"Saving" Your Sanibel Holiday: Best ways to share those treasured Pix

Though most people who come to Sanibel want to stay longer if not forever, the majority of visitors must go home. Jobs, school, family obligations await. So we must be content with bringing home memories and reliving our vacation through photos and tales.



The most effective way to stretch the trip is to have great photos that you can look at and share with friends and relatives, not as fortunate in having been able to get here in person.


There are dozens of ways to save and share, from hard copies in photo albums to digital images on line. Having had the misfortune in the past to have lost photo albums or had them come apart, we are sticking to digital images.


Of course you can save them to your hard drive and email them to select folks in your net works, but this gesture, while generous, may not be fully appreciated. If nothing else, assuming the filters on your recipient's email folders allow them to come through, the pictures will take up too much space in email form...both your memory and their memory.


So, here you are with fantastic images just waiting to be shared. Your options are numerous. There are several easy to use photo save/swap/share options. Most come with an annual rate, and even when offered "for free" have limitations on how much storage is allowed, so you need to read the fine print.


A good comparison of the benefits and downfalls of the major (a dozen in all) picture sharing sites is offered here: http://photo-sharing-services-review.toptenreviews.com/


Again, almost all of these come at cost, though a pretty nominal one in all instances. One way that we have found to be very effective, and does not cost a penny, is to use the photo album capacity of Facebook.


Although you need a (free) Facebook account to use the site, you don't need to be on Facebook to see the photos. Facebook provides a link you can send to those who do not have an account and they will be able to click it and view your photos. If you do have an account, then the share function is even simpler. We have found photo sharing on Facebook quite simple. The uploads, no matter what size resolution you used in taking the photo, are quick, and the resolutions very clear.


Unlike sites like picturetrail.com, which we also use, Facebook does not appear to offer the bells and whistles of creating frames, or music or even album covers, but if you are looking for an easy way to share at no cost this could be the best method for you.


If you have any favorites, we would love to learn of what you use and why. No matter the method, your memories of Sanibel Island will never fade when you have a brilliant photograph at your fingertips!!