by Rachel Jenkins
During my last few years as a photo organizer, I have had some revelations. Maybe they are obvious to everyone else or maybe it’s always just been understood and I’ve never had to articulate it. Your photos are one of your most personal and private collections.
When you ask someone to come help you organize things in your life whether it is a part of your home or something as specific as your collection of photographs, it can feel invasive. I had a personal experience where I had an organizer come into my home and help me rid my pantry of the chaos. How could that feel personal right? Well let me tell you. As we were taking things from the pantry, some of those things had to find another home. Some things got tossed, some things were recycled and some things just needed to go to the unfinished part of our basement. Oh my….the basement. So not only is the organizer seeing my cluttered pantry but now she might see the unfinished part of the basement where the lonely things go. What might she think of me? What I realized by the end of that couple hours is that not only was the organizer very professional but she didn’t judge me. She got as much satisfaction out of helping me find order in my pantry as I did.
It was during that experience that I realized how important it is for me as a photo organizer to make sure that I leave my clients feeling the same way. Unjudged and a sense of a job well done. I’m certain that’s how I’ve always intended to approach projects with my clients but feeling it myself brings a whole new understanding of how my clients might be feeling. As a member of APPO (Association of Personal Photo Organizers) I commit to serving my clients with dignity and respect at the highest levels of integrity. Being committed to keeping client information private and confidential is just one of many business practices that I adhere to. I’m not there to judge the quality or quantity of your photo collections.
All that being said, don’t be afraid to ask for help to get those projects done that are weighing on your mind. Do your research and pick someone you are comfortable with. Ask questions to gain an understanding how they conduct themselves. Follow your gut, it rarely steers you wrong. You’ll know if the chemistry is right. If you’re looking for a photo organizer, selecting a member of APPO is a good place to start. I can state from first-hand experience, it’s a committed group of professionals.
Rachel Jenkins is a photo solutions manager and founder of ScrapMyPix. She is also a certified member of Association of Personal Photo Organizers. She specializes in a hands-on approach and technology to bring your images out of the closet and computer so they can be safely shared, displayed and archived. For more information on available services, please check out her website at www.ScrapMyPix.com
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