from Maureen Taylor
The kids are back in school. Got a few extra minutes on your hands? Now might be a good time to label all those summer photos before they remain unidentified for the great-grandchild to puzzle over.
If you print your digital pictures, use a black marker labeled that it is safe for pictures. Look for specific terms such as odorless (when dry) quick drying, water resistant, and light fast. One such product is a Zig marker, available at scrapbook supply stores, craft outlets, and even office supply stores like Staples. “Creating Keepsakes,†a scrapbook magazine, offers a list of pens and pencils that their preservation advisors gave the okay to on their website.
Don’t use these markers on your heritage photos. Purchase instead a very soft lead art pencil..
If your digital images are sitting on your hard drive and need captions. Use your photo organizing software, such as Google’s free download Picasa, or download the free Foto Tagger. You won’t believe what you can do with these tools!
Click here for a printer friendly version of this article.
AOL and Microsoft says not to run Foto Tagger. While I was installing a window popped up saying no publisher could be found and it may not be safe to run?????
I have searched Office Depot, Staples, Michaels and the Internet – nowhere do I find a pen that specifically says “safe for photos”. They may say odorless, quick drying etc. but not “safe. . .”
I purchase pens from Century Photo in California.