How will your key photos survive for you great grand children ?
Jan 23, 2018 16:40:45 #
A few years back (well, maybe many years back depending on how old YOU are) it was generally accepted that the most reliable way to store an image was to print it -- silver on paper. I have some of those prints dating back to the 1880s.
That, of course, limits you to black and white (maybe sepia and white). All the color processes I know of involve organic dyes, which are not stable in the very long term. It's a bit of a dilemma for color images. Digital has the potential to last a very long time, but technology works against it by making "progress" and continually making storage media "better".
The one idea I heard a few years back was to print a bit image, silver on paper, of the digital file. It would just be a bunch of dots and spaces but it would potentially last longer than any of the digital media.
But of course even silver on paper requires maintenance in the form of a good storage environment.
That, of course, limits you to black and white (maybe sepia and white). All the color processes I know of involve organic dyes, which are not stable in the very long term. It's a bit of a dilemma for color images. Digital has the potential to last a very long time, but technology works against it by making "progress" and continually making storage media "better".
The one idea I heard a few years back was to print a bit image, silver on paper, of the digital file. It would just be a bunch of dots and spaces but it would potentially last longer than any of the digital media.
But of course even silver on paper requires maintenance in the form of a good storage environment.
Jan 23, 2018 16:44:51 #
mwsilvers wrote:
That's assuming they have a reader for those disks in 50 years......
Whomever would have to migrate them (to newer media) along the way, not keep the originals in a "time capsule".
Jan 23, 2018 16:54:17 #
mwsilvers wrote:
That's assuming they have a reader for those disks in 50 years and that Amazon will still be storing your images and allowing access to your great grandchildren 50 years from now even if they still have a password passed from you children to your grandchildren to them. Lets face it, that's not very likely.
Well, I didn’t mention that I have a large collection of framed B&W prints (with information on the back) as well as many albums of B&W prints and the associated negatives. I’m lucky enough to have one of my sons who is an educator and has a passion for history, understands the value of family history continuity, and is a natural archivist (and photographer). Regarding the digital imagery, it's a given that that media will change and that it will need to be transferred to a new media every 2-3 decades. I have digital content and images that are close to 40 years old and have been moved through several generations of media, so I am not so pessimistic as you.
Jan 23, 2018 17:04:05 #
Steve411 wrote:
How will you save important pictures for your grea... (show quote)
My younger daughter is very interested in the several cubic feet of photo albums left behind by my Dad. My stuff will survive if she shows equivalent interest in the smaller volume of a HDD I leave behond
Jan 23, 2018 17:05:25 #
Jan 23, 2018 17:31:28 #
TriX wrote:
... I’m lucky enough to have one of my sons who is an educator and has a passion for history, understands the value of family history continuity, and is a natural archivist (and photographer)...
That's only one generation. Hopefully he will be able to transfer his knowledge and passion to the next one and so down the line.
I'm not really pessimistic (IMHO), but history requires maintenance all along the way.
But yes, your strategy is probably better than mine.
Jan 23, 2018 17:34:59 #
The biggest problem is that hard drives have a limited life span; after some years they will fail and become unreadable. Therefore, digital image files need to be copied and backed up periodically to survive long-term. Will your offspring diligently continue the back-ups? If one generation slacks on the back-ups, your images will no longer be available to the generations that follow. Cloud storage is not really a solution either. Companies go bankrupt, merge with other entities and discontinue services, etc. Some cloud storage sites which were around 15 years ago are already gone, sometimes resulting in customers losing all of their uploaded digital files.
In my opinion, actual prints have the best chance of surviving long term for future generations to enjoy. Prints require far less maintenance than digital files.
In my opinion, actual prints have the best chance of surviving long term for future generations to enjoy. Prints require far less maintenance than digital files.
Jan 23, 2018 18:04:10 #
Steve411 wrote:
How will you save important pictures for your grea... (show quote)
I don't have to worry about that, I have no kids, nor will I ever have any. So I don't worry if my photos will survive anything, I can care less!
Jan 23, 2018 19:58:16 #
DirtFarmer wrote:
That's only one generation. Hopefully he will be able to transfer his knowledge and passion to the next one and so down the line...
I know, but one of my granddaughters (7 years old) is already interested in photography, so hopefully I have a few years to influence her 😎
Jan 23, 2018 20:52:08 #
Steve411 wrote:
How will you save important pictures for your grea... (show quote)
Once you are gone no one will transfer your images to the continuous changing advanced storage methods. And it may not even matter since its not likely many will be interested in looking. Anyone still have 8" floppies?
Jan 23, 2018 21:03:50 #
My guess is, that ANY work that is NOT already in actual physical print at the time of your traveling to the big shoot in the sky, that NO digital work will survive into multi generations unless you are famous.
Virtual history not archived in public access like libraries, museums etc will like just slip into formats that can't be opened easily in just ten years and thus be lost.
If we have value to our images, WE need to print them if they are to have even a remote chance of surviving any time into future genterations!!!
SS
Virtual history not archived in public access like libraries, museums etc will like just slip into formats that can't be opened easily in just ten years and thus be lost.
If we have value to our images, WE need to print them if they are to have even a remote chance of surviving any time into future genterations!!!
SS
Jan 23, 2018 22:35:45 #
Both of my sons have a number of my best prints, in archival framing. Both grandson also have a few. And there are more hanging here in my house that will eventually go to them. If they do right by them, they should still be in good condition by time great grandkids are around.
I have also considered making new prints, and store a set for each in an acid free, light tight print box. Haven't gotten around to it yet.
I'll probably make a DVD as well
I have also considered making new prints, and store a set for each in an acid free, light tight print box. Haven't gotten around to it yet.
I'll probably make a DVD as well
Jan 23, 2018 23:16:09 #
rook2c4 wrote:
The biggest problem is that hard drives have a lim... (show quote)
Agree on the prints, but not on major cloud providers. The only small cloud company that I know of that went under was Nirvanix, and they provided adequate notice for owners of data so they could move their files to another provider. if you know of other examples, please provide a list of cloud companies that have gone belly-up where customers have lost their data.
Jan 23, 2018 23:28:27 #
Leitz
Loc: Solms
I have specified in my will that upon my death my key photos are to be destroyed, along with the keys, and the locks changed.
Jan 24, 2018 05:36:42 #
Donate you archive to the Library of Congress they are the best at preserving historical data. And they would be available online. Provided they don't lose funding.
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