After death: What shall happen to our photos?

runswithsizzers

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 19, 2019
Messages
1,659
Location
SW Missouri, USA
Format
35mm
It is becoming increasingly likely that starvation due to climate change, or a world war, or a viral pandemic -- or some combination thereof -- is going to result in a huge reduction in the number of humans on planet earth. Those that survive are going to be far too busy trying to stay alive to worry about our stupid photos.

Have a nice day!
 

Saganich

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 21, 2004
Messages
1,229
Location
Brooklyn
Format
35mm RF
I've been rolling this issue around in my head and on the one hand I agree that 100,000's of years of human existence will eventually culminate in a dull gray geological band about 3 inched thick and on the other hand I still feel compelled to wake up every morning and add 50 to 60 rolls a year to this issue. In the end I feel it is foolish to attempt to predict what may or may not be a burden. I'm conscious that every frame I expose has some potential relevance for someone in this world but whether or not any of that is realized is mostly up to me here and now.
 
Last edited:

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,105
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
I am planning to take my Hasselblads and their lenses with me.
 

Alan Edward Klein

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
Messages
9,238
Location
New Jersey formerly NYC
Format
Multi Format

Pieter12

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Messages
7,487
Location
Magrathean's computer
Format
Super8

I doubt even archival processing and storage will make it the long.
 

stevenjeong99

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2024
Messages
32
Location
Hungary, Budapest
Format
Medium Format
I upload my photos on instagram and they will continue to be there after I die (provided isntagram is still in service). Plus if I have children, I'm gonna make sure they fall in love with photography!
 

Alan Edward Klein

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
Messages
9,238
Location
New Jersey formerly NYC
Format
Multi Format
stevenjeong99 said:
I upload my photos on instagram and they will continue to be there after I die (provided isntagram is still in service). Plus if I have children, I'm gonna make sure they fall in love with photography!
Click to expand...

I'd work on getting the kids first.
 

BradS

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
8,103
Location
Soulsbyville, California
Format
35mm
What will happen to my stuff after I die?

I don't know, and I don't care, and I'm pretty sure it won't matter to me after I'm dead.
It's just not something that I even think about let alone worry about. It's just stuff.
My house could burn to the ground tomorrow and all that shit would be gone anyway.
My kids might care...or not.
 
Last edited:

stevenjeong99

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2024
Messages
32
Location
Hungary, Budapest
Format
Medium Format
Alan Edward Klein said:
I'd work on getting the kids first.
Click to expand...

Yeah I figured that's the first step before worrying about my photos but lets say i do have children..when I die, I think i'll bring my m6 to grave and i hope my children can sell my other gear and use it towards paying for their crazy high rent in the future
 

Pieter12

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Messages
7,487
Location
Magrathean's computer
Format
Super8
Good luck with that. I sincerely doubt the gear will be worth much in the future unless it is eminently collectible.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
51,891
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Pieter12 said:
Good luck with that. I sincerely doubt the gear will be worth much in the future unless it is eminently collectible.
Click to expand...

The last two cameras I sold on Craigslist went to one 16 year old and a woman who I would guess might be in her mid-twenties.
Each was for more than $100 CDN.
So there is some value - just not high value.
Not enough to worry about, but enough to pay attention to.
 

Pieter12

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Messages
7,487
Location
Magrathean's computer
Format
Super8

Not much help with th rent, either.
 

stevenjeong99

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2024
Messages
32
Location
Hungary, Budapest
Format
Medium Format
Pieter12 said:
I believe the poster specifically hoped the sale of this camera gear would help his heirs with skyrocketing rent.
Click to expand...

I was just joking gents... of course my nikon f3 won't pay for even a month's rent unless for some reason it becomes a sought after collectible in a few decades for some unseen reason
 

Michel Hardy-Vallée

Membership Council
Subscriber
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Messages
4,790
Location
Montréal, QC
Format
Multi Format
Even major artists with an actual career struggle to have their archive taken care of, and they're lucky to have MA or PhD students to work on their materials

My opinion is that you should take care of your photos as much as possible during your lifetime. If you have something that could be historically significant, donate it with proper documentation. And I cannot stress this enough: prune your materials, sort them, arrange them, and document them. Archivists don't have time to spare to figure out whether something is worth it or not. Also, don't expect any money in return. Your materials are costing them time, not the other way around.

Accept that not everything you've produced will remain. I managed to get a dozen of my father's photos in a proper institution, and that might be all there will ever be. Still, it means that his photos are safe, properly filed, and his bio is properly written.
 

eli griggs

Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
3,799
Location
NC
Format
Multi Format
Scan them all, with editing you would apply in a darkroom.

Next, make tiff files of all you want to share with the Universe and have them compressed into a data burst or burst and have them broadcasted in compressed burst signals into outer space in four directions, and if your energy/self is again moved even to the outer reaches, you may get to enjoy them again, on the furthest point of it all!

That's as good as it'll get in this Universe, period, IMO, other dimensions, being a matter of throwing pasta noodles onto the wall and seeing what sticks.
 

Don_ih

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
7,329
Location
Ontario
Format
35mm RF
Michel Hardy-Vallée said:
Archivists don't have time to spare to figure out whether something is worth it or not.
Click to expand...

Actually, they do. They work full-time hours to do exactly that sort of thing. And an archivist may see something significant in what you'd prune away.

But it hardly matters. If you're not culturally significant when you're alive, your work will probably not be seen as culturally significant when you're dead.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…