Preserve digital photographs and their context

Find the original files

Survey cameras, phones, memory cards, computers, old drives and online libraries. Record what each source contains before combining them. A shared message attachment or web thumbnail may differ from the full-resolution camera file.

Where software offers original and edited exports, preserve both when the edit has value. Include companion files that support motion photos, edits or metadata. Verify the export options on a small set instead of assuming they carry every library field.

Keep a manageable selection

Preserve meaningful images and the context that explains the group. Record why a selection was made and whether unselected images remain elsewhere. Avoid deleting apparent duplicates during the first collection pass.

Two similar photographs can have different crops, captions or export quality. Put uncertain versions aside for comparison. A matching filename does not show matching content.

Write captions that can travel

Record people, place, occasion and date, with the source of each identification. Separate the event date from the export date. Preserve original names in a mapping when renaming.

Test whether captions and keywords survive export. If not, create a separate inventory tied to stable identifiers. Keep the field definitions with the exported files.

Verify ongoing access

Open representative exports outside the photo library, including unusual formats and older images. Compare counts and note exclusions. Store independent copies and periodically check that the files remain readable.

For sharing, create smaller access copies if useful. Keep private location information and sensitive subjects in mind when deciding which metadata belongs in a public version.

Working checklist

Use this as a session checklist. Ticks are saved only in this browser; download a worksheet to keep a portable record.