I Own Hundreds of Photos. What's Next?

Now that photography doesn't necessitate rolls of film, everyone has hundreds of photos. You take them with your digital camera, you take them with your phone. In the blink of an eye, there are thousands of pictures cluttering up your hard drive... some good, some bad, some eh.

They shouldn't just sit idly by and gather dust. But what do you do? Here are a few thoughts for things that you can do with all of those digital pictures.

5. Share Them Online. There are dozens of image sharing services these days. Some websites feature fine art photos, others prefer people and friends. Use a webpage like DeviantArt to showcase your cool photos. Share photos of your friends on Facebook or Google Plus. Really, why should you keep all these pics if you don't want someone to admire them?

4. Get Them Printed. Does it still cost a pretty penny to print your photos? Not even close. You can print pictures for $0.10 to $0.20 if you look in the right place. Aside from ordering cheap photo prints online, you might find some deals to get free prints. Take advantage of these offers, and you can make a batch of 20 to 40 photos for almost nothing.

3. Make a Collage. After my daughters finished high school, they had a crazy amount of pictures of themselves because they participated in the yearbook committee. They each printed up a giant collage, about 2 feet by 3 feet, and included dozens of smaller photos. They organized it on the computer and got them printed in a big poster format. But you could simply print out a handful of smaller pictures and make a collage the old fashioned way.

2. Get a Gallery Print. Canvas prints are the next big thing. Decorating your apartment? Take one of your favorite pictures and get it done up on canvas. They look great placed on your wall; it's definitely better than a regular photo in a frame. If you want to invest a little more money, you can also make a mini gallery wall with a selection different wraps.

1. Design a Slideshow. Get some software, like Windows Movie Maker, to organize a movie using your pics. This is great for a collection of pics from a single night or period of time. Make the memory of a weekend getaway, a special graduation party, or a senior year of high school. Create it to some songs and bam! Instant memories.

Be creative. There are tons of things you can do with those photos that are lying around collecting dust. The important thing is to actually get up and do something.