P3D Labeling Stereos

[Brad Richmond <galoot@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello again!

I have a few comments regarding discussion about
preservation/storage/value/etc of personal stereo views.

I do feel many personal views will have an intrinsic value in the future.
It is difficult to determine today what views might be important in the
future, excluding obvious technical failures, of course. Some may fall into
one of the following categories:

1. Personal Family History - Someone, in the future generation, might have
great interest in stereo views of their ancestors and realtives. These will
have added value if they include the day-to-day living environment of the
subjects. I would much rather have stereos of my Grandmother in her living
room or kitchen than standing in front of Balancing Rock (that rock hasn't
changed much in 50 years). Likewise, I wish I had stereo-views of myself as
a child surrounded by my parents, friends, pets, and toys. Our lives are
not lived in limbo and our photographs should include the envoronment we
live in. Hopefully this type of photograph will stay with the family and
not be tossed or warehoused in a museum basement.

2. General Personal History - Documentation of the environment and people
of a given era. What is familiar and boring today, may become interesting
and curious in the future. I don't personally find a "McDonalds" structure
interesting today, they are everywhere you look, they are all too familiar.
But, I would have interest in views of "McDonalds" (with customers and
employees) taken 30 years ago. If it was one that I had visited, I would
find it even more interesting as I "time-traveled" through the viewer into
the past. Because I am a stero photographer, my son will be able to travel
into his past in enviable way that I cannot. Hopefully he will appreciate
that opportunity in the future.

3. General Social History - Historians and the curious will find value in
the stereos shot today. Numerous stereo photographs will add to this view
of the way people lived and their environs. When I look at my collection of
old stereo views, I feel that I am able to actually step into the horrors
of WWI or the San Francico earthquake. I can visit a "simpler" time of
ladies with parasols riding in open carraiges. Flat photography, although a
valuable documentary and aesthetic form, cannot begin to transport my mind
to the past as stereo photography does. I am glad that stereo photography
has some history, too bad it didn't exist when they constructed they pyramids!

4. Fun - Stereos from the past are fun to look at. Not much to add here,
you all know that anyway, but many others don't. Thats another good reason
to keep it alive and share with as many people as possible. Who hasn't
heard the famous "Oh Wow! This is really neat!" when enlightening others to
our unique passion.

Finally, and most importantly, there is one thing that must be done to
greatly enhance all of our stereos today and for future generations. I feel
that all pictures should be properly _labeled_! There are few things more
frustrating than digging through a box of old family photos and not knowing
who anybody is. Many times I have browsed antique stores and seen piles of
great old portraits of anonymous people. Perhaps these would have stayed in
the family if the survivors only knew that this photo was of Great Grandma
Gertrude, on graduation day, taken at her house on Plum Street in 1923.
And, who was the photographer?

Information adds interest and greatly enhances the value of photographs.
Chances are that a properly labeled photo will not end up in the trash,
someone in the family might decide to keep it or the museum might find it
more valuable for their collection.

If a photo is important enough to take, process, and mount...it should be
important enough to properly label. On my labels I include: date, location,
names of subjects, photographer (me),reference number, and other comments
(Tyler's birthday, Christmas, family reunion, etc) on the slide mount. I
write with a small black indellible marker, and yes, I do have to write
small! If I ever find the time, I'll add a written history (referenced to
the slide number) that adds even more information and emotion to the
images. Stereo photographs are great, stereos with information are a
helluva lot better!

Sorry this is so long, I guess it's from too many of months of PUL (Pent Up
Lurking 8-). Comments?

Regards,

Brad D Richmond

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                 Brad D. Richmond
              mailto:galoot@xxxxxxxxx
                            
         My 3-D Galoot site needs updating:                    
            http://www.kcnet.com/~galoot
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