Looking at those Egyptian images is an overwhelming experience (especially the smaller ones...), but we have to bear in mind that they were not meant to be seen by us - or any other humans.
This is a very special sort of archival aiming at preserving the soul of the deceased for eternity and not at keeping information readily accessible for a long time.
Today, we have "time capsules" - quite a nice concept, but would you like to entrust the only copy of your photographs to one of those?
I want my images to be there when I need then, be it in a few hours or a couple of years.
As for antique art - we should not forget that what we see today is just the part that made it. I suppose that many tombs in Egypt have been plundered or exposed to the elements and are now forgotten.
The antique equivalent of low-quality modern storage media, maybe?
On the other hand, sculptures and tombs have one undeniable advantage as compared to any modern medium: you normally do not need any special equipment to retrieve the information.
Laurenz
http://www.travelphoto.net/
http://www.travelphoto.net/
2008/4/28 Trevor Cunningham <tr_cunningham@xxxxxxxxx>:
It's funny, this discussion. Take for instance, the phrase "set in stone". The ancient Egyptians created marvels that stood the test of time, and the elements, until exposed to modern existence. In the Valley of the Kings, there are brilliantly painted tombs where the imagery painted on the walls is literally rotting away due to humidity from human sweat as thousands of people come in and out. A Sony CD-R lasts five years. Wasn't there a thread regarding the recent discovery of images from a Spanish photog? Negs rolled up in a suitcase, as good as new. At least with that, you get a sense of the man. To see a 4000 year old tomb, that looks like it was painted yesterday, speaks volumes until it says no more.
"somewhere between zero and one...everything else is exaggeration" - Anonymous
----- Original Message ----
From: "w8imo@xxxxxxxx" <pt34bfh@xxxxxxxxx>
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 9:07:15 PM
Subject: Re: photo storage question
Since what you are saying is true, there is only one realistic way to save our photographs, properly stored FILM!
And speaking of tape, when I left Big Blue after 40 years in 2006, many of my larger Customers actually had LARGE tape libraries for backing up important data. They also used an off site storage facility designed to keep tapes safe.
I miss my old TI-99 too......
And now I'm off to take some photos if it's not raining.
Bob
On Sun, Apr 27, 2008 at 11:06 PM, Mark Blackwell <mblackwell1958@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I am not sure anything digital can really be truly archival. We have seen just how computer technology changes. We might write the data to 100 hard drives, but what good would it do if hard drives are replaced by some new far superior technology in a few years. Everything would have to be transfered that that often does not happen. How many of you have a computer that still has a slot for 3 1/2 inch floppies?? If so how bout the 5 1/4 floppies? Go back far enough and I used a cassette tape recorder to store stuff for the Texas Instruments 994A I think it was. I wonder just how much information was lost when tape storage fell from favor.
--- On Sun, 4/27/08, Gregory Stempel <fyrframe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> From: Gregory Stempel <fyrframe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: photo storage question
> To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Sunday, April 27, 2008, 7:40 PM
> I currently run with three external HDs from Lacie each one
> carrying a
> duplicate copy of all my image files. I also back
> everything to DVD-R. I am
> thinking about going to the gold technology with their
> claim of true achival
> storage.
>
> Take care out there,
> Gregory
> www.fireframeimaging.com
> www.ebbtidegalleryofgifts.com
> http://soundexposure.org____________________________________________________________________________________
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