You may have two distinct Photo Piles in your collection.
First, and oldest, are film photo prints that could date back a century or more.
Second are photos made with smartphones and cameras after 2000.
If you are thinking of combining the two, which way will you go – Analog or Digital?
Film prints can scanned into digital files.
Digital pictures can be made into photo prints.
Photo prints organized and stored into albums are stable and safe until you do something to them, or disaster strikes.
Digital picture files need maintenance to survive. The files must be copied from one storage device to another as technology evolves. The files need to be duplicated to two or more storage devices in case one is lost or destroyed.
Analog is one copy in one place. Digital can easily be duplicated and shared.
Analog has a cost per image. Digital can be viewed on a screen.
Analog is an instant antique and a whole different viewing experience because there are fewer images to view.
Digital is clicking and swiping.
What do you have more of, Analog or Digital?
If Analog, make prints of select digital images, then sort and display the Analog collection in photo albums.
If Digital, scan select Analog photo prints, place them into well identified folders, then back up the entire Digital collection on two or more external storage devices – flash or external hard drives. You must leave record somewhere about where and how your digital images are stored.
When the time comes, you have made it easy for your families’ visual history to be saved for the future.