What should I do with inherited photos?

Many people contact us when they inherit family photos from a parent, grandparent, or other family member who has passed away. Sometimes the death is recent, but other times the family member passed away decades ago. Either way, these photos can feel like a treasure and a burden at the same time. Family members often have different expectations or budgets, and there can be disagreements, tension, or apathy about how to deal with family photos.

The most common approach is for the person in charge of the photos (through possession, oldest child, or executor of the estate) to attempt to distribute the originals to the people in each photo. We know people do this with the best intentions and generous motives, but it’s the worst possible approach because it makes organizing, sharing, and retaining family history much more difficult. Instead of distributing the photos and breaking up the archive, we recommend the exact opposite. This is how we suggest tackling this important project:

1. Gather everything together in one location, including prints, slides, negatives, albums, scrapbooks, and home movies including film reels and video tapes. This keeps everything safe and helps you understand the scope of the collection.
2. Organize everything by date instead of by person. The date sorting doesn’t have to be perfect, and it’s actually easier than organizing by person. 
3. Scan the photos at archival resolution (600 PPI for prints and 4,000 PPI for slides and negatives) so you only have to do it once.
4. Add searchable metadata to the digital files so they retain important family history. This includes names, dates, locations, events, captions, and other details.
5. Keep the originals in archival storage boxes so they’re safe for as long as possible into the future. If you’re not sure what to do with the original photos after they’ve been scanned, check out this other blog post: Should I keep my original photos after they’re scanned?
6. Scanning hundreds or thousands of family photos can be an expensive project, but also a priceless legacy. Sometimes a single family member will pay for the project, and other times families will share the cost. We’ve also worked with executors and attorneys who use a portion of the inheritance or trust to pay for the project.
7. When the project is complete, share the digital files of the scanned photos and converted home movies with all the family members. This way every family has access to everything, and there’s no need for arguments or tension over who has access to the photos.

Family photo archives are a priceless treasure for today and future generations. Please contact us if you have questions about how to handle your inherited photos.

Interested in working with Chaos to Memories?

If you’re near Chicago and ready to get started, come visit our Wheaton Studio Monday – Friday, 10-5. Please bring your memories with you.

If you live outside the Chicagoland area, we’re happy to send you a Project Form and Contract, along with shipping instructions, so you can get started on your project.

Contact us for more information.