Once old slides are scanned or a season's garden photos are sorted, the natural next step is to share them. Sending pictures is easy; sending them well, without losing quality or giving away more than you meant to, takes a little thought. Club Giardino does not accept file uploads or offer any sharing service; this is general advice for doing it yourself.
Pick the right method
- Messaging apps are quick for a few photos, but many compress images, so they are not ideal for archive-quality scans.
- Email works for small batches, though attachments have size limits.
- Shared cloud folders or albums suit large collections and let relatives download full-quality files.
- A USB drive in person is still a good choice for a complete family archive, especially for less technical relatives.
Check what is hidden in the file
Photos taken on a phone often carry location data in their metadata. That is harmless for a public garden like Descanso Gardens, but less so for pictures taken at home. Before posting or sending widely, check your phone or computer's options for removing location information, or turn off location tagging for the camera if you prefer.
Control who can see shared links
- Share with named people rather than "anyone with the link" when the photos are personal.
- Choose view-only access unless someone genuinely needs to add or edit.
- Set links to expire, or remove access once everyone has their copy.
- Be careful about photos that show house numbers, car plates or children's schools.
Be wary of requests
Only send files to people and addresses you know. Be cautious of unexpected messages asking you to upload photos or log in to view a shared album; when in doubt, contact the sender another way to check. Never send passwords together with files.
Keep quality where it counts
Send full-size copies to the family member who will keep an archive, and smaller versions for everyday viewing. Always share a copy, never your only master. Our Dupes page explains keeping backups, and Archiving covers formats and labeling.
Add context
A short caption saying who, where and when turns a file into a family record. If you include a note with a shared folder, relatives can add names and memories you might not know.
Or share them together
Sometimes the best way to share is in person. Project a season of garden photos on a backyard screen with tips from Dissolves and Backyard Cinema, and let the stories come out over the evening.