Re: Family Photo Albums

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@timeless So very true and definitely a pain in the a*s. When my younger brother passed 25 yrs. ago, I became the "keeper" of albums and family archives.

I inherited albums, records, jewlery, china, etc. My saving grace was when we sold the house and moved to our apartment. We only chose what was important to keep. Photos were taken out of albums and sent to a company who sends them back as DVDs. My kids have had duplicates of any photos they wanted and no interest in inherited furniture, china, etc.

I think that generation isn't as sentimental as we are so that's the way it goes. I've accepted their wishes to not want the physical memories.

candys mine · ‎08-20-2012

It's a strange new world. Individual connections to one's family past are being forgotton by choice. No anchor to the past means it's easier to drift where another current Directs you.

Keep your tangible history.

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

If someone wants to keep old photos, that's fine. How often do you really go through the boxes or books looking at them?

I've made the decision to start getting rid of them so it's one less thing for our daughter to do. She won't have to feel guilty or be another generation of who the heck is that because none of the backs were named or dated.

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

As a person that has always loved photos of family members,some of which i never knew,i found it difficult to part with those,but i had to weed out some,my son,and grandaughters have no interest in them.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

Eileen in Virginia · ‎08-25-2010

When my MIL died 11 years ago, I agreed to scan the crate of pictures and photo albums she left behind. My logic was that I was retired and this was something I could do in my spare time. The pictures ran the gamet from my in-laws' formal wedding album to some pretty awful amateur photographer's shots (probably taken with someone's new Christmas/birthday camera). The timeframe went from the early 1900's to the 1960's.

What started out as interesting quickly became mind-numbingly boring. There were a few funny instances like the one where I gave Granddad a third eye while trying to use the Edit feature (thank heavens for the Undo feature!). Few of the pictures were labeled, so we had to guess who a lot if the people were. There's a whole bag of pictures of an unknown family in the early 1900's at what looks like the prairie. Interesting, since both sets of in-laws were born and raised in New York City.

I kept at it for about a year before I couldn't take it anymore. DS tried it for a couple of days before he quit. Neither of DH's sisters were interested in accepting the baton, so the crate sits collecting dust. Then, the laptop I had scanned them to died! 🤬🤯 I'm not going to try to restart this project because, at the end of the day, I don't think anyone really wants these pictures. We're going home in July and I'll give them one last chance to take them. If not, I'll keep some for ourselves and get rid of the rest.

It's interesting that, during the time that these pictures span, photography evolved from a profession to a casual hobby. Cell phones hadn't been invented yet.

shoptilyadropagain · ‎03-19-2014

My parents, or rather my mom, were never really big on taking pictures and having tons of photo albums. When my mom passed away last summer, I had the task of going thru the photo albums she did have. Neither my brother nor I wanted them nor did we have room for them either. My niece and nephew had gone through them years ago and took what they wanted.

I ended up taking them home, taking the pictures out and shredding them. I did find several that I kept (parents wedding pictures, etc.). I found one album that had all old-time pictures in it that I had never seen before. I'm assuming these were relatives but there were no names written anywhere and I didn't even know if they were from my mom or dad's side of the family. I had thought about saving it to ask a few remaining aunts and uncle on each side of the family but most are in pretty fragile health, and/or live in a different state and I didn't know when I would get the chance to see them and ask them. Besides, as executor of mom's estate, I had a million other things to get done.

The pictures that really mean something to me are scanned kept in a private folder on Facebook and my brother has done the same thing.

That's what we did and worked for us.

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
- Author Unknown

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

The only thing the younger folks in my family are hoping I preserve for them is $$$.

Puppy Lips · ‎05-09-2010

I have all my mother’s photo albums and scrap books. It takes up a lot of space. I don’t know what I will do with them. Kids surely don’t want them. I may take the photos out and put them in photo boxes. They would be more likely to keep those. If the photos are not labeled on the back, I can do that at least, saying who was in the photo.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead

timeless · ‎02-18-2022

@Puppy Lips I have all my mother’s photo albums and scrap books. It takes up a lot of space. I don’t know what I will do with them. Kids surely don’t want them. I may take the photos out and put them in photo boxes. They would be more likely to keep those. If the photos are not labeled on the back, I can do that at least, saying who was in the photo.

That's what I have done, too. Most photos I have inherited didn't have names of the people in them and it took a long time to complete.

I remember when I was newly married, over 40 years ago, I sat down with my husband's grandma and labeled the people in the albums she gave me. I never would have known who they were since many had died. Glad I did that before she passed on!