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Archiver > TMG > 2001-07 > 0994893172


From: "Merryann" <>
Subject: RE: [TMG] OT: - Standards for Archive of Photographs.
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 19:12:52 -0400
In-Reply-To: <000701c10a09$02381da0$8612383e@beebmartinfjackson>


Okay, I'm going to invoke the list police and answer this on-list.

I've been there, done that, and here are my comments, indented within the
substantive portions of the original.

Merryann Palmer

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Jackson [mailto:]
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 8:55 AM
To:
Subject: [TMG] OT: - Standards for Archive of Photographs.


My questions are as follows:
1. In what format should I scan and save for archival purposes, and what
format for day to day use? [I realise that if I store a picture as a *.bmp
file on CD I can retrieve it for processing subsequently. ]

I personally prefer to save my pictures as *.jpg files. They are easy to
edit and every graphic program currently on the market can read them. They
also have better compression and tend to be clearer than *.bmp files.

2. I currently use a copier paper suitable for a colour printer and store
in plastic pockets in lever arch files at room temperature - is this
satsifactory for say 20 years or until a better method comes along?

Copier paper is not something that you will want to 'keep' your pictures
on for long periods of time. If you want to print out the pictures, invest
in real photo paper to use in your printer. Plain paper is fine for printing
out "the book" for others, but your good copies should be on good paper.
Plastic pockets? Only if they are archival quality. If you can't locate
any locally, you might try 20th Century Plastics at
http://www.20thcenturydirect.com/. The prices are good and so is their
quality. I've used them for years.

3. There will be some pictures with more than one person on them, are
then any suggestions as to a filing system for these new and all of my other
family photgraphs which will be 'saved' subsequent to this excercise, that
will be meaningful from
the filename rather than a lookup list in a database?

I have decided on a method of identifying the persons in the photos by
scanning them slightly larger on one side than the picture is. Then I use
the blank space (usually at the bottom of the scan) to type in a complete
identification of the picture and everyone that is in it. Most scanning or
graphic programs have methods to add text to a graphic. The one I have found
that is the absolute easiest is Paper Port, a scanning and storage program.
However, I also use Paint Shop Pro, which does a very nice job as well -
just not quite as simply.

4. Whilst I am reluctant to change hardware and software, I am really
looking for advice as to whether that, that I have, is up to this task.

It sounds like you have enough hardware to do the job. You may want to
look at your graphics program and see if it is up to what you want to do.
Remember that few pictures come out of the scanner perfect. Most will need a
bit of tweaking.

Good luck!!!

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