If you ever doubted whether the paper onto which you print your photographs is important; or if it matters whether the albums in which you keep them are archival; or if taking the trouble to protect your negatives or digital files is really worth it… take a moment to contemplate this image.

It shows the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln in front of the U.S. Capitol, then under construction. It was one moment in time, on the eve of the most tumultuous period in the nation's history, captured forever by Benjamin Brown French on March 4, 1861.

(“A small window into a big life,” indeed.)

Tomorrow, January 20, 2009, marks the historic inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.

May the thousands of photographs snapped tomorrow in Washington D.C., live long, so they may help to tell this story to future generations… whether these photographs find their way into inherited private family collections, or the U.S. Library of Congress.

Every man is more than just himself; he also represents the unique, the very special, always significant and remarkable point at which the world's phenomena intersect, only once in this way, and never again.
 - Herman Hesse

Read about preserving digital images here. Another useful article is Preparing, Protecting, Preserving Family Treasures, by the experts at the U.S. Library of Congress.