Fotoalbums

A fotoalbum, or photo album, is a collection of photographs bound in a book, on pages with sleeves or corners, or stored as a digital collection. It is designed for viewing, organizing, and preserving images that document people, places, events, and everyday life.

Historically, photo albums emerged after the invention of photography in the 19th century. Early albums commonly used albumen prints and cartes de visite, with blank spaces or predesigned layouts for mounting photos. Commercially produced albums became popular keepsakes, and layouts often followed chronological, thematic, or family-oriented schemes.

Physical formats vary, including bound books with adhesive pages or photo corners, and covers made from leather, cloth, or cardboard. Some albums use pockets or sleeves to hold prints, enabling easy rearrangement. Scrapbooks and journal-style albums combine photographs with captions, notes, and mementos, blending documentation with personal reflection.

Digital photo albums have become widespread with the rise of cameras, smartphones, and cloud services. They organize images by date, event, or album, and offer captions, tagging, search functions, sharing options, and the ability to print or create photo books. Digital albums also facilitate backup and long-term accessibility beyond physical degradation.

Preservation and use emphasize organization, legibility, and accessibility. For physical albums, care involves acid-free materials, minimal handling, and storage in a stable environment to protect prints. Digitization supports long-term preservation and broad sharing, while still preserving the original physical collection when available.