As we approach the holiday weekend, my thoughts are naturally drawn to the family activities and photo opportunities that await me. For me, the photos that I capture are often as important to me as the event that I am capturing. It’s no secret that I love to take pictures, and I take a lot of them. But I also USE my pictures. Because we live far away from our extended family (except, of course, for my sister and her family who are local), we rely on photos and telephone calls to stay connected. My kids might not see their West Coast cousins for 2 years at a time, but they know them by sight because we’ve got their pictures up on the wall. Photos keep our relationships alive.
I was very interested to read about Judy Weiser, who has partnered with Kodak to help Americans combat loneliness and reach out to the people they miss. (Click here to read her Psychology of a Smile). Kodak believes the world will be a better place when people fully commit to deepening and strengthening their relationships. Here are some of Judy’s PhotoTherapy tips:
1. Create A Picture-Perfect Environment: Decorate your space with photos of friends, family, loved ones and places you enjoy. Be sure to select photos that contain strong positive memories. Every photo has feelings and memories just underneath its surface; choosing the right one lets you to revisit those moments all over again.
2. Share Your World: The people you miss, miss you too. Let the important people in your life know how you’re doing by sharing not just the special moments but the ordinary moments too. Sharing the “small stuff” can have a BIG impact on your relationships.
3. Interview Your Photo: Unlock the magic of your photo. Find the happiest picture in your collection and imagine a conversation with it. What positive message would it want you to know? How would it like you to feel? What would it want you to remember?
4. Try a Photo Pick Me Up: Beat your blues! Find your most positive photo and carry it with you. Looking at a photo of happier times puts you right back there again, feeling that same way, right now!
5. Breaking the Ice: Turn your photos into conversation starters. Behind every picture is a great story that wants to be told; it’s just waiting for you to ask! Sharing your photos is like sharing your life; when others hear your anecdotes, connections are made that can last a lifetime.
And now for the great news! Kodak has offered one of these to one of my lucky readers (Do you know how jealous I am that I can’t win this?!):
For your chance at this amazing digital frame, here’s what you need to do (mandatory):
**Check out what you can do with the KODAK EASYSHARE W1020 Wireless Digital Frame (Wow!?) and let me know which feature is your favorite.**
For extra entries, you can do any of the following (leave separate entries for each):
~Subscribe to Better in Bulk (or follow me)
~Follow me on Twitter, then Tweet about this giveaway & leave the URL of your twitter post (can be done once per day)
~Become a fan of Kodak on Facebook
This contest will end on July 17 at 10 pm Eastern time. US only, please. Winner will be notified by email and posted on this post. Good luck!
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