Memories are important. After all, memories are basically the only thing we take with us no matter where we go. And with people moving so often, changing their careers and meeting new people along the way, memories are the only thing left unchanged.
When we think about memories, photographs immediately come to mind. And no, we’re not talking about those photos you have on your phone. We’re talking about the photos we all kept in random boxes and photo albums.
As much as taking photos is easier now, there’s still something special about a tangible photograph. With photos, you can always just sit down with your family and friends and recall all those memorable moments.
But at the same time it’s important to keep up the pace with the changing digital landscape. History can no longer survive on its own. Paper is no longer enough. Everything needs to exist online as well.
But can we really turn history into contemporary art and preserve memories the right way? In a nutshell, the answer is yes. Technology luckily allows us to “mold” history to a more modern age.
And we’re here to give you more information on that. So, if you’re looking for a way to turn your memories into long-lasting records that won’t be affected by time, keep reading.
When photographs become more than mere records
Old photographs begin as simple records of life. At one point you feel the need to capture a moment. Maybe a birthday celebration. Or the day you got your first job.
But with time, these photos become packed with emotional significance. That’s when they become indispensable.
As we live in a time when photography is so accessible to everyone, these old photographs gain even higher significance. Today, we’re so used to snapping photos without even realizing how it negatively affects our memory. In fact, research has shown that
the more photos we take, the less we remember.
Nowadays, if we’re not satisfied with a photo, we just retake it. What makes those old photographs powerful is not perfection, but authenticity. A few decades ago, it was not that easy to take more than just a couple photos as you had to save your film for later.
That’s why many are now looking to preserve those memories and make sure they can access them at all times in different formats.
The role of professional photo scanning
As a solution to the abovementioned problem, professional photo scanning comes into play. Many often have the misconception that photo scanning is super easy and simple. In reality, it’s a careful process that requires a lot of precise work and attention to detail.
High-quality scanning captures details that casual digitization misses like the texture, depth, subtle tonal shifts, and fine lines. That’s why choosing a high quality studio matters a lot. And it’s always best to find a place in your city as you can also pay them a visit and ask questions in person.
So, if you live in Chicago, the obvious step is to research studios and see which ones offer
photo scanning services. Then, you should head down and bring all the photos you wish to convert to digital and communicate your wishes with the experts at the studio.
They will guide you through the process and answer all your questions.
The scanning process will ensure that images are preserved at a resolution and quality suitable not just for archiving, but for display and creative use.
Turning preserved images into art
Once a photograph is scanned and restored, its possibilities expand. With a digital copy, the options are limitless. You can easily play around with those photos and turn them into art.
What do we mean by that? You can easily frame your favorite moments or print them as posters and use them to liven up your interior.
Instead of hiding your photos away in a box, you can showcase them for everyone to see. A
plain white wall can be transformed quickly into meaningful art with just a few handpicked memories displayed.
History lives in cities as much as in families
Individual memories are as important as collective memories. By collective memories, we mean capturing the essence of a place or city. Cities evolve constantly and photographs often become the only record of what once was.
Urban images preserve more than buildings. They capture everyday life that once existed in a specific time in history. Your grandparents’ favorite local cafe that’s now probably replaced with Starbucks becomes immortalized in a single photo. That’s why urban imagery is also important and needs to be preserved.
Cities with layered architectural and cultural history are especially rich in these visual memories. Turning those visual archives into digital archives is super important as it also helps present and future generations reflect on the past and get to know the cities they live in.
Final thoughts: Digitizing history
Hopefully, you’ve now realized the importance of all those keepsakes you have lying around the house. Preserving those memories in a proper way is truly essential. You need to put a lot of care into the process and choose professionals to help you create a more “modern” version of history.
When it comes to your photographs,the best way to extend their lifetime is to find a professional photo studio and let them turn your negatives and physical copies into digital memories you can later turn into artwork for your home.
The same can be done for preserving a city’s history. Relying on physical and paper copies no longer cuts it. History needs to keep up the pace with the modern trends as ironic as that sounds.