How do you Store your Photos?

[Sam N]

The prints and such have been piling up, and I need to find a better system for storing it all.

Negatives:
I keep them in sleeves in a binder. They're numbered and I keep a spreadsheet with information about each roll.

Slides:
I have a little case with drawers in it.

Prints (smaller ones):
I have no plan. A ton of them are sitting in the envelopes they came in. Most prints aren't suitable for framing, and albums seem like they'd be too thick if I were to store everything.

How do you manage all of your film/prints?

 

[Doug]

I think the small prints you get with the lab processing are good to see what you've got, and help make decisions on further action like enlargements. In the past, I'd number each print on the back with the roll number and frame number and put them back in the envelope, with the envelope itself also identified with the roll number and any further quick info about film, camera, lens etc. Then I put the envelopes in a drawer, oriented vertically as if in a file drawer, in order, so I can see the numbering. Along with a matching computer record such as you keep, this makes it easier to find stuff, review the photos again later, etc.

I do essentially similar now but instead of the bulky prints with the processing, I get a CD with scans of the negs. I file the CDs in the same way I used to do with the print envelopes, but I also have a copy of each CD on the computer for reference. I (re)number each scan file the same way I used to number each print: YYMMDD-xNN, where x is that day's roll count (as an alphabet letter) if more than one. 080619-B23 would be negative number 23 of the second roll shot today.

I cut the negatives into strips to fit the PrintFile page I'm using, and label the page with the roll number and very brief comment, file it in a binder.

With digital camera files, I treat each SD card as if it were a roll of film and (re)number the files accordingly as they're copied onto the computer. Backup without delay.