Scott Chytil Photography is rolling out it's new logo. Along with new stationery and business cards is this redesigned website. All of the basics are there with a few new additions including a link to my blog, news about the photography industry and sign-ups for this newsletter.

Scott Chytil Photography is having another Business Portrait Day. Come in on May 24th and save money on an updated business portrait. Only $50 for the first image. "You and Improved" retouching services and custom B&W conversions available. Make a reservation today. Prepay and save $5. Call Now: 425-417-0869.

Each session is 30 minutes long. You can bring a change of clothes if you like. Images will be reviewed as we progress so you will know you have a good photo before you leave. Any additional images selected from the session are only $10 each. Custom B&W conversion is $10 per image and the "You and Improved" retouching service is $20 per image.

Don't forget to call now to reserve your time slot.

There are two basic types of photos in the world today, inkjet and digital photo print. An inkjet print is what you get when you buy an Epson, Canon or HP printer (among others) and print photographs at home from your computer.

A digital photo print is a traditional photo created from a digital image. The processes of getting the image onto paper has changed, but the end product still uses light sensitive chemicals to produce the image. These are found through your local Costco, Ritz/Wolf or Target to name a few.

So the big question: Which one lasts longer? The digital photo print has a lot more history behind it. We all know that traditional photos can last a long time when stored in a shoebox. Inkjet prints have obviously not been around very long so history can't help us.

What can help answer the question is testing. Wilhelm Imaging Research has been doing testing of inkjet and digital photo printers for quite a few years now and is one of the authorities on the subject. One interesting aspect of the dilema is that there are no standards to judge longevity. Because of this everyone can have different standards for what longevity means. Wilhelm Imaging Research has established standard testing procedures for their tests so that results can be compared with each other.

Longevity of inkjet prints has become a competition between manufacturers, and can be used to help market their printers. This is a very good thing for consumers as printers get more and more advanced. Wilhelm Imaging Research has a new report out as of March 2007 that tests print permanance in 4x6 printers. At the top of the list is an inkjet printer with a permanance rating of over 200 years when framed under glass. The highest rated silver-halide printer (digital photo printer) has a permanance rating of 40 years under the same circumstances. The printer just above the digital photo printer is another inkjet with a rating of 41 years. The lowest rated printer is an inkjet with a rating of only 4 months. The lowest rated silver-halide printer had a rating of 17 years.

So what's better? Obviously there is quite a range of permanence for any process, but for inkjet it really depends a lot on manufacturer, ink and paper combination. Most printers had a rating of over 100 years when stored in an archival environment.

The things to keep in mind about inkjet prints 1) using the printer manufacturers ink and paper is the safest bet (third party inks didn't test as well) 2) store prints out of direct sunlight whenever possible 3) frame prints under glass, UV blocking glass or plexiglass 4) use a mat around the print when framing to keep the print from coming in direct contact with the glass/plexiglass.

The nice thing about digital prints is they are easy to recreate. When new printer technology comes out, or the prints begin to fade a bit you can always print another. As long as you keep the files around anyway. Maybe someday I'll even get around to replacing the badly faded photo of my oldest son on my mother-in-laws refrigerator. It is an inkjet print from several years ago and has been exposed to direct lightsources the entire time, which is the worst way to store any kind of photo.

Do you need to get organized but don’t know where to get started? Here are some quick tips to help you jumpstart the process.

Sort – the first thing to do is sort through what you have. Begin by labeling a bag (or box) for these categories: keep, donate, trash. Start with a very small section of the room you are working in. Many people see the room as a whole and feel there is just no way to succeed. Start small, for an hour or so at a time so that you won’t feel overwhelmed. When you look at an item determine how long it has been since you have used it, worn it, etc. If it has been more than a year it is time to either donate it or toss it. Now is the time to be honest with yourself. Clutter and disorganization are many times the result of too many items in the space. This is your chance to get rid of things. Again, work in small sections until you have sorted through everything and determined what category it belongs to.

Do it now - don’t wait to take the items labeled trash or donate out of the house. Do it now. If something belongs in another part of the house- take it there. Take the trash items to the garbage can or dump. Take the donation items to your favorite charity. Do not revisit items in this process. You have made your decision, stick to it and go with your first instinct. Don’t cheat and pull things from the donation pile because you “may need it later”. You won’t.

Organize what is left - now that you know what you have to work with it becomes easier to organize the items you have left. Perhaps you could use a shelving unit. Or maybe some baskets and drawers. Look at the items you have left and determine if there is a better way to store them to prevent clutter. Baskets and drawers are great for keeping like items together, or for small items. They also allow you to toss things in easily and hide the ‘mess’ inside. Bins that slide out are easier than those with lids on them because you can access them easier. If you tend to clutter up countertops with piles of paper or other clutter, then cut down your surface area. Put a decorative vase and some picture frames there instead so that you won’t be tempted to clutter the space back up. Perhaps you have the opposite problem, you have cute baskets everywhere filled with “stuff”. If that is the case then limit the number of baskets you have. Label each one with a purpose and be sure to only use them for that purpose.

Being organized doesn’t have to mean that your countertops are barren or that you aren’t allowed to have piles of any kind. Organization means different things to different people. What it does mean is that you sort through your items on a semi-regular basis to make sure that the items you have are really needed and still useful and that you have a place to keep what you do use.

Stacey Anderson can be reached at stacey@organizedinnovations.com or by calling 425-785-5239.