy one-touch scanning for photos. The ability to scan slides or negatives is a special feature
included on several HP scanners.
There are also scanners with optional slide and negative adapters. Learn more
about scanning and organizing your photos.
DVDs
are cheaper to store and less likely to get damaged than printed photos. And consider this: The lifespan of
a disc ranges from 10 to 100 years, (depending on storage conditions and media quality), so there's a good
chance those discs will easily outlive both your computer and digital camera.
A basic DVD holds 4.7GB of data, which translates to more than 15,000 high-quality pictures. That's about seven times
the capacity of a CD. And HP's innovative double-layer recording technology lets you use double-layer DVDs to record
almost twice as much data as you can on single-layer DVDs.
You can record photos to DVD+R ("recordable") discs, which record data only once, or record them to DVD+RW ("rewritable")
discs, which you can write or record over about 1,000 times. DVD+R discs are cheaper, but you may want to spend a little
more on DVD+RW discs for the added flexibility.
This process is just as easy as moving any file from one location to another on your computer. Step 1: Transfer your photos from your digital camera. Step 2: Insert a blank DVD into your computer's drive. Step 3: Windows Vista will detect the blank DVD and ask you to prepare it by giving
it a name. Step 4: After you name your DVD, a window will open. Click on and drag whatever
photos you want to copy into this window. Windows Vista will then copy the files for you.
It's not a good idea to store your DVDs on the spindle they came packaged in. Paper or plastic envelopes are
a little better, but are vulnerable to damage and can leave tiny scratches on your discs over time. The best
choice is to keep your discs in individual jewel cases.
Temperature and light can also damage the data on a DVD. Avoid storing your discs in direct sunlight or in
temperatures less than 40 degrees or over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Personalize your jewel cases with custom designs
while adding information that will make your discs easier to sort through later on. Read on for more
creative ideas.
DVD+Rs loaded with photos can be played on most DVD players, including computer DVD drives and TV DVD players.
This makes creating slide shows a breeze—and makes them portable.
While you know the contents look great, you can make your discs look stunning on the outside, too. With
LightScribe technology,
you can burn silkscreen-quality labels and artwork directly onto LightScribe-enabled CDs and DVDs right
inside the drive! The best part is, this technology comes standard on most HP PCs. LightScribe CD-Rs are
available in gold and in
color.
DVD-Rs and
DVD+Rs
are available in gold.
But it's not all about looks, it's also practical. You can label your LightScribe discs with the date
or the name of an event too. Even featuring one really memorable photo as the label could be a great
reminder of the whole batch.
Discover how software like
HP Photosmart Essential
can help you prepare your photos for storage by removing red eye and adjusting color and lighting. Best
of all, you can download it for free.
Consider using HP Photosmart Essential or Windows Vista Media Center to create a
slideshow with music.
Take a free online class
in digital photography! Explore the many features of your digital camera, find tips for cropping and editing your
images, and discover new ideas for sharing your photos in creative ways.
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