When did you get your first digital camera?

For most people, that answer will be 2003 or later. 2003 marked the first year that digital cameras outsold traditional film cameras. With that, digital photography began its transition into the American mainstream.

You may have noticed something special about your digital pictures. Unlike traditional film-based photographs printed onto paper, the color and clarity of digital photos are not fading over time. In fact, they look as good today as the day they were taken. However, stop to think about the one trillion (1,000,000,000,000) photo prints forgotten in basements, attics, and photo albums across the United States. With every passing day, these precious memories are silently deteriorating and aging.

In this issue of Making Paper Easy we are going to look at ways help protect, preserve, and share these memories before they are gone forever.

Just how are photographs and the memories connected to them actually lost? The first is a physical deterioration or damage of the printed photograph due to excessive handling, improper storage conditions, and advanced age. Severe damage can blemish or debase the image to a point beyond recognition. A second way of losing the memories associated with photos involves how effectively the length of time over which we are able to extend the process of recollection associated with the details about a picture.

Physical Deterioration

Pull an album off of the shelf or get out a photo-box collection and look at the photographs printed onto paper from just one or two decades ago.

Glancing through the photographs, you will probably notice they aren't as sharp and clear as you once remembered. Colors may have dulled and clarity given way to an overall cloudy appearance. This is because photographs printed onto paper were originally done using a chemical process. However, just picking them up from the photo lab and taking them home didn't mean the chemicals stopped processing completely. In fact, small but complex reactions continued to take place on the surface of your photos. Then, as the paper materials interacted with their environment over time other influences from emissions or absorption of particles began to impact its physical integrity. These type of damages can be minimized or slowed by protecting your prints from the following:

1. Heat, humidity, dust, and light exposure
2. Acidic paper and adhesives
3. Vinyl plastics (like sandwich bags and other plastics that give off an odor)
4. Fingerprints and perspiration
5. Ordinary pens and pencils (special pens and pencils are available that will not harm photos.

The Generation Gap

Memories tend to fade over time, which can make the recollection associated with the details about a picture difficult. One of the greatest impacts upon preserving the facts revealed in photographs tends to occur as they are passed on down from generation to generation. While your children and grandchildren may understand people, places and events in the photos were precious, the particulars are lost forever.

Preserving the stories about your photos starts with a trip down memory lane. Look through your photos and ask yourself:

• "Who is in this photo?"
• "When was this photo taken?"
• "Where was this photo taken?"
• "Why was this photo taken?"

Taking the time to label photos with the date, location, and people helps to make sure details stay associated. Special pens designed not to damage your photos are available. Using a digital camera? Get into the habit of organizing your photos by date and event when you pull them off of your camera. Photo library management programs, such as Google's Picasa, make it quick and easy for you to identify the people in photos and include notes. It is free and eliminates 'memory fade' for you and future generations.

Preparing for the Future

Even with the best of care, paper photographs can be expected to only last for about 150 years. But while that sounds like a long time, why not turn to the technological advances now available to move beyond keeping photos for just a few generations to saved forever?

If you want to preserve your family memories for generations, scan them using a high-quality photo scanner. This is the best way to keep and protect those priceless memories. As soon as paper photos become digital, a new world of possibilities is unlocked. The real magic happens when photos are shared. Memories come back, eyes are opened, and connections with families and friends can be forged, strengthened, or re-established. Digital photos are so much easier and less expensive than prints to share over the Internet. They can also be turned into scrapbooks, cards, and other gifts without worrying about damaging the original. No longer are paper photographs limited to being passed along into the custody of just one individual. Instead everyone in the family can have a complete set, irregardless to their locale, or size of the clan. Since digital photos take up less room, they are easier to protect when hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters strike. Keep a copy at a friend or relative's house, and they are even further protected.

Your photos were meant to be kept, protected, shared, and enjoyed. Specialized photo scanners, such as the Kodak s1220 are available from i/oTrak's E-Z Photo Scan division and can convert thousands of photos into digital images in just hours.

i/oTrak is committed to making paper easier. We are a Kodak Authorized Info & Photo Scanning Equipment Reseller and Document Conversion Center. We offer a range of back-office services to help people and businesses with their document and photo-scanning needs, including E-Z Scan, E-Z Store, E-Z Shred, and E-Z Send.