Historical Record

Common people have been taking photos now for well over 100 years. Many people today carry the power of image capture in their pocket. Snap shots are still wildly popular, but few (if any) will ever see the light of day. "Negatives" will stay on hard drives, and prints will only be made on the rare occasion that you get a good one.

A few years back, I heard that the average person's picture is taken eight times a day. A walk downtown might double that number. But, who looks at those?

By comparison, Flikr is now estimated to house over a billion images. Growing daily, they're just one of many image hosts.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

Columbus, OH hosts a Paper Show twice a year. 'Paper Show?', you say. Books, magazines, posters, and row upon row of post cards; printed items, to include photos, that celebrate paper in its various forms. Tid bits of ephemera that if you hold on to just long enough, you can sell it for a dollar.

Of course, many of these items are worth far more to the collector. Post cards with $500 price tags are common. The photos are where it's at, though.

People, places and times set in silver, many of them unidentified. The lost history of families shoved in a dusty box. Half price table and I'll make you a deal for the lot.

Sometimes you can find the negatives, which I'm more partial to rescuing.

In another 100 years, what will be in that box...if it's a box at all? I still use paper, but I use plastic more. I still make prints, but only the good ones (and they're ink, not silver) I still have film negatives, but not as many.

Another comparison: a silver gelatin print can last 300 years with proper care. My hard drive might last five (and by then, there's no support for its maintenance).

Take a look in today's box.

70 yo Color Photos

Who Needs Nuts?

By loose association... The Bookseller

Tomorrow, I think, is going to be a science day.

HAPPY MONDAY!