How to share family photos online privately.

How to share family photos online privately.

Your family history is something that deserves to be passed down and preserved for future generations. Most people, unfortunately, are left with missing pieces of family history because they don’t take the time to preserve like not knowing who the person in an old photograph is; but it is easier than ever to create family history photo galleries to showcase and highlight your family, including tidbits about your family history that can be shared across generations. 

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One of the great things about modern-day technology is that it allows people more access to recording equipment than ever before. If you want to create your own special family history photos, you no longer need to take old negatives to get processed. All you need is to scan your photos.

You can even share your family history photos online with the rest of your family, so you won’t have to try to figure out how to burn discs or send memory drives to people across the country. If you want to share your family history privately online, consider the following options to help you share family movies online while still keeping them private. 

Facebook 
Facebook is one of the most popular options to share your family photos with family privately. You can share family history with your family by uploading your family photos to your account under a custom filter that only allows certain people to view the post. This option will require you to have anyone who wants to see the photos on your Facebook account, so keep that in mind.  

Private Facebook Groups

You can create a private Facebook group for your family so that family history information can be shared and accessed right on Facebook. The benefits of a private group are that only people who have access to the group will be able to see the information, post comments, etc., so you can limit this to family members or other exclusive groups. Another benefit of this option is that it’s likely that most of your family members have a Facebook account, so this is a very accessible social media site. Finally, the Facebook platform is ideal for sharing all types of files and documents—including photos, videos, and even scanned letters—so this is a one-size-fits-all option in terms of what you can share.

Instagram and Twitter 

Instagram and Twitter are both potential social media options that you should consider. Both of these social media platforms have options for private posting, but you cannot limit the content to specific groups. For instance, if you post something on your friends-only Twitter account, all of your Twitter friends—not just family members—will be able to see it. This option is best if you are going to post content that is not sensitive or private, such as your own personal family history photos that you don’t mind sharing with others; conversely, it’s not the best option for sharing personal or private information, particularly if it relates to other family members. 

Google Drive  

Another option for privately uploading family photos is using Google Drive. Google Drive can be used to upload content and then create private links, so that only anyone with the link can view the photos. You can also password protect your photos for added security, but remember that you’ll need to give the password to any family members who want to view the galleries.  

Other Options

There are a few other options you may want to consider if the above two choices don’t work for your needs. There are other family history related websites, such as ancestry sites, where you can share and upload family history information; and you can also consider creating an online group on a messaging platform such as Skype or LINE, where you can chat with individuals or groups and share photos, links, and so on.

Whichever platform you choose, just remember to enjoy sharing your family history through family movies in a private space online. 

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

How to Share Family Videos Online Privately

How to Share Family Videos Online Privately

Your family history is something that deserves to be passed down and preserved for future generations. Most people unfortunately are left with missing pieces of family history because they don’t take the time to preserve it through family films and family photos; but it is easier than ever to create family movies that showcase and highlight your family, including tidbits about your family history that can be shared across generations. 

One of the great things about modern day technology is that it allows people more access to recording equipment than ever before. If you want to create your own special family films, you no longer need to purchase an expensive video camera or rent equipment; all you need is a smart phone, a tripod (or a steady hand) and if you’re looking to make long films, a memory card!  

You can even share your family movies online with the rest of your family, so you won’t have to try to figure out how to burn discs or send memory drives to people across the country. If you want to share your family history privately online, consider the following options to help you share family movies online while still keeping them private. 

YouTube 

YouTube is one of the most popular online video platforms in the world. While most people associate YouTube with very public viral videos, the videos you upload to YouTube don’t have to be public. When it comes to uploading family movies on this platform, you have two options: uploading videos as private, which means only people who are given special access through their YouTube account and view it; or uploading videos as unlisted, which means only people who have the specific links can find the video. If you want to know more, check out my other article about uploading family videos to YouTube. 

For a A Step-by-Step Guide to Privately Uploading and Sharing Family Videos on YouTube Click Here.

Facebook 

Facebook is another option for uploading family films. You can share family history with your family by uploading your family videos to your account under a custom filter that only allows certain people to view the post. This option will require you to have anyone who wants to see the video on your Facebook account, so keep that in mind.  

For a Step-by-Step Guide to Privately Uploading and Sharing Family Videos on Facebook Click Here

Google Drive  

Another option for privately uploading family videos is using Google Drive. Google Drive can be used to upload content and then create private links so that only anyone with the link can view the video. You can also password-protect your videos for added security but remember that you’ll need to give the password to any family members who want to watch the videos.  

  For a Step-by-Step Guide to Privately Uploading and Sharing Family Videos on Google Drive Click Here.

Vimeo  

Vimeo is another option for uploading your videos. You will need to upload your videos as “private”; much like YouTube, you have several privacy options, such as unlisted videos and password-protected videos. 

  For a Step-by-Step Guide to Privately Uploading and Sharing Family Videos on Vimeo Click Here.

Whichever platform you choose, just remember to enjoy sharing your family history through family movies in a private space online. 

For more valuable insights and guidance on recording your family history, we invite you to visit our "Lights Camera Ancestry" video series. Through our videos on the SSFDocumentary YouTube channel, Silver Screen Family provides a wealth of information covering genealogical topics and expert tips on how to record and preserve your family's history.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to create a lasting legacy for your loved ones. Join us on Silver Screen Family's YouTube channel and embark on an exciting journey of capturing and sharing your family's remarkable stories. Together, let's celebrate the power of family and the enduring value of preserving our shared history.

To learn how to back up your old photos click here.

To learn how to convert old family slides click here.

To learn how to Label Your old photo digital scans by using metadata click here.

Why Family History Is So Important

Why Family History I

s Important.

How much do you know about your family history? Think about the family members who have already passed on. How much of their stories did they tell? How much has been lost to time? Family history is something to be preserved and cherished; not just for yourself, but for your children, grandchildren, and all generations of the family to come.  

Family photos as well as family films are all excellent ways to preserve and share family history; but regular family movies aren’t all you can do in order to help keep family history alive for the next generations. Let’s take a closer look at why preserving family history is important and how you can uniquely preserve it for the next generation. 

Why Family History Is Important 

First, let’s take a closer look at why preserving family history is so important. If you have been unfortunate enough to lose family members who didn’t share much about their past or who didn’t take the time to record their history, then you already know the sadness that comes with finding boxes of photos or film reels filled with people whose names and stories are now lost forever. In many cases, the names, ages, birthplaces and stories of these family members is simply gone forever; especially if they didn’t leave behind letters or any other traces of their story that might give a clue as to their name or personality or life as a whole.  

That is why preserving family history is such a vital part of life. When you preserve the history of your ancestors, you are preserving and cherishing their lives; you are also enriching the lives of your current family members, all of whom can benefit from knowing about the people who came before them. When people take the time to preserve that history in a meaningful way, the stories of those family members can be shared with the next generations, and then the next generations, and so on. 

How to Preserve Family History: Going Beyond Albums and Handheld Cameras 

Naturally, family photo albums and backed-up digital files of home movies are all great ways to preserve history. You should have your family photos scanned and backed up (please see our article on how to back up old photos here) in addition to ensuring that family videos are backed up digitally as well. There is, however, another unique way that you can keep family history alive; this method goes beyond standard family films and photos.  

You can truly preserve your family’s stories in a unique and meaningful way by encouraging family members to tell their stories while being filmed—as well as the stories of any family members who have passed away and are no longer with us. For instance, your mother might sit with a photo of her great-aunt, and explain the history of the woman in the photograph. Who was she? When was she born? What was she like? What did she do?  

This way, the story of the great aunt (which otherwise would be lost to time) is passed on for the next generation. Check out our article on How to Film a Family Interview with your Smartphone here. 

To learn which is the best software for doing a family tree click here.

To learn how to film your grandparent with a smart phone click here.

To learn how to trace holocaust survivors and victims in your family history click here.

To learn whether we should record the lives of our pets click here.

To learn how to research gay family history click here.