How to Keep Sidecar Notes with Restored Photo Files
By ImgHeal · Updated
Use accompanying text records when image metadata alone cannot preserve the project's context.
Use a shared identifier
Name the note with the same stable identifier as the image family. Record the source file, people, date uncertainty, and accepted edit versions. A simple readable text format is useful when specialized catalog software is unavailable later.
Describe changes plainly
Write what was adjusted, what was reconstructed, and which references informed any correction. Avoid vague labels such as enhanced without explanation. Keep private information in a separate restricted note if public delivery copies should not include it.
Transfer notes with images
Include sidecars in backups and delivery packages when appropriate. Test that recipients can understand the naming relationship. If several images share one note, list their identifiers explicitly rather than relying on their order in a folder view.
Check before you finish
- Match image and note identifiers.
- Include sidecars in backup and transfer checks.
Further reading
- National Archives: Digitizing Family Papers and PhotographsBackground on retaining originals, recording metadata, file naming, and independent backups.
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