Cataloguing and storage

[Tony B]

A fairly basic question: how do you catalogue and store your 5x4 films?

I am accumulating a 'few' Velvias and want to start a system of keywording and quick retrieval before the collection gets too large to contemplate tackling.

Your ideas welcome. I am sure this must be an old chestnut.

[joolsb]

One big advantage of 5x4 is that you don't accumulate that many shots! Anyway, this is what I do...

Once I've decided on the keepers, the first thing I do is to divide my stuff into three piles - one pile goes to the round filing-cabinet on the floor (that would be the real disasters - not so many of those these days, thankfully), the next just goes back into a film-box marked 2nd Rate for whatever year it happens to be. The real keepers go into Printfile sleeves within a ring-binder, in strict date and location sequence.

On the computer, I have a hierarchy of folders - year, month, shoot and sometimes further split into film and digital. These folders contain my scanned masters with all PS processing in unflattened layers in case I want to change stuff later (I frequently do). Filenames contain date-taken, a sequence number and a code representing the media (either 'LF' + two characters representing the film or 'DG' and two characters representing the camera used).

I should really keyword all this stuff but my archive is not huge and knowing roughly when something was taken is enough (for now....) To give you an idea of quantity, I have been shooting LF since early 2006 and I'm only on my second ring-binder.

[Thingy]

The system I use is to put the sheet film in an archive standard (Secol) sleeve, clear on one side and opaque on the other and number this with the unique film number written in the corner. I usually handle the film in the sleev unless I am scanning it, to keep it in pristine condition.



I then prepare an paper slip (archive quality) where, using a standard format (you can tell I work in a library! ) I enter the details I recorded on the QL cover when I made the exposure. See images below.

FRONT
Country 2 letter ISO code: Region: Place: Location
Title
Camera used
Lens used
Exposure and other relevant information (eg filters used)
Date taken @ time

LALO

QL unique film code Film used Unique image number



REAR
Scanner used
Resolution set@% print size scanned for (optimum)
Byte resolution
Scan date

Unique image number

External drive stored on & location



These paper slips are then placed in an archive quality cardboard box with the location or trip details on the exterior and then are filed on a bookshelf.

To date I've catalogued everything on a spreadsheet and filed all my images. I will however start filtering and just using the above storage method for the best images. The dross will go into a standard ring binder.

[joolsb]

The paper slip is not such a bad idea. All my shooting info is kept in a couple of spiral-bound notebooks, with a small sketch and a date to connect the info to the images. It all sounds rather lackadaisical compared to your set-up....

[Nigels]

Hi Tony,
I bet you'll get a different answer for everyone who replies. For me there are three parts to the answer;
1. Storage of exposed film. For me these go into Clearfile inserts in ring binders. I keep everything, even the poor stuff but then I am not prolific. I started shooting LF in 2002 and have only reached image no. 301.
2. Cataloguing the contents of the ring folder. All the info I record about the image ends up in a spreadsheet. From this spreadsheet I also note the page of the image in the folder and use this to print out datail pages to go into the file with the sheets. All images are given a reference no. - simply the LF image number since starting. I also cross reference this to a list of prints and use this to produce a label for the print ( some people might remember this from prints I brought to Saltburn).
3. Computer Files. I must admit I dont have a stringent system for my Photoshop files. Only that once scanned, cleaned, native resolution set and levels endpoints set the file is named "Image number desc Scan res" res e.g "288 Saltburn Pier 2400" and is my master "soft" negative. Filename suffixes are added to saved copies when work is done and for printed files. These are all stored in an LF folder broken down into year subfolders.
Erm, that turned out to be a longer answer than anticipated but hopefully gives you an idea of my own particular "workflow" and ideas for your own.

[Tony B]

My thanks to everyone. Most interesting reading.

It seems you all have a system except me, but that is about to change. I will probably cull the best ideas from each post, so far.

If you are reading this and you haven't put index finger to keyboard yet, please do so and let everyone know how you catalogue and store your valuable negs/trannies.

Regards

[Trail Images]

Tony, as stated already you will no doubt hear about a variety of ways to process and store your images overall. I was lucky to have started out with a procedure with my 35mm images, carried over to my 6x7cm, and finally to my 4x5 images. The main thing to do is start before it becomes too cumbersome, which it looks as though you are head of the curve by starting now.
What I did was start with an old office 4 drawer file cabinet with Pendiflex style hanging cages. These will support a good all around spine type hanging pages of various sizes and overall styles. I then created an excel file to list and number all the images in. You can get as elaborate as you care to here, but a simple system is all I use. Things like: Category, Location, Subject, Format Size, Image Number, are all good items to include. As a numbering system I use a 0000 thru 9999 base for each category. Such as Lmtn0467 means the subject is a mountain and is image number 467 in that category. Lwtr5908 is a water subject and is number 5908 in that category. All images are kept in the acid free sleeves, Avery sticker labeled with category & number, and then placed in the hanging file drawers by categories. That way they are easily found in the excel file and can be easily sorted if required. The hanging sleeves are placed in the drawer location by category and then by number.

Just another thought on a possible procedure. Good luck.