Long-term organizing and storing of negatives

[BetterSense]

I only shoot B&W film. Color work is organized using one of those infernal reckoning boxes, and slides go in carousels.

When I started this hobby some few years ago, I put all my negatives in printfile negative pages, and filed them in a 3-ring binder, with a sequential identification number, currently standing at about 200. All formats were filed together...35mm, then MF, then 4x5. I contact printed every roll, and filed the contact print in the same binder, right underneath its respective roll. I (in theory) mark all prints with the sequential number, so if I like a print, I can look up the roll.

This is well and good except that my stash is starting to outgrow even the largest 3-ring binder I can find. ~200 printfile negative pages, with RC contact prints, fills up a 3"er.

I could separate formats...but then I'd have to remember or be able to tell what format a shot was done in in order to find it. Plus, I have a current sequential number that will have to be tossed out.

I dont see any solution except to form a --2010 binder and start a 2010-- binder. I'm make a simple TOC for the far future. If I start a new binder (it's the new year afterall), then every time I go to print something I'll have the wrong binder...but the sequential number will help narrow down the correct binder.

I'm starting to wonder what organization schemes others, who have shot many more than 200 rolls of film, employ. I'm happy with printfile pages and binders...I like having the contact print right next to the printfile page...but something must be done since my binder is full, and I just returned from a trip with ~30 printfile pages worth of negatives.

 

[naugastyle]

I have binders by year for "domestic" and separate binders for "international," as I travel quite a bit. I haven't actually labeled any of them, because I currently still know where everything is, but it's a project I intend to undertake. The international binders would be labeled as "this trip - that trip" rather than by year, just however many fit. I actually need to buy some new binders because I'm currently stashing sheets in the back of the overstuffed 2009 binder.

Personally, I don't organize my contact sheets. I don't make contacts for every roll (particularly since I just started printing again a few months ago), and I like to store two sheets in each Print File page to conserve, so there's no way to get the order right, considering there are color rolls and b/w rolls I didn't make sheets for.

 

[Tim Gray]

I used to use those printfile sheets, but I switched to mylar sleeves and envelopes/folders that go in a box. Easier to contact print when I want to, easier to get the negatives in and out with out scratches and dust, etc. When one box gets filled, I start a new one. The only downside is that it is more expensive than the binder/sheet method.

I don't use a sequential numbering system, but go by date. YYYYMMDD-rollnumber-framenumber. If I ever shoot other formats, they'll fit right in, with only a slight modification for sheet film.

I also usually don't do contact sheets. It's easier for me at the moment to do low res scans (of the reasonably good negs) that I use as my 'contacts'. Soon I should get back into making contact sheets.

 

[BetterSense]

My stack of printfile pages would be less than half as big as it is, if I didn't have the contact prints in there with them. I have at times removed all the contact prints and put them in a separate binder, but I put them back since it wasn't any better. I used to scan the contact prints and keep electronic copies but I stopped that since it was just extra work. I prefer not using the computer at all.

 

[naugastyle]

I could reasonably stick the contact sheets in with the correct yearly binder, even if not placed right next to the corresponding roll since that doesn't work for me...I've been carrying them with me in my "mobile" binder to the darkroom each week and hadn't thought yet long-term about storing them.

I have no numbering system at all. I write approximate dates and subjects on the top of my pages--approximate because each roll could take a week or more to finish and by the time I process, because I probably had multiple cameras going at once, I can't remember exactly (which also makes subjects approximate). Still, I've never looked back and seen something that said say, "1/4 - 1/15 Sunset park, subway starer" or "ikonta test roll" and not had a fairly quick understanding of which roll that was .

 

[Tim Gray]

I date my rolls with the day I finish them. Not shot by shot.

 

[Sim2]

I see no problem with your current system. As I understand your system - if the negs/contacts are being filed sequentialy and numbered sequentialy as the are shot, when one binder is full, start a new one. It is easy to mark the spine of the binder with the start/finish numbers, even the start finish dates which will help narrow down the search for a particular roll number.

 

[L Gebhardt]

I don't like the print file sheets, so i moved to sleeves and envelopes. You can get them from Light Impressions and Archival Methods.

I keep the 4x5 separate from the 120 and 35mm because of the different orientation of the envelopes in the boxes. I keep binders of the contact sheets.

Once reason to separate the negatives from the contact sheets is to minimize handling of the negatives. Each time you turn the pages the negatives shift slightly. Over time you will be increasing your risk of scratches. Using a sleeve that opens instead of sliding the negative against the page will also cut down on scratches.

But if you like your current system just get another binder. There is no reason to keep all of them in one. At some point you won't want to handle the binder with 2000 rolls in it.

 

[George Collier]

I am into my 7th book of Printfile pages, about 30% with contact prints. I use a Filemaker Pro database to organize, so it doesn't matter which book has which image, subject type, date, etc, because it can all be searched in the database. More on this if you search either this forum or the Presentation & Marketing for "Filemaker".
It's a different mindset, doing things this way, but much easier to store lots of info about negatives (development, shooting, printing, etc. info), and in the end, much easier to find negatives. Mine go back to the 60's, three formats, so I have lots.
PM me if you want to know more about the database. It's very easy to use.

 

[naugastyle]

Hmmm...it would be good to have a system like this. I have developers, films & papers written into file names, but I don't scan everything, and I don't write this stuff onto the Print File sheets. I still haven't gotten around to transferring my printing notes from my book to the back of each print. Thus far everything's fine but I only have 10 years worth of stuff. Ugh. I like BEING organized but I hate GETTING organized.

 

[winger]

I keep each film size separate and each has its own system. The 35mm color negs are in PrintFile sheets and in binders that have sides (less dust gets into the binder). The numbering system is based on the envelopes that I keep the prints in (from Exposures catalog).
The 35mm B&W are in Print File sheets and are just sequentially numbered. When I ran out of room in the first binder, I went to a second one and added B to the number. These go all the way back to high school, btw (over 20 years ago).
Medium format are just sequentially numbered, but filed the same way.
4x5 doesn't have enough, yet, to need much of a system.
My contact sheets are usually scattered about the darkroom, but are supposed to reside in a file rack that I have on the wall. They're all numbered on the back to match the negative sheet.

 

[Ian Grant]

Put all the details of each image (LF) or what's on each roll into a database or at least a Spreadsheet, I started mine early 90's and it's extremely useful, I keep formats separate but sometimes have 35mm/12o in the same file depending on the balance that I soot in a tear or so.

So my files (binders) are letter coded (2 letters) which matches the actual sheets, and I add the year as well, then writ details against the negatives. That's worked well for me since the early 70's and makes finding a negative easy if I need to reprint.

I keep commercial work completely separate.

Ian

 

[fschifano]

I'm almost ashamed to admit that I use plain old business envelopes to store my negatives. They are not archival, of course, but I've been storing negatives like this for a long time and they are holding up well, far better than those horrible glassine sleeves I used to use many years ago. On the envelope is marked the date and the roll number. For example a roll finished today would be marked 2010-01-08 #01. If there are multiple rolls, they would be marked #02, #03, etc. Since I make a contact sheet of every roll on RC paper, a practice I do recommend, each sheet is marked using a Sharpie permanent marker, with the corresponding roll number. Filing these sheets and negatives is another story. Mostly I have them packed away in boxes with the year(s) noted on the outside. Prints on fiber based paper that I really like are marked in soft pencil on the back with the roll and frame number. If the print is on RC paper, there is little alternative to using a Sharpie to accomplish the same thing.

 

[MattKing]

One of the things I've learned is that if you have a whole bunch of unorganized historical material, don't put off organization because of the backlog. Just choose a system that permits later organization of earlier work, and start organizing the current stuff NOW.

Matt

 

[DanielStone]

I can't afford archival boxes, but I can afford archival sleeves for roll films and sheets(4x5 only right now). In addition to achival envelopes.

I use ammo boxes, you know, the .50 cal ones that you can find at yard sales for $5/each? I bought out my neighbor's for $20/10 of them. so, watch craigslist. been doing this for the last 2 1/2 years, no problems so far.

I had too many problems with printfile sleeves. I only use those with color film I KNOW I'll make a contact sheet for. I store b/w and color contact sheets SEPARATE from the negatives. Each ammo box has a number on it, and each ammo box has a small notebook to go with it, to let me know what's in it. Just flip through the little notebook, and I can get it down pretty easy.

I store everything by date shot, regardless of format. I can average 40-60 rolls/120-150 sheets 4x5 per ammo box.

I guess I really should make a spreadsheet, and I might get around to it one of these days, but for now, 8 ammo boxes are full, and sitting nicely in my closet, in the dark, ~62-65F nice and pretty.

-Dan