If your photo collection is anything like ours, it's probably sitting in a number of albums down in the basement, tucked away in a closet.
Every so often we'll visit this cemetery of photos and take hours hunting for that one photo we're looking for. This can be cumbersome.
Vasgen Degirmentas, a North Shore resident and owner of Digital Butler Photography Digital Imaging, is a photo and video expert located in Dundarave Village, West Vancouver. The Digital Butler specializes in converting photos, videos, slides, negatives and audiotapes into many digital forms for easier storage and retrieval.
With a bachelor of science degree in photographic and electronic imaging science from the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom, Degirmentas also has more than 25 years of professional experience in art reproduction and colour management in high-end book publication.
Digital Butler specializes in short production times as Degirmentas does everything in house. For example, if you have one reel of 8mm film to transfer, Digital Butler can have this done in two days. Most other production houses can take three to four weeks.
At Digital Butler you can have your 8mm, Super 8mm and 16mm Cine films, VHS tapes or any type of videotape transferred into digital files that will last a very long time for you to enjoy for generations to come.
Family memories that are stored on smartphones and photos that are stored on prints, slides and negatives can be bulk scanned using high end commercial scanners and placed into digital files. These files may be shared with friends and family around the world on social networking sites or viewed on your computer. Digital Butler can also make books, calendars, posters and banners of your photos as well. If you're looking for a DVD slideshow for a wedding, family reunion or memorial service, Digital Butler can take your photos and produce a DVD disc that is compatible with almost all DVD players and can be viewed just the same as a movie.
Digital Butler prides itself in providing a personal service tailored to customers' exact needs. They will assist you with sizing your photo, choosing the finish or surface required and any special text, effects or background design. Whether it's a calendar, greeting card or perhaps printing a photo onto a large canvas, metal or glass surface, the Digital Butler can get it done.
One of my favourites is to email the company with a favorite photo and have staff transfer it to a 5x7 folded greeting card that I can then personalize with a written message. This is great when you're planning to go to a special event and would like to surprise the guest of honour.
Digital Butler Photography Digital Imaging is located at #D, 299-24th St., West Vancouver. Info: digitalbutler. ca or 604-922-3931.
Barb Lunter is a freelance writer with a passion for home decor, entertaining and floral design. barb@lunter.ca lunter.ca
