What will happen to your negatives in "the end"?

[Alan Klein]

I am on a mission to print all my edition prints before I kick the bucket, At that point I will give the master original negs to some institution or just destroy them, A lot of my original film is colour negative so nature will take its course on the film. I am not
sure if I want to have anyone print my negs at this point, but if one of my apprentices stays with me and continues the business I may pass them on to her.

Why not ask them if they want the negatives and plan to commercialize them. Then make a deal to share profits they make with some of your family. I;m sure your apprentices or your family would not turn down additional income and it's a way to monetize parts of your estate.

[ic-racer]

I have been saving digital image and music files since the early 1980s. I even wrote image analysis software at NIH in the early 1990s.
To preserve my files I currently have functional Mac SE30, Mac Quadra 700, iMac Colored, iMac 2002, iMac 27" 2009 Snow Leapord, Mac Mini 2014, iMac 27" 2017, each with multiple operating systems and countless floppy and hard disks. The point is no-one will go to the trouble to preserve the files when I'm gone.

[Alan Klein]

I have been saving digital image and music files since the early 1980s. I even wrote image analysis software at NIH in the early 1990s.
To preserve my files I currently have functional Mac SE30, Mac Quadra 700, iMac Colored, iMac 2002, iMac 27" 2009 Snow Leapord, Mac Mini 2014, iMac 27" 2017, each with multiple operating systems and countless floppy and hard disks. The point is no-one will go to the trouble to preserve the files when I'm gone.

We just replaced our washer and drier. I can't get my wife to read the instructions. Do you really think your family will be interested in figuring out a 2009 Snow Leopard?

[willwilson]

Interesting thought experiment. It has inspired me to think of sharing my work with those around me more intentionally and focusing more on what brings me joy in photography.

Maybe an AI can currate my digital work for me before I kick the bucket? I'm guessing I won't get to it no matter the number of days remaining.

[bob carnie]

Why not ask them if they want the negatives and plan to commercialize them. Then make a deal to share profits they make with some of your family. I;m sure your apprentices or your family would not turn down additional income and it's a way to monetize parts of your estate.

A lot will depend on her ability in a few years, I do plan to print out everything is small editions. I imagine if all goes to plan there will not be much to print. We have already started the process where they both work on the images under my supervision and
this is going well.

[r.e.]

I think the trick is to identify a person or organisation that's interested in one's photographs, cull ruthlessly and then make it as simple as possible for that person or organisation to sort them, view them and understand their context (what, when, who, where, why). I'm convinced that digitising the photos, whether by scanning or by photographing the prints or negatives (can be done with a smartphone), goes a long way to fulfilling the third objective. The context can be conveyed with a paired note in a format that will be readable by any computer for the foreseeable future (plain text or rich text using an app like TextEdit or Notepad++) or with a plain text embedded or sidecar metadata file (the IPTC format will likewise be readable long-term).

Compared to using Adobe or Capture One to provide contextual information, Photo Mechanic (US$139) is more user-friendly for both the photographer and people who view his/her photographs. For example, it's possible to customise your IPTC template so that it contains only the fields that you want to use. In the example below, a landscape photographer could get rid of another five fields. With a little thought, entering most information can be done with a mouse click. As the second screen capture shows, it's also easy to make a search as broad or as narrow as one wants. Note that the search window reflects the customisation of the IPTC template. This is also one of those unusual situations where a simple, dated user interface just works better than the contemporary interfaces of apps like Lightroom and Capture One. Even if all three of the companies that make these apps go out of business tomorrow, there will be apps available that can read IPTC-format metadata.

IPTC Template


Search

[Oren Grad]

I think the trick is to identify a person or organisation that's interested in one's photographs, cull ruthlessly and then make it as simple as possible for that person or organisation to sort them, view them and understand their context (what, when, who, where, why).

Wise words.

Compared to using Adobe or Capture One to provide contextual information, Photo Mechanic (US$139) is more user-friendly for both the photographer and people who view his/her photographs....

Are there any other metadata-management tools that you can recommend? I attempted a trial of Photo Mechanic a few months ago with precisely this purpose in mind, but ran into insoluble problems completing installation on my well-equipped Windows 10 PC. The company's technical support tried to help but it turned into too much of a time-sink and I eventually gave up on it.

[Tin Can]

I think Google just started aggressively grabbing ALL Photos, movies, music, etc

I see format evolution change and vastly more images daily

May as well go with big bully

I have no advice how to organize and maintain

Apple may not have the power to battle META

So Google vs META

[bob carnie]

I think the trick is to identify a person or organisation that's interested in one's photographs, cull ruthlessly and then make it as simple as possible for that person or organisation to sort them, view them and understand their context (what, when, who, where, why). I'm convinced that digitising the photos, whether by scanning or by photographing the prints or negatives (can be done with a smartphone), goes a long way to fulfilling the third objective. The context can be conveyed with a paired note in a format that will be readable by any computer for the foreseeable future (plain text or rich text using an app like TextEdit or Notepad++) or with a plain text embedded or sidecar metadata file (the IPTC format will likewise be readable long-term).

Compared to using Adobe or Capture One to provide contextual information, Photo Mechanic (US$139) is more user-friendly for both the photographer and people who view his/her photographs. For example, it's possible to customise your IPTC template so that it contains only the fields that you want to use. In the example below, a landscape photographer could get rid of another five fields. With a little thought, entering most information can be done with a mouse click. As the second screen capture shows, it's also easy to make a search as broad or as narrow as one wants. Note that the search window reflects the customisation of the IPTC template. This is also one of those unusual situations where a simple, dated user interface just works better than the contemporary interfaces of apps like Lightroom and Capture One. Even if all three of the companies that make these apps go out of business tomorrow, there will be apps available that can read IPTC-format metadata.

IPTC Template


Search

I would add to this - a comprehensive list of where each image is sold, the amounts, as well a complete inventory of images edition and available for future sale.
Also a very clear written description of your work, how the images were produced, why these images are important to you, and a statement on your edition size.
This will make it clear for whoever is taking over your work what is to be done with it.

[Alan Klein]

A lot will depend on her ability in a few years, I do plan to print out everything is small editions. I imagine if all goes to plan there will not be much to print. We have already started the process where they both work on the images under my supervision and
this is going well.

Sound like a good plan. Good luck with it and stay healthy. No point rushing things.