The job isn’t complicated
Though can be tedious
Happening in steps
Several stages
Pacing oneself
So as not to lose the passion
Week or a month
Since the last batch
Self-reminders
The end always
Justifies the means

An initial inspection of any
Given shoe box, album
Is in order
What to photograph
Who are these people?
When to pass

A few containing only
Newspaper clippings
Or Negatives
(put aside but never thrown out)
Still others a dog’s breakfast
Different years...decades
Of photos, memorabilia

Each keepsake
Carefully laid out on the bed
Those slightly bent
Over the course of age
Straightened back
As best as possible
Without damaging them
While a few can be captured
Directly from their albums

Sunny days are better
For this activity
Taking advantage of
Ambient light
Lamp or flash won’t do
Then leaning over
With DSLR
Photographing family history
One image at a time

Notes on the backs
If any, duly noted
Though sometimes
The origin
A game of detective
Putting together clues
From similar, nearby discoveries

Uploaded to the desk top
Filed away in hard-drive
Cropped and in some cases
Reduced in size electronically
Though when posting them
To social media
Facebook
Automatically does this

With each group completed
Post-Its then taped to
Albums, boxes
Noting the date(s)
What was or was not scanned

Online
Relatives’ Likes and Loves
Feedback
Often filling in the blanks
Of uncovered mysteries

Otherwise
Without Facebook
Few would ever see them

Who would have the time?








© May 10 2020
Photo © February 20, 1976 by author

850 hits as of November 2024

05/10/2020

Author's Note: Happy Mother's Day Mom. xo. A job my mother started (sorting of old photos and keepsakes), but never completed.

Posted on 05/10/2020
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti