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Archiver > TMG > 2001-04 > 0986160310


From: Mike Fox <>
Subject: RE: [TMG] Numbering photographs
Date: Sun, 01 Apr 2001 16:25:10 -0500
In-Reply-To: <apeectgr5r3hfj3hei318asp5t30t9autl@4ax.com>


I have a naming scheme that is very rigid and artificial, but it stores
hundreds of pictures by person, by date taken, or by subject. When I open
all my pictures at once in my 'thumbnail' browser, for individuals all the
pictures display by person and by that persons age. Whether the separating
character is a comma or a blank space or no space has important consequences
in how the pictures sort, so the scheme must be followed precisely.

For one person: "CASEY(GRADY),Mary 1900c,1961 At home in Richmond.tif"
Breakdown: Birth Surname-(Married Surname)-Given name- Birth Year- Picture
year- Description

More than one person: "CASEYs 1955 Mary 1899 Bill 1942 Picnic at Zilker
Park.tif" Breakdown: Family Surname of principal family- Year picture taken-
Person's given name and birth date- Person's given name and birth date-
Description. This will work for a few individuals, but not for a family
reunion, but then no naming scheme will handle that. You'd need something
like Clooz which is a genealogy documentation/person management program.

For things or places: "CASEY home Mary 1900 1961 Home at 342 Treeline Park,
NY, NY.tif" Breakdown: Family surname associated with item- Item- Person's
given name and birth date closest to item- Picture year- Description

As I say, it's artificial and rigid, but it works, and I can find what I
want when I want it.

Hope this helps-

Mike Fox

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Patrick [mailto:]
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2001 10:47 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [TMG] Numbering photographs

Lillian Cain wrote:
> I have about 40 years of photographs, all in original store envelopes
>with negatives, and mostly undated/unlabeled. Although the pix thus far
seem
>to be in good condition, I am very concerned about preserving them properly
>and want to put all of the pix and negatives in separate archival
>photo/negative sleeves. As I do this I want to number the pictures (either
>in pencil on the back of the photo and/or on a label on the outside of the
>sleeve). I also hope to identify the people and give at least an
approximate
>date to each photo.

> Have any of you numbered your pix? I am very interested in knowing
what
>you have used for a numbering system and how well it has worked.

Apologies in advance for the length, but I have used dozens of
numbering systems over a period of 20 years and am currently in the
middle of a 35,000 photograph archival project.

IMO the _only_ system is non-significant or sequential numbers.
This is an opinion shared by several major (USA) archives. Assign
number "10000001" to the first photo, "10000002" to the second photo,
etc. If you stay with eight digits or less the filename is compatible
with most past systems and CD-ROM writing file-systems.

Use the database software to classify families, individuals, views,
and other attributes. That's what database software is made to do.
If you find one software program inadequate, you can always export to
another program's format. You can't do that with the filenames.

There are dozens of problems once you assign significant numbers or
coding schemes like a family code: PATRxxxx and DEANxxxx. The most
common is that of mixed family photos where there is one Patrick and
one Dean in a single photograph.

The second problem is that once you've assigned such a system you've
reduced the numbers allowed. At this time you yourself may not have
so many photos to use up all the numbers, but it is a restriction that
has future consequences.

Other problems arise with mis-identified photos and mistakes. Also
under this category are photos that may be 'officially' a certain
family picture, but is of more significance for the background or
something else that isn't obvious when you assign the filename.

Similar to the philosophy that TMG uses; a non-significant filename
system allows conflicting information and multiple classifications for
any exhibit(s).

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