Simply taking new photos of old photos

Copy stand photography is quickly becoming one of the most commonly used forms of digitization across libraries, archives, museums, and personal use. That's because copy-stand photography is a cheaper option for digitization and it's fairly easy to get started.

A photo of my digitization "lab" at work

Essentially, copy stand photography is a type of digitization that utilizes digital photography to take digital images of a non-digital item. "Copy" refers to creating a digital image of, or copying, the original, and "stand" refers to the equipment used to hold the camera parallel to the item being photographed. I use a motorized Kaiser copy stand at work that allows me to easily move the camera closer or farther away depending on the size of the negative I'm taking a photo of.

However, in the most basic of terms, I'm simply taking new photos of old photos. Of course, there is a lot more that goes into digitization, but we can get into that later.

A big part of digitization is the equipment needed, which can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. Thankfully pricing is where copy stand photography shines. To get started with copy stand photography, you'll need a digital camera, a copy stand, a computer, and photo editing software. Granted, each of these can get a little pricey, but when compared to the cost of book scanners or flatbed scanners for digitization, copy stand photography is much more likely to fit into your budget. Plus, for some libraries and archives, there is a good chance you already have some of the things you need like photo editing software and computers.

Another win for copy stand photography is the ease of use and how quickly an experienced archivist can digitize materials. Other forms of digitization may require clunky software or take several minutes to scan negatives, but copy stand photography is as simple as taking a photo! It certainly helps to have a background or at least some knowledge of digital photography before jumping in, but really, anyone with a desire to learn will do great.

Lastly, I wanted to touch quickly on the type of material I digitize. I digitize negative acetate photo film in several different sizes (largely 4x5 and 35mm). Storing these negatives is an important part of preservation. As I digitize each negative, I rehouse them in an archival quality sleeve with a new label for both preservation and accessibility.

Some unprocessed color negatives in a binder, a new archival quality sleeve with an old sleeve next to it, and a photo print all from the collection I'm working on.

Additionally, we need to store all the negatives and film in our photo archive in a temperature and climate-controlled location. We call this special repository the vault. By storing these delicate archival materials in the vault, we are ensuring they stay preserved as long as possible. Here is a link to the National Archives website with advice on how to store your personal film negatives.

A photo of the collection I'm working on in the vault