Shoeboxes of old photos, fading letters and handwritten recipe cards are some of the most precious things a family owns. They are also fragile. Paper yellows, photos fade and a single flood or move can destroy decades of history. Digitising these items protects them and makes them easy to share with relatives around the world. But choosing the right file formats and organisation matters if you want the digital copies to last as long as the originals.
Start with a plan
Before scanning anything, sort the materials. Group items by family branch, decade or event. Remove duplicates and decide what matters most. Starting with the oldest or most fragile items makes sense, since they are most at risk.
Scanning vs photographing
A flatbed scanner gives the most consistent results for photos and documents. Phone scanning apps are fine for quick copies, especially for large or bound items, but lighting and angle can vary. For important photos, use a scanner if possible. Many libraries and community centres offer scanning equipment if you do not own one.
Resolution recommendations
- Standard photo prints: 600 DPI captures enough detail to reprint or enlarge.
- Small or very detailed photos: 1200 DPI allows you to crop and enlarge faces.
- Documents and letters: 300 to 400 DPI is usually enough for clear reading.
- Negatives and slides: 2400 DPI or higher, using a scanner with a film adapter.
Choosing formats for preservation
Archivists generally recommend keeping two versions of each item: a high-quality master and a convenient access copy.
Masters
For photos, TIFF is the traditional archival choice. It stores images without lossy compression, so no detail is thrown away, and it is widely supported. PNG is also lossless and works well. Files will be large, so plan storage accordingly.
For documents, PDF/A is a version of PDF designed specifically for long-term preservation. It embeds everything needed to display the document in the future.
Access copies
For sharing and everyday viewing, JPG is practical. It is compact and opens everywhere. Create JPG copies from your TIFF masters for email, social media and photo frames. Avoid repeatedly editing and re-saving JPGs, since quality drops with each save.
Converting between these formats is simple with free tools. FileOtter can convert images and combine scanned pages into PDFs in your browser, which is handy when you need access copies for relatives.
Naming and organising
Consistent file names make a collection usable for future generations. A good pattern is YYYY-MM_Place_People_Description.tif, for example 1968-07_Brighton_Grandma-Joan-Uncle-Pete_Beach.tif. When the date is unknown, use an approximate decade such as 1950s.
Organise folders by family branch or decade. Write a simple text file in each folder explaining who is pictured and any stories you know. Notes like these become priceless once the people who remember are gone.
Adding information inside files
Many photo programs let you add captions, dates and names to image metadata. This information travels with the file even if it is moved. It is worth the extra time for important images.
Backups: the 3-2-1 rule
Digital files are only safe if they are backed up. Follow the 3-2-1 rule: keep three copies, on two different types of storage, with one copy in a different location. For example, a copy on your computer, one on an external drive and one in cloud storage. Check backups once a year and copy them to new drives every few years, since storage devices age too.
Share the results
Once your collection is digitised, share it. Create a shared family album, make photo books for relatives or prepare a slideshow for a reunion. Ask older family members to help identify unknown faces while they still can.
Keep the originals
Digitising does not mean discarding. Store originals in acid-free boxes away from heat, damp and light. The digital copies protect against loss, and the originals remain a tangible link to the past.
With careful scanning, durable formats and good backups, your family's history can be enjoyed by generations to come.
Top comments (0)