How to Assign Unique IDs to Family Photos
By ImgHeal · Updated
Create identifiers that remain stable when filenames, folders, owners, or captions change.
Define the record
Choose a short family or collection prefix plus a sequential number. Avoid encoding names or dates that may later prove wrong. Decide how album pages, fronts, backs, and individual crops relate to the source ID.
Apply the system consistently
Place the ID in the inventory and filenames of digital copies. Write on physical materials only with preservation-safe guidance; for most projects, label enclosures or folders rather than the photograph itself.
Test that another person can use it
Check for duplicates before issuing a new number. Document the pattern in a readme so another family member can continue it consistently.
Check before you finish
- Keep IDs independent of uncertain names.
- Link derivatives to the source ID.
- Document the numbering rule.
Further reading
- National Archives: Digitizing Family Papers and PhotographsGuidance on digitizing family materials, documenting them, retaining originals, and keeping backup copies.
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