Before I become an ancestor, I want to caption all the old family photos in my collection. I'm on my way, but it's going to be a process not to be finished in a day.First, I bought archival boxes to lay photos flat, organized by family, rather than having them filed vertically in a folder. Next, I put every single photo into a clear, acid-free, protective sleeve or resealable envelope for long-term storage and protection. (Vendors who offer boxes and sleeves are mentioned on a number of sites, including on Cyndi's List.)
The recommendation to "put a sleeve on it" comes from multiple expert sources, such as:
Now when I have a few minutes, I choose one of the sleeved photos, write a caption on a separate adhesive label, and stick it to the front or back of the protective sleeve. Later, I'll type the captions, print them, and put them into the boxes with the photos (not inside the sleeves or touching any original photos).
The caption on this photo explains not only who the boy on the pony is, but why a pony is standing on the sidewalk in front of a Bronx apartment building, circa 1919. Future generations may not know that entrepreneurs brought ponies to street corners, offering "photo opps" for kids of city dwellers at a low price.
I really want my heirs to know! And for now, a scribbled caption is better than no caption at all, right?
PS: Don't forget to inventory the photos. See "sample templates" on the tab above right.
Want more detail on "how to" sort photos, preserve them, and decide what to keep/what to give away? Please check out my new book, Planning a Future for Your Family's Past.
I am going to be doing the same thing with most of my loose photos. I actually have sleeves already from my days selling handmade greeting cards. Thank goodness they were archival and I didn't throw them away when I stopped doing craft fairs!
ReplyDeleteGood thing you kept those sleeves! Very handy. I bought dozens of sleeves in two sizes, 5x7 and 10x14 so I could protect photos of various sizes. And resealable envelope-type sleeves make it so easy. Thanks for leaving me a note!
ReplyDeleteGreat plan to clearly & safely label those photos! As many as I label there are always more to do.
ReplyDeleteYup, always something else to label. And as Dana says below, scan and electronically label too. I appreciate your comment!
DeleteGreat tip! My dad is currently scanning all of his photos. I'm not sure how he's doing it, but he's adding words "outside of" the photo - kind of like an addition to the photo. This way, you can share the photos with the labels AND people can take the labels off & just have the photos!
ReplyDeleteDana, happy to hear your Dad is busy scanning and adding labels. Thanks for leaving me a comment.
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