Family Photo Albums

timeless · ‎02-18-2022

As the official keeper of many family photo albums, I sometime feel like I'm holding onto a past that the future will not care to inherit.

It seems to me that our progenitors thought that physical photos would be preserved with revere. But I'm not seeing that.

How many photos are in antique shops? Family memories that have been jettisoned because their "today aesthetic" hates it?

How do we as the "older generation" impart the importance upon the iPAD generation that a physical photo is to be preserved?

I don't know...but I keep the physical of all my family. The musical albums; the "good china"; the family albums...

The major "pain-in-the-ass" INHERITANCE we have had to find a way to preserve...for our family. Those who will care, anyway.

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

@timeless 10+ years ago, my children ~~asked~~ told me to scan their childhood albums & put on a DVD since I am retired. Each has their own photo albums. This project would have taken months up to a year of my valued time to complete.

After thinking about it for 2 seconds. I gathered each photo album, started collecting Amazon boxes. I boxed each & every album for each child, w/a note inside.."do it yourself or do w/it what you wish"...drove to the PO & mailed them off 2 weeks later. They are all scattered across the USofA. None live nearby.

Every year since I asked one of the grands if their parents made any family DVDs. Their answers have always been NOPE!

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

timeless · ‎02-18-2022

@Mz iMac "Every year since I asked one of the grands if their parents made any family DVDs. Their answers have always been NOPE!"

I really don't know what to do about this!

Mz iMac · ‎07-26-2014

@timeless The grands look through the albums from time to time. Other than that, their family albums are either on their phones, iPads or computers & tv as rotating screensavers. Just not on DVDs.

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

I have a painting of a great, great, great aunt Amelia as a young girl in prairie clothes. My grandmother didn't know much about her, only that she had the painting and gave it to me. She doesn't even know where her great aunt lived. "Amelia" is written on the back of the painting. She looks to be a young teenager, with her hair in braids, and not smiling.

My maternal grandfather's side came here in the late 1800's. My paternal grandfather came in the early 1900's. I don't know much about both of my grandmothers' sides, only that both were English.

I don't have the painting up, because there is a smudge across the front. But I feel guilty getting rid of it. IDK what I will do with it eventually. It's not easy for any of us entrusted with pictures like this, is it?

timeless · ‎02-18-2022

My point here is to keep the PHYSICAL media. No matter who says to throw it out or transition it to the latest computer file.

HOLD THE LINE. I believe our future will need these physical (holding in their hands) help from us and those that came before us.

I see so many videos on line talking about "down-sizing" for those that are over 50 so they can retire.

But I don't see many that are saying they need to keep the family "inheritance" in photos, etc.

My belief is that the younger generation will be grateful their parents didn't toss it all because of "asthetic" of the day.

timeless · ‎02-18-2022

@beach-mom

I don't have the painting up, because there is a smudge across the front. But I feel guilty getting rid of it. IDK what I will do with it eventually. It's not easy for any of us entrusted with pictures like this, is it? Smiley Frustrated "

Keep it, please!

I have a similar photo of my mom in her wedding dress. I't an albatross in today's esthetic. So I keep it in our closet.

Thanks for understanding what we are going through! Keep it.

AuntMame · ‎10-16-2010

When I inherited my mom's stash of photos I put together about a dozen small photo albums of families and ancestors. I had sorted the photos by families. I shipped them off to cousins, nieces, nephews, even elderly aunts and uncles who I thought might like to see them. I received only a few thank-you notes. Though some were highly grateful and so effusive in thanks and surprise I was glad I did it. It took me a lot of time and expense to do this but...I was glad I did it. I passed the photos on to the next generation as best that I could. It is up to them to cherish and preserve them, if they wish to do so. It is out of my hands. That is the best one can do.

I also offered to send digital copies of many of the photos, but no one took me up on that.

SloopJohnB · ‎04-25-2020

@AuntMame wrote:
When I inherited my mom's stash of photos I put together about a dozen small photo albums of families and ancestors. I had sorted the photos by families. I shipped them off to cousins, nieces, nephews, even elderly aunts and uncles who I thought might like to see them. I received only a few thank-you notes. Though some were highly grateful and so effusive in thanks and surprise I was glad I did it. It took me a lot of time and expense to do this but...I was glad I did it. I passed the photos on to the next generation as best that I could. It is up to them to cherish and preserve them, if they wish to do so. It is out of my hands. That is the best one can do.

I also offered to send digital copies of many of the photos, but no one took me up on that.

Your last sentence sums things up perfectly. Ain't nobody got time for that. Lol. But I do. I love to thumb through photo albums and such. But then again, I'm old school. I still love to read a book, an actual book. Magazines and catalogs, too. I still subscribe to the daily newspaper. I prefer sheet music over a computer screen. I'm sure my kids don't agree with me. 🤷

I would give everything I own just to have you back again.......David Gates of Bread

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

I have my grandmother's albums. About thirty of them.

My favorites are the ones of great grandparents I never met to see who I look like. I love family history and I was very lucky to have one set of grandparents who told us stories about growing up every night after dinner. It left me with a real appreciation of where I come from not to mention fascination with how things were done years ago.

My other grandmother would never speak of any of her family so I took that as a cue that not all was well.

I have a strong appreciation for my family history even though I never flip through these days.

But, I think you have to give kids an entry point to curiosity with storytelling. Or wait until they settle down and have families themselves to really appreciate what the physical, and now digital media, are all about.