How do you store / organize your negs?

[Ben Calwell]

Ic-racer, I like your darkroom!

[andreios]

Thank you for all these suggestions and tips... Probably I should abandon the single image sleeves and go printfile for all formats, would make most sense perhaps.. Or try to source those pergamin folding things that Vaughn uses.

[Mark Sawyer]

"How do you store / organize your negs? "

Barely...

[Peter Lewin]

My physical storage of negatives is similar to what many have already posted: negatives in PrintFile sheets, kept in 3-ring binders, with a contact sheet in a transparent 8.5x11 sheet holder interleaved for each. The binders are labeled chronologically. My prints (I only print the best images) are kept, dry mounted on 2-ply, in archival boxes, again chronologically labeled. My difficulty is that I have recently started submitting work for exhibitions where the prospectuses specify subject matter. Since my storage is chronological, this requires a lot of searching through prints, occasionally for the negative when I feel that I can now re-print an image better than the print on file. So my question comes down to whether it makes more sense to re-file by subject matter rather than date, or somehow to cross reference the two methods. Any suggestions?

[Eric Woodbury]

I've been using "plastines" by Dot Line for 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10. I put those in a Hollinger box.

I need to replenish my 4x5 supply, but notice that BH, Freestyle, et al, no longer have the 4x5. Anybody know if discontinued and is the Pana-Vue version the same or close enough?

[jp]

My physical storage of negatives is similar to what many have already posted: negatives in PrintFile sheets, kept in 3-ring binders, with a contact sheet in a transparent 8.5x11 sheet holder interleaved for each. The binders are labeled chronologically. My prints (I only print the best images) are kept, dry mounted on 2-ply, in archival boxes, again chronologically labeled. My difficulty is that I have recently started submitting work for exhibitions where the prospectuses specify subject matter. Since my storage is chronological, this requires a lot of searching through prints, occasionally for the negative when I feel that I can now re-print an image better than the print on file. So my question comes down to whether it makes more sense to re-file by subject matter rather than date, or somehow to cross reference the two methods. Any suggestions?

A valid concern... More often than I print and less often than I make negatives, I post to flickr with location and subject information. If it's good enough to submit to something, it's probably a subset of what's scanned and uploaded. I can search for words easily on there. I keep negatives stored chronologically as well and find the photo I want based on albums, words, etcc on my flickr, see the date, and go find it in the three ring binder.

Lacking that, one could also add tags and organize them in adobe lightroom for sort of a private database. Most photo management software can do this sort of thing, but Adobe has been around for a while and isn't likely to go away.

[John Kasaian]

A mix of Printfile and glassines. I should really get more organized!

[A_Tabor]

My physical storage of negatives is similar to what many have already posted: negatives in PrintFile sheets, kept in 3-ring binders, with a contact sheet in a transparent 8.5x11 sheet holder interleaved for each. The binders are labeled chronologically. My prints (I only print the best images) are kept, dry mounted on 2-ply, in archival boxes, again chronologically labeled. My difficulty is that I have recently started submitting work for exhibitions where the prospectuses specify subject matter. Since my storage is chronological, this requires a lot of searching through prints, occasionally for the negative when I feel that I can now re-print an image better than the print on file. So my question comes down to whether it makes more sense to re-file by subject matter rather than date, or somehow to cross reference the two methods. Any suggestions?

This is why I like a digital reference catalogue for my stuff. [Which I'm woefully behind on...] Photograph/scan the stuff you want to actually catalogue, then keyword the images in something like Lightroom in a way that accurately covers all reasonable bases [What, where, etc. Bonus points if you remember to accurately date stuff if you're doing backlog work.] and come up with a reasonably simple scheme to call back to the physical negative.

Then the important and tricky part: Keeping your physical copies properly filed, and not letting yourself just "Stuff them in the drawer/binder/whatever" when you finish working with them.

[Tin Can]

I see we vary vastly in how we store negs and digital files

I know my problem well. I call it 'horizontal surface capacity'. I always fill every table, shelf, bed, closet, workbench, toolbox, cupboard etc with everything...vast clutter!

Then I reach a 'can't move moment' and put it all away. Not easy and I try to trick myself, by using folding tables, so i can clear a room and change location quickly...LOL

Right now 6 big folding tables are full and 3 will be cleared today to work on my winter selfie project. I would use a model, but none available...or affordable

I relate my problem to the messy desk syndrome however I know I am not a genius. I have met and worked with a couple and was humbled

[Bill Kumpf]

I file by subject matter, My LF work falls into basic areas and is mostly personal projects. Negatives rated as keepers are printed on 8x10 with printing notes, filed in sleeves with the negative (in glassine envelopes). Any additional information is added to the sleeve. These are filed in 3-ring binders. Some projects span several years. Some negatives that span different projects have 8x10 prints with negative location in each project file. It has worked so far.

Digital file are filed using the same system on two hard drives. I shoot way too much digital.