What are my options for a nice photo album in a post-film world?
October 9, 2011 6:43 AM Subscribe
I still use film. I have a bunch of prints sitting in a box. I would like to put together a non-tacky photo album. How?
Since I moved to Europe I've been in the habit of carrying a small film camera with me as a kind of visual diary. I have sleeves and sleeves of prints sitting in a box, as the place that processes my films won't do a process and scan without prints (??). Unfortunately, they're all glossy prints without borders, as they don't do matte prints with white borders (which I'd prefer).
I'd like to be able to look through my photos more easily, and I like the idea of putting together an album. In my early 20s I'd just stick them in sketchbooks with photo corners, but the book quickly bowed and warped. I'm also slightly concerned with preserving my prints.
What would you do, hivemind? My googling has only resulted in countless digital photo book services.
FWIW - my idea of non-tacky would basically be a Moleskine with photos in it, no captions, maybe just a date.
Since I moved to Europe I've been in the habit of carrying a small film camera with me as a kind of visual diary. I have sleeves and sleeves of prints sitting in a box, as the place that processes my films won't do a process and scan without prints (??). Unfortunately, they're all glossy prints without borders, as they don't do matte prints with white borders (which I'd prefer).
I'd like to be able to look through my photos more easily, and I like the idea of putting together an album. In my early 20s I'd just stick them in sketchbooks with photo corners, but the book quickly bowed and warped. I'm also slightly concerned with preserving my prints.
What would you do, hivemind? My googling has only resulted in countless digital photo book services.
FWIW - my idea of non-tacky would basically be a Moleskine with photos in it, no captions, maybe just a date.
I think the Moleskine would just be too thick once you layer all that stuff into it - it might not close.
I just bought binder-style albums in a solid color with sleeves. Each page holds 2 4x6 prints. It's pretty stripped down with attention on the images. It's the style some of my photographer friends used in the 80s to catalogue their prints. You just slide the print in between the plastic sleeve and a cardboard stiffener. Not all albums are tacky, and after all, they are well designed to do what you want them to do.
posted by Miko at 7:04 AM on October 9, 2011
I just bought binder-style albums in a solid color with sleeves. Each page holds 2 4x6 prints. It's pretty stripped down with attention on the images. It's the style some of my photographer friends used in the 80s to catalogue their prints. You just slide the print in between the plastic sleeve and a cardboard stiffener. Not all albums are tacky, and after all, they are well designed to do what you want them to do.
posted by Miko at 7:04 AM on October 9, 2011
Best answer: The problems I foresee with using a Moleskine would be that (2) the pages are quite a bit thinner than they might be in a standard photo album (i.e., they might not support the photos very well) and (2) the swell that would occur from adding all of those photos would put a serious strain on the binding (and, obviously, the book wouldn't lie flat).
If the books you've used previously for keeping photographs have warped, I'd guess that it's because the photos themselves have warped over time. Paper is extremely stable (depending on its inherent qualities, of course—whatever you end up doing, aim for paper that's acid free, lignin free, and buffered [sometimes called "archival quality," but that phrase doesn't inherently imply anything particular, since it's not a standard]). Photographs, however, are not (well, okay—it depends on the process used to print them), and they tend to be particularly vulnerable to warping as a result of temperature and humidity fluctuations. (You have the emulsion side, which reacts in a particular way to these changes, and you have the paper support, which reacts another—essentially, these two layers end up fighting against each other.) One of the best things you can do for photographs is to limit these fluctuations (and note that gradual fluctuations are always preferable to quicker ones). Additionally, it's generally preferable to allow some airflow around your pictures—i.e., not to seal them up in plastic (this actually depends heavily on the kind of print, but I think it holds true for the standard modern processes).
In short: I'd suggest some sort of solution with sturdy, acid-free, lignin-free, buffered paper and storage in as stable an environment as you can manage (ideally: cool, low relative humidity). That might not be much help, but I hope it's at least a start.
posted by divisjm at 7:04 AM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
If the books you've used previously for keeping photographs have warped, I'd guess that it's because the photos themselves have warped over time. Paper is extremely stable (depending on its inherent qualities, of course—whatever you end up doing, aim for paper that's acid free, lignin free, and buffered [sometimes called "archival quality," but that phrase doesn't inherently imply anything particular, since it's not a standard]). Photographs, however, are not (well, okay—it depends on the process used to print them), and they tend to be particularly vulnerable to warping as a result of temperature and humidity fluctuations. (You have the emulsion side, which reacts in a particular way to these changes, and you have the paper support, which reacts another—essentially, these two layers end up fighting against each other.) One of the best things you can do for photographs is to limit these fluctuations (and note that gradual fluctuations are always preferable to quicker ones). Additionally, it's generally preferable to allow some airflow around your pictures—i.e., not to seal them up in plastic (this actually depends heavily on the kind of print, but I think it holds true for the standard modern processes).
In short: I'd suggest some sort of solution with sturdy, acid-free, lignin-free, buffered paper and storage in as stable an environment as you can manage (ideally: cool, low relative humidity). That might not be much help, but I hope it's at least a start.
posted by divisjm at 7:04 AM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Is there a reason you can't send your photos into a place that scans them and sends you the scanned results digitally? Then you can upload into a place where you can design your own photo album. I've used MyPublisher to great effect, and they have an option for linen covers and leather covers to their books.
An above poster notes the lack of stability of photo prints when attached to paper. How funny that photo albums aren't the best way to store photos.
After I get prints scanned, if I have any, I keep the photos in a box with tabs that label the date. But these days, if know I'll want my photos in a book, I'll just get digital prints and get them put into an album.
posted by juniperesque at 7:37 AM on October 9, 2011
An above poster notes the lack of stability of photo prints when attached to paper. How funny that photo albums aren't the best way to store photos.
After I get prints scanned, if I have any, I keep the photos in a box with tabs that label the date. But these days, if know I'll want my photos in a book, I'll just get digital prints and get them put into an album.
posted by juniperesque at 7:37 AM on October 9, 2011
Best answer: Just to be clear, when I was talking about emulsion and paper supports (which was itself an oversimplification, since some print types have more than just two layers of stuff), I was describing the structure of the photographic print itself, not to and mounting that might be done to it. The emulsion layer contains the image, and the support (in the case assumed to be paper, but in Daguerreotypes, tintypes, and ambrotypes, for instance, is a metal plate of some kind) is what, well, supports the emulsion. Any mounting done to a photograph is a separate issue (and that's what I was referring to when I was talking about acid free, lignin free, and buffered). I hope that clears up any possible confusion!
posted by divisjm at 7:45 AM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by divisjm at 7:45 AM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Juniperesque - I already have scans of my prints, but I'm not too keen on getting an album of digital prints as I already have a ton of prints and I really love them. I'd rather prefer to find a way to do something with these prints rather than make more, uhm, prints.
posted by nerdfish at 7:59 AM on October 9, 2011
posted by nerdfish at 7:59 AM on October 9, 2011
Get your film developed as you go, ask for them to keep the film uncut and sleeved. You can easily spool up a few dozen rolls in a very small box and bring that with you as you travel. (The only reason I say develop as you go is because you probably want to avoid the cumulative effects of x-ray involved with travel. I haven't lost a roll and had several x-rayed a dozen times, but I'd develop them film as soon as practical.)
When you come home, get them all printed 3.5x5 and see which ones you like. Alternatively, cut the strips and get a contact sheet. From your proofs/contact sheet, get some 5x7 or 8x12 or whatever of the ones you really want in an album. Get wet prints, not digital prints that are scanned from negatives. You're doing film, go all in. It also means your prints will last forever. (Avoid digital prints from prints, that's just horrible. The lab not doing it is doing you a favor.)
Keep the negatives in proper storage and you'll have the photos for a lifetime. (Get a cheap used negative scanner if you want to upload them all to facebook, e.g., Epson V600, and don't mind killing a week.)
Store the negatives and prints in an album like this from PrintFile. No relation, they just store all my slides, negatives and prints as well and I love them.
posted by Brian Puccio at 8:03 AM on October 9, 2011
When you come home, get them all printed 3.5x5 and see which ones you like. Alternatively, cut the strips and get a contact sheet. From your proofs/contact sheet, get some 5x7 or 8x12 or whatever of the ones you really want in an album. Get wet prints, not digital prints that are scanned from negatives. You're doing film, go all in. It also means your prints will last forever. (Avoid digital prints from prints, that's just horrible. The lab not doing it is doing you a favor.)
Keep the negatives in proper storage and you'll have the photos for a lifetime. (Get a cheap used negative scanner if you want to upload them all to facebook, e.g., Epson V600, and don't mind killing a week.)
Store the negatives and prints in an album like this from PrintFile. No relation, they just store all my slides, negatives and prints as well and I love them.
posted by Brian Puccio at 8:03 AM on October 9, 2011
Oops, just now saw that you moved to Europe, you're not vacationing in Europe. In that case, ignore the comments about "when you get home", just do that stuff now :)
posted by Brian Puccio at 8:04 AM on October 9, 2011
posted by Brian Puccio at 8:04 AM on October 9, 2011
I'm not sure how much you want to spend but Aspinals have some very nice Photo albums with Acid free paper.
posted by Lanark at 9:00 AM on October 9, 2011
posted by Lanark at 9:00 AM on October 9, 2011
Since you mentioned that the concept of a visual diary, I'm recommending a journaling blog that shows how you can preserve photos along with your notes, observations, and traditional journal entries.
In this blog, I learned about adhesive photo pockets that can be used to place and protect your photos in your moleskine or wherever you choose.
posted by kbar1 at 9:51 AM on October 9, 2011
In this blog, I learned about adhesive photo pockets that can be used to place and protect your photos in your moleskine or wherever you choose.
posted by kbar1 at 9:51 AM on October 9, 2011
I would go to a scrapbook supply shop, and ignore all of the cutesey design stuff.
Just pick up plain black pages, page protectors to put the sheets in, photo corners, etc, and an album designed for holding the scrapbook sheets. The albums are designed with posts to hold the page protectors so that accommodate the thicker pages with photos attached.
posted by antimony at 10:06 AM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Just pick up plain black pages, page protectors to put the sheets in, photo corners, etc, and an album designed for holding the scrapbook sheets. The albums are designed with posts to hold the page protectors so that accommodate the thicker pages with photos attached.
posted by antimony at 10:06 AM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Look for scrapbook style albums, for lack of a better term - not specifically designed for photographs, but designed to have whatever kind of stuff pasted into them without the pages warping or the binding getting messed up.
Ideally, look for one with black pages. (Maybe you can get the kind where you put the pages in seperately).
Attach your photographs with some kind of archival-quality photo mounts similar to the ones kbar1 suggests. Bags Unlimited is a good resource.
For notes, use either white ink or white china marker directly on the black paper or use white paper labels that you can type or write directly on.
Classy!
posted by bubukaba at 12:18 PM on October 9, 2011
Ideally, look for one with black pages. (Maybe you can get the kind where you put the pages in seperately).
Attach your photographs with some kind of archival-quality photo mounts similar to the ones kbar1 suggests. Bags Unlimited is a good resource.
For notes, use either white ink or white china marker directly on the black paper or use white paper labels that you can type or write directly on.
Classy!
posted by bubukaba at 12:18 PM on October 9, 2011
You can actually buy journals designed to do this in in many scrapbooking shops. They are basically bound books with blank pages made of acid free card (acid free helps preserve your photos). You can also get special double sided tape or glue rolls to stick the photos in I find this easier than photo corners as the photos don't pop out and you can also then stick in tickets or other memorabilia which I rather like to stick in with photos of the places I went.
As antimony said above just ignore the fru fru stuff if that's not your style and just get the basic supplies you'd want. I like to use them as my travel journal and write and the works in them but you could make as simple or complex as you'd like.
They also have things like this which might work for you too.
posted by wwax at 12:23 PM on October 9, 2011
As antimony said above just ignore the fru fru stuff if that's not your style and just get the basic supplies you'd want. I like to use them as my travel journal and write and the works in them but you could make as simple or complex as you'd like.
They also have things like this which might work for you too.
posted by wwax at 12:23 PM on October 9, 2011
Best answer: I'd recommend kolo albums and boxes for archival storage. They are strong and elegant and are made for exactly what you're looking to do. They come in a variety of sizes, colors and styles. I'd also recommend the albums that are post bound with blank pages so you can keep adding more pages if you need to and they will continue to lay flat. Attaching photos to the pages is as simple as a acid-free double sided tape or acid-free glue stick. They have other options for assembling the albums but the blank pages with the tape/glue are the closest to what you want that I can think of.
posted by godshomemovies at 2:02 PM on October 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by godshomemovies at 2:02 PM on October 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I'd never thought to look in scrapbook stores! It's exactly what I'm after. Thanks for the suggestions, hive mind!!
posted by nerdfish at 3:35 AM on October 10, 2011
posted by nerdfish at 3:35 AM on October 10, 2011
I just re-mounted a whole bunch of old, non-standard sized photos. I used photo-corners and mounted them in an archive-safe portfolio book (black lingen and acid free paper, non-reactive plastic slip cover). I got both for a good price at an art supply shop right beside our biggest art school. It was cheaper than a scrapbook store, and the portfolios came in several sizes from 5x7" to 17x11".
That said, for standard sized 4x6 prints, I have seen archive safe photo-albums at Staples which are just plastic slips with a pocket for captions. That's what I plan to use for recent photos.
posted by jb at 9:55 AM on October 11, 2011
That said, for standard sized 4x6 prints, I have seen archive safe photo-albums at Staples which are just plastic slips with a pocket for captions. That's what I plan to use for recent photos.
posted by jb at 9:55 AM on October 11, 2011
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posted by oceanjesse at 6:49 AM on October 9, 2011