Even a modest smartphone can help you record moments that you’ll cherish for many years; Craig Grannell digs into apps and techniques that give you the best ways to do so
THE BASICS
Don’t miss the moment Recording moments to relive later shouldn’t get in the way of experiencing them. With planned events, ideally set up a camera in advance and use a tripod. If circumstances don’t allow it, or you want sporadic snaps, learn to shoot without having a phone or camera glued to your face.
Get the balance right Try to make high-quality captures that are futureproof, and shoot stable video. But remember, if you later realise a pic or clip could have been better, having something beats having nothing. Improve your chances by using simple, reliable, mature apps rather than those with gimmicks and filters. You can always make edits later.
Record people’s stories We often hear people wishing they’d recorded loved ones’ voices before they passed. So don’t wait. Make impromptu recordings (with permission). And ask people to share their story – they might think that silly, but an in-person chat or Zoom call can result in a wonderful record of a life that later brings comfort to those left behind.
Write things down Reading might seem like hard work. Writing, even more so. But words capture what pictures and videos cannot. Jot down fun remarks from your kids, so you can revisit them years later. Chronicle your own story, so your descendants can know you. Some might contend that video is better, but text is easy to copy – and it lasts.
Use formats wisely Anyone who’s worked with digital for years will know files don’t last forever. Avoid esoteric formats and prefer those with longevity. If one’s about to disappear, convert your archive to something newer. And don’t ignore the benefits of old-school physical media: printed books and photos tend to outlive documents stored on drives or in the cloud.
TAG PHOTOS
Flag favourites We’re coming to the point where machine learning will outpace any human’s ability to tag a photo collection. However, computers can’t decide what you like, so mark especially precious memories as favourites to access later.
Add context Google Photos and Apple Photos enable you to add captions. You won’t need to with every snap; but consider adding words to key images, much like the way you’d once have scribbled a few words in marker pen on the back of important photos.
EDIT VIDEOS
Make seconds count 1 Second Everyday (free on Android and iOS) has you pick a specific video moment each day. Over time, snippets build to form affecting staccato videos that are emi
