[LargeFormat] keeping track of negatives

[Brock Nanson]

Assuming you have a darkroom and plan to do your own processing, my
less-than-scientific method would probably work for you.

Once I have processed negatives, I put them in clear sleeves with holes for
three-ring binders.  The 'Print File' brand has been my favorite, but others
would work as well.  Just be sure to keep away from the PVC products.  The
sleeves are cunningly selected to be roughly 8x10 inches in size (there are
different sizes available) so that I can contact the negatives onto an 8x10
sheet of paper without removing them from the sleeve.  The sleeve gets a
number and the contact print gets the same number.  Then into a binder,
usually with the contacts at the front and the negs at the rear.

This has worked for 35mm, medium format and large format (4x5).  Once the
sleeve is assigned a number, you could get really elaborate and generate a
database on your computer with information about the individual images in
that sleeve, referenced back to the sleeve number.  I have never felt the
urge to do so myself!!

Brock

----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald Seney" <dbseney@aaahawk.com>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2002 5:38 PM
Subject: [LargeFormat] keeping track of negatives


| I am just getting started in large format (and some medium format
| too) and for the first time I want to store my negatives so that I
| can find them.  (This assumes what I take will be worth saving).
| Experience with 35mm negatives, jammed into manila envelopes without
| plan or purpose, is not something I want to repeat.  Any suggestions
| would be welcome.
|
| Donald Seney