How to organize your film negatives?
Archiving your negatives and file management is an important part of the analogue photography process. After your rolls of films have undergone the developing and scanning process, what comes next is a bit more tedious, but it is a task that is sure to pay off in the long run – especially when you find yourself hunting for specific images!
Photographers opt to organize their work in a myriad of ways based on the filing system that works best for them. But here are a few general tips to keep in mind:
1. Label work in chronological order
If your photos have been developed and scanned by a film lab, in most cases, you’ll see a numerical tag on your film negatives. The tag follows a systemic order that is tied to the digital scan files you’ve also received from the lab. A good rule of thumb is to not rename that file or remove the numerical tag as this will guide you in cross-referencing the images if/when needed. Following this method also allows you to keep track of your film rolls in chronological order.
2. Keep your film negatives in photo-safe sleeves
Film labs usually return your film negatives inside a sleeve. Keeping the film negatives within these sleeves is a good way to protect your developed images from dust, fingerprints, and harmful substances that may ruin the negatives.
3. Use a binder to archive your negatives
When your pile of film negative sleeves inevitably starts to grow, consider storing them all inside a binder for archival purposes. Feel free to add additional labels and information (such as camera used, location, dates, development notes, etc.) to these sleeves to keep a log of your film journey. Finally, it would be best to keep these binders stored inside a closed cabinet or any dark and dry area.
Overall, these methods will help you track your progress and experience as you learn more about analogue photography – not to mention keep safe those special moments caught on film.
To read a more in-depth and detailed walkthrough of the entire film negative archiving process, head on over to our online magazine.
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