WANTED: Old aerial negatives & prints for a very good cause

I’m new here and wasn’t sure where to post this, but this seemed the most relavent. I hope it is OK? 😮

I teach aerial survey to the fresh-faced, up-and-coming generations at University. I’m always keen to illustrate to students the use of airphotos for quantifying landscape change (of any type, anywhere, over any period… urban sprawl, coastal erosion, woodland clearance, changes in agriculture, landslides to name just a few quick examples!) by giving them in-class, hands-on experience of old film and prints (which isn’t possible using archives such as NCAP or CUCAP for example).

To that end this is an appeal for donations of any old prints or transparencies (i.e. negatives or [dia]positives, on film or glass), black & white or colour, of any age and of any location, vertical or oblique (i.e. looking straight down or sideways) and of any size or format.

Many such prints and negatives still exist, hidden away and forgotten in boxes, filing cabinets, wardrobes, lofts and garages etc, usually having been “acquired” by employees when they were no longer of use (RAF photo reconnaissance training sorties are a prime example, where as soon as the flight and analysis were done the film and prints were surplus to requirements and simply thrown away 🙁 or spirited away :dev2: ). Medium format prints (e.g. 5×5″ and 5×7″ etc. as illustrated below) are popular, as anyone can use them and many people are often fascinated by them. Large format prints (e.g. 9×9″, see below) are another matter, as they are an odd size to store, frame or scan (e.g. won’t fit desktop scanners). Transparencies are even worse as they are difficult even just to view, let alone do anything else with. This is especially the case when they are 1) large format; and 2) in rolls (difficult even to hold up against a window!). For this reason they are of very little use to most people and many are simply thrown away 🙁 … yet we would cherish them! :eagerness:

This is an opportunity for any such items to go to a good home for a good cause. So if you have any such material, know of anyone else who does, or see any on your travels, I’d love to hear from you please! Any items gratefully received and postage/pickup will certainly be reimbursed/arranged. I’d also be extremely grateful if you could spread the word…

Many thanks in advance :eagerness:

Andy Ford

9×9″ prints (actually more like 10″ when you include the border) and the square, shallow boxes they sometimes come in:

Other, smaller formats (almost always B&W) include the square 5×5″ and rectangular 5×7″:

Examples of roll negatives (may also come in original “biscuit tin” containers):